We met Quasimodo during ChangeNOW 2025, where the early-stage startup caught our attention as a new French Foodtech venture to watch.
Julien Machuron, co-founder of Quasimodo, holds a Master’s degree in Marketing Strategy from Grenoble Ecole de Management. After a few unfulfilling years in traditional marketing roles, he decided it was time for something more meaningful. In late 2024, he teamed up with friends Samuel and Titouan to launch Quasimodo, a mission-driven company tackling food waste. Their approach is simple and effective: rescuing “ugly” fruits and vegetables—rejected for their appearance—and delivering them to customers across Paris.
Jennifer Cayla holds a double degree in Business Management from ESCP Europe and in Technology from CentraleSupélec. She began her career as a consultant at the Boston Consulting Group, where she stayed for over three years. After her experience at BCG, she moved into the startup ecosystem, first joining The Line as Chief of Staff to the CEO in 2021. In 2022, Jennifer co-founded Gimmy with Fériel Ferrad (also a former BCG consultant) to revolutionize the food industry by creating fully-serviced delivery brands for kitchen operators. Gimmy currently operates 200+ digital restaurants across six brands.
The French FoodTech ecosystem is taking a bold step forward as Bon Vivant rebrands to Verley, signaling a new chapter in sustainable dairy innovation. Alongside its new identity, Verley is introducing the world’s first portfolio of functionalized precision fermentation dairy proteins, designed to revolutionize the food industry.
Mikel Abeberry is a driven entrepreneur and innovator in the plant-based food industry. As the CEO of Aberyne, he has dedicated his career to crafting sustainable and ethical gourmet products. His flagship creation, Foie Green, has already made waves as a plant-based alternative to traditional foie gras, earning praise for its ability to replicate the luxurious texture and taste of this iconic delicacy without animal cruelty. Born on January 8, 1990, in the Basque Country, Mikel’s upbringing in a region known for its rich culinary heritage shaped his passion for food and culture. He leveraged this background to create Aberyne, a company that bridges traditional gastronomy with modern, sustainable values. Food enthusiast at heart, Mikel has used his business acumen to develop innovative products and pursue growth opportunities in global markets. His efforts have contributed to the rising popularity of vegan luxury foods and are helping redefine the future of the culinary world. Outside of his professional endeavors, Mikel is passionate about exploring new cuisines and hidden culinary gems. His vision for the future includes expanding Aberyne’s impact globally while maintaining a personal connection to his Basque roots and a lifestyle that celebrates balance, creativity, and sustainability.
Hélène Briand, originally from Saint-Malo, Brittany, is an agronomist with a specialization in sustainable feed and food production methods. With six years of entrepreneurial experience in Asia, she focused on reducing antibiotic use to develop more efficient and environmentally friendly agricultural models. Hélène has also worked with companies in regulatory affairs to advance probiotic solutions. Recognizing the transformative potential of alternative proteins, she joined Entofood, an insect farm powered by Veolia, where she spearheaded efforts to scale up insect farming operations. In 2021, fueled by her passion for sustainable innovation, Hélène co-founded Bon Vivant with Stéphane Mac Millan (formerly of McKinsey) to produce dairy proteins through fermentation.
Felicia completed her undergraduate studies at the London School of Economics (LSE), specializing in Economics & Geography, where she explored the impact of economics on human development and the environment using various models. She then joined HEC’s Grande École program with a focus on entrepreneurship, a curriculum that combines theoretical coursework with practical fieldwork, providing comprehensive immersion in the realities of entrepreneurship.
Her passion for FoodTech began early, leading her to conduct several market research projects for entrepreneurs in the sector during summer breaks. After completing her studies, she joined Umiami, a French startup developing whole-cut filets, initially as the CEO’s right hand before transitioning to a Foodservice Sales Associate role. Building on this experience, she now works at Sucden Ventures, the corporate venture capital arm of Sucden Group, a leading soft commodity trader and producer.
