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Which Startups in the Silicon Valley are connected with food and digitalization?
Hello! Thanks for your question about startups in the Silicon Valley that are connected with food and digitization. The short version is that I selected ten startups that fit these criteria. They have various activities that range from producing plant-based meats to creating food apps, to online marketplaces for specialty foods. There are all based in the Silicon Valley Area and still in activity at the time of writing. Below you will find a deep dive of my methodology and findings.
METHODOLOGY
To answer your question, I started by doing an internet search on "Silicon Valley startup food digitization". I set this search to give me results for 2017 only, checking that those companies were not liquidated or out of business, and that they were actually based in the San Francisco area. I found six companies in this way, and searched for their websites to gather more information about them. For each company listed, I tried to find a Crunchbase reference for financial statistics, their official website, and articles about the company. A pre-existing online list helped to add the rest of the companies. I provided a list of ten. I searched the following: corporate websites, trusted media sites, user forums and review sites. In the findings section I have provided some information about each company.
FINDINGS
1. Allset
Allset is a company that develops a food app which allows the user to "book a table, order, and pay" and all this, before even setting foot in a restaurant. Its main purpose is to reduce waiting time at busy restaurants and thus improve the eating experience. It was founded in 2015 and received investment of $3.85 million.
2. Goldbely
Goldbely is a company that created an online platform that allows the user to buy and receive food from artisans and independent food makers from all over the US.
3. Hampton Creek
This company founded in 2011 has received investments of $220 million from 25 investors. Hampton Creek is a Silicon Valley-based company that produces vegan condiments and cookie dough and sells them in the US through retailers such as Wall-Mart and Whole Foods, but can also be found in Mexico City or Hong Kong. Their first product was Mayo produced from a yellow split pea imported from Canada. The company is currently working on a process to make lab-made meat and seafood.
4. Impossible Foods
Impossible Foods specializes in the research and production of plants-made burgers, creating the taste of meat by using wheat and potato proteins as well as coconut fat. The company was created in 2011 by Patrick O. Brown and is based in Redwood City, in the Silicon Valley. It has already received investment of $257 million. Their burgers are sold in around 40 restaurants in California, Texas and New York.
5. Memphis Meats
This company created in 2015 has announced in March 2017 their creation of the "first meatless chicken tenders" in the world. They develop a technology that allows growing real meat from animal cells by reproducing them, rather than breeding and slaughtering animals. Memphis Meat, despite its name, is based in Silicon Valley and has some famous investors such as Bill Gates or Richard Branson. They have received over $20 million from 17 investors, with the latest funds injected in August 2017.
6. Plate lQ
This Tech company created in 2014 develops a solution to help restaurant owners automate their operations and back office, by capturing invoices automatically and syncing them with their accounting and inventory software already in use.
7. Plenty
Plenty is a company that is developing technology to grow plants that taste better and are more nutritious than what is currently available in grocery stores. They grow them vertically and indoors. Their aim is to produce food more efficiently indoors and keep costs down to a level similar to crops grown in outdoor fields. It has received investment of $226 million.
8. Tryfuel
This company has created an App that provides the user with personalized "fuel meals" based on their "body metrics, fitness and health data". The aim of the solution is to optimize food consumption and to promote a healthy lifestyle.
9. ZeroCater
ZeroCater is a company founded in 2009 that specializes in delivering customized meals to companies, taking into account dietary alternatives, feedback, and providing a vast selection of cuisines. Everything can be done through the website.
10. Finless Foods
San Francisco-based Finless Foods creates fish meat products from stem cells. Their primary goal is to "create seafood sustainably using scientific agriculture technologies." The method uses small amounts of cells taken from fish which are "cultured and structured in a brewery-like environment" to produce the meat in the shape of a fillet. Finless Foods has had two recent funding rounds from Indie Bio and SOSV in March of 2017. However, the amounts were undisclosed. Note: Their entry on Crunchbase shows headquarters in New York, but all the articles I found and their Twitter feed say they are based in San Francisco.
CONCLUSION
To wrap it up, there are various types of companies that can be considered as startups connected with food and digitization in the Sillicon Valley area. The most important ones work on developing meats from cells or plants, and have famous investors such as Bill Gates or Richard Branson. The smaller ones develop apps to help book restaurants, tailor specialized meals or automate invoicing processes for restaurants.
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