Vegan Women Summit’s Pathfinder Virtual Pitch Competition has come to a close with the announcement of Fei Luo of Liven Proteins Corp. as this year’s winner, securing a spot to speak at the 2024 Vegan Women Summit (VWS).
VWS Pathfinder was created to invest in plant-based early-stage women founders. An expert panel of industry investors, including Caroline Cormier from Upfield, Beatriz Francisco of Vita Vera Ventures and Mariliis Hom from Sustainable Food Ventures, judged the competition. One female founder will have the chance to present their products and expertise at VWS NYC in the next year.
“Despite a 20% drop in investment in women-led startups […] the women in our program continue to defy the odds”
Liven Proteins Corp., a Toronto-based firm, uses precision fermenting to produce animal-free products from upcycled food and agriculture byproducts. This enhances the taste and textures of plant-based meals. The company uses large-scale fermentation and synthetic biology to create protein ingredients using underutilized plant materials. This supports a circular food economy. In addition, the company reduces food waste by turning side streams of food processing into…