Melody Violton holds a Double Degree in Business Management from EDHEC Business School and a Master of Science from Aston University. She began her career as an Investment Banking Analyst at Nomura, where she specialized in the Consumer & Retail sector. During her time at Nomura, Melody worked on notable transactions, including the sale of Gail’s Bakery by Bain Capital Credit and McWin Capital, gaining significant expertise in mergers, acquisitions, and financial strategy.
After her experience in investment banking at Nomura, she moved into the tech ecosystem by joining the investment team at Heroes where she focused on sourcing and analyzing acquisition opportunities, further developing her skills in deal origination and investment evaluation.
Currently, Melody serves as an Senior Investment Associate at CPT Capital, the venture capital arm of a leading private family office. In her role, she oversees a portfolio of over 70 investments in the alternative protein sector, and is responsible for originating, evaluating and executing investment opportunities.
Juliette holds an engineering degree in agronomy from AgroParisTech. Her journey into science began during her preparatory studies, where she was inspired by a former student conducting research on a vaccine for HIV. This sparked her initial interest in the field, leading her to an internship in immunology in 2014.
Despite a fascinating start in research, Juliette was eager for new challenges and decided to pivot towards the venture capital space. In 2016, she joined Seventure Partners, where she worked as an analyst in the Health for Life fund. Here, she discovered her passion for venture capital, engaging with brilliant founders and innovative projects, particularly in the health sector. Her experience in health investments solidified her desire to work at the intersection of innovation, sustainability, and impact.
In 2021, Juliette took the next step in her career by joining Capagro, a venture capital firm focused on agtech and foodtech. She began as a financial analyst and, through her dedication and expertise, quickly advanced to her current role as senior associate. At Capagro, Juliette supports innovative entrepreneurs working on sustainable food systems, actively fostering impactful solutions that can shape the future of agrifood. She specialized in alternative proteins, packaging for food and ag robotics. Her deep passion for the sector is evident in her drive to create lasting change, supporting projects that address global challenges in food security, health, and sustainability.
Sharon is a leading figure in the global food and agricultural innovation ecosystem, leveraging her extensive background in communications and business to drive positive change. Recognized as one of Forbes’ most influential women shaping the future of food, she has dedicated over a decade to building connections and fostering collaboration across startups, corporations, investors, policymakers, institutions, and youth.
At the heart of Sharon’s philosophy is the belief in forging connections and catalyzing collaborative efforts to drive systemic change within food systems. In 2021, she founded Edible Planet Ventures, a platform aimed at convening industry leaders to address pressing challenges in the food system. Sharon’s impact extends beyond entrepreneurship; she is actively engaged in various roles, including hosting the FoodTech Junkies Podcast and serving on the World Agriculture Forum’s Council and on boards such as the AgrifoodTech Italia Association and The Complementary Protein Alliance.
In academia, Sharon contributes significantly as a member of the Faculty of the European Institute for Innovation and Sustainability Master program, specializing in agrifood and sustainability. She also shares her expertise as a mentor for initiatives like Rockstart Agrifood, EIC, Open Food Chain, 4WardVC and the FoodTech Accelerator, underscoring her status as a trusted authority in the field.
Sharon also remains steadfast in her commitment to fostering opportunities for women as the Global Chair for Food Innovation for the G100, an organization promoting gender equality globally.
Recognized for her dedication to driving innovation and inclusivity within the global agrifood landscape, Sharon has received prestigious accolades and is frequently invited to speak at conferences and media outlets. Her journey is marked by innovation, leadership, and a relentless commitment to transforming the global food system for the better.
On October 21-22, the European Innovation Council (EIC) announced 72 new deep tech scale-ups joining the prestigious EIC Scaling Club at the Scale 100 Forum in Athens, Greece. This vibrant community of over 120 promising European scale-ups is carefully curated to drive growth, innovation, and impact across multiple critical global sectors. The EIC Scaling Club unites some of Europe’s brightest minds, including scale-up founders, corporate innovators, investors, and industry leaders, with the shared goal of fostering the growth of companies primed to solve some of the world’s biggest challenges.
