Kost Capital, a newly established venture capital fund, is dedicated to supporting the next wave of food tech startups. With an initial close of a €25 million fund in collaboration with EIFO, the fund aims to revolutionize the food industry by addressing pressing issues like a growing population, climate change, food waste, health concerns, and policy changes. Additionally, Kost Capital aims to utilize these funds to bridge the gap between academic research and market implementation through collaborations with Kost Studio, fostering the growth of impactful, scalable, and sustainable food innovations that can potentially transform Denmark into Europe’s leading bioeconomy hub.
Led by Danish entrepreneurs Kasper Hulthin, Christian Tang-Jespersen, Mark Emil Hermansen and Jacob Lee Ørnstrand alongside the General Partner Bodil Sidén, Kost Capital specializes in supporting pioneering entrepreneurs developing ingredients and technologies for the food and bioeconomy sectors. They believe collaboration and innovation are vital to creating a sustainable and scalable food system. Their investments focus on fermentation-based ingredients, alternative proteins, and innovative technologies that enhance food production, scaling, and functionality. They back ideas that promote food safety, waste reduction, traceability, and sustainable solutions for a healthier planet. Their mission is to empower visionary founders driving impactful advancements in the food industry.
“We are what we eat, yet the food system is broken. A growing population, climate change, food waste, health issues & policy changes require rapid funding now to ensure sustainability, efficiency and resilience in the future of food. We need to bring Better food for more people, that’s why we started Kost Capital,” says Bodil Sidén, General Partner Kost Capital.
Kost Capital has already made its first investments in the palm oil replacement company Äio, the infant formula company Numi and the Danish ingredient company Nutrumami.
“We have all tried alternatives that do not taste good, we believe the bioeconomy will bring better food for more people. Äio and Numi are great examples of companies that are solving massive problems with enormous potential in scalability as well as impact,” says Bodil Sidén.
During the year the company has built a hub in Frederiksberg, where Kost Capital and Kost Studio, the food development studio, work together in close collaboration. Together they aim to bridge the gap between universities and markets and make sure the most interesting innovation gets the right funding. The vision is to fund the next multi-billion dollar industry out of Denmark.
“Denmark has a proud history of food and the most interesting fermentation and biotechnology companies have started here. Denmark’s gastronomy scene is also world-class but Michelin star restaurants only serve 40 seats per night. We need to achieve scale to reach more people and the key is to combine bioeconomy and gastronomy. We want to empower the next generation of these companies and establish Denmark as the bioeconomy hub in Europe it has all the potential to be,” says Bodil Sidén.
