Daniel Skaven Ruben helps advance the future of food in a number of ways. He’s a 10x advisor to — and 30x angel investor in — global FoodTech and AgTech startups. He’s a venture partner / operating advisor to VCs Mudcake (Sweden), Nordic FoodTech VC (Finland) and Blume Equity (UK). He’s a mentor at accelerators Big Idea Ventures, Katapult, and Norrsken Accelerator. He’s the Founding Editor of newsletter FoodTech Weekly, and Founding Partner of Solvable Syndicate, which invests in early-stage impact FoodTech and AgTech startups globally. He also co-founded the foodtech podcast The Appetizer. Daniel was a consultant to The Rockefeller Foundation Food Initiative during 2017-2021, supporting the Foundation’s work to advance a more nourishing and sustainable food system. Daniel has also worked as an expert for the World Bank in Washington D.C. (2015-2016) on issues around technology, innovation, and entrepreneurship. Prior to that, he served in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Denmark in various roles in Stockholm and New York for more than half a decade, helping Danish tech companies to internationalize. Daniel holds a BSc in International Business (Copenhagen Business School), an LLM in Public International Law (Stockholm University), and an MSc in Foreign Service (Georgetown University).
Manuella is an entrepreneur and climate tech expert turned VC. She invests in early-stage startups fixing the food system at Mudcake. Manuella spent a decade working at the intersection of impact and technology and now regularly serves as a mentor and jury on startup programs. She previously co-founded Good Tech Lab and Climatescape. As CEO at Climatescape (Techstars’21), she led a data platform mapping 2000+ climate tech solutions. As COO of Good Tech Lab, she consulted for Fortune500 companies, foundations, and the UN. She co-authored “The Frontiers of Impact Tech”, interviewing 500+ leaders in 30 countries about the SDGs and scientific innovations. A Brazilian living in Paris, Manuella speaks 5 languages and holds a Master’s degree from SciencesPo.
Standing Ovation, which has previously raised €12 million in 2022 through a Series A led by Astanor Ventures and backed by Bel Group, has now secured an additional €3.75 million in a Series A+ round. This brings its total funding over the past four years to €23 million, aimed at accelerating growth and scaling production.
The French Foodtech company, specializing in precision-fermented protein, has also announced Yvan CHARDONNENS as its new CEO.
Idris in a nutshell: passionate about people, deep foodtech, agritech and sports. He works at Hello Tomorrow on the European Innovation Council Corporate Partnership Programme project, as well as in the BU Startups Programme and Innovation Engine. Alongside with Capucine Grandsir and Mikael Pereira, Idris serves as FoodHack Ambassadors in Paris, where he helps foster connections within the Parisian FoodTech community by organizing engaging events.
She resonates deeply with Josh Wolf’s quote: “I’m a voracious reader, absorbing all I can find, especially from rare or undiscovered sources.” Like those she admires, her curiosity drives her to seek knowledge from unexpected places, constantly exploring new ideas and perspectives. This passion for learning fuels her work as a business analyst, where she helps startups navigate the complex world of fundraising and growth.
Lucía Salas is a passionate professional working on solutions for the challenges of our era. In the search for a meaningful career, she co-founded Raiz Vertical Farms with the vision to grow and reconnect with the food we eat while following the principles of circularity and sustainability. Raiz Vertical Farms was selected by Techstars Sustainabily Paris as one of the most innovative startups to join their acceleration program in 2024.
