Beyond Animal, a digital platform accelerating the growth of the animal-free economy, has launched a funding service that matches investors with pre-approved investment deals and enables these deals to proceed to completion within a secure, structured environment.
The service, called Funding by Beyond Animal, responds to the growing interest in sustainable finance and aims to direct capital flows to reshape industries currently dependent on animal-derived products.
Investment in the plant-based food industry reached an all-time high last year, totalling $3.1bn – three times the capital raised in the previous year, according to a report by alternative protein advocacy non-profit Good Food Institute. As animal-free consumption continues to rise, sustainable finance is not far behind. But while these investment opportunities are growing, many interested investors struggle to identify the right opportunities.
To tackle this problem and help investors navigate planet-friendly investing, Claire Smith, vegan entrepreneur and creator of Beyond Investing, co-founded Beyond Animal in 2018. Designed as a connection platform for businesses and investors, its new investment service, Funding by Beyond Animal, provides opportunities to a range of investor types, including angel networks, family offices, institutional investors and qualified individual investors, with the aim of increasing access and drive capital into planet-conscious companies.
Claire Smith said: “We can all play a role by investing more sustainably and rebuild the economy in a way that moves beyond the use of animals. The care and opportunities are there, but we need to make them more accessible to today’s investors. Through this platform, we make it easier for investors to navigate these opportunities that can bring about a kinder, cleaner, healthier world.”
Leveraging its existing deal database and global network of contacts, Beyond Animal has created a dedicated deal room that allows members to engage and explore a select number of pre-qualified deals. Powered by UK fintech specialists Delio, the platform digitises the investment process and provides a fast and simple way for all interested investors to source and transact on deals.
Claire continued: “Animal-friendly investing ticks many boxes for today’s investors, so we knew we had to make these opportunities more accessible. Through this new investment platform, we’ve been able to curate a list of companies that are raising funds and which show real potential in one digital space. Investors can browse companies across market segments like seafood, meat and dairy alternatives, cruelty-free cosmetics, bio-based materials and ethical fashion, read their investment decks and conduct due diligence in a much more flexible, approachable and appealing way.”
David Newman, co-founder and chief commercial officer at Delio, said: “Today’s investors are much more entrepreneurial and want to align their investments with their personal beliefs and experiences. This type of investing isn’t just limited to the eco-conscious or those on plant-based diets. Instead, companies like Beyond Animal show we all can reshape our investment portfolios by placing capital in more sustainable businesses that normalise a humane economy.”
“We’re proud to power the Funding by Beyond Animal platform so users can enjoy a much more efficient and proactive investment experience through our integrated technology.”
