Rubio Impact Ventures and StartLife, agrifoodtech accelerator, announced they have entered a strategic partnership to jointly support startups that help feed the world within planetary boundaries. StartLife provides Rubio a gateway to very early-stage startups, which Rubio can help accelerate to the next level with its expertise, capital and network.
A collaboration between Rubio Impact Ventures, one of Europe’s first impact-investors, and StartLife is a natural fit. Both StartLife and Rubio focus on startups that have a great potential in contributing to a food system within planetary boundaries. Rubio’s recent investment in Solasta Bio, a Scotland-based startup that develops next generation bioinsecticides, confirms that joint focus. StartLife has intensively been supporting this startup since its spinning out of Glasgow University in 2020.
Relations that lead to game-changing partnerships
Rubio and StartLife want to apply their own path to partnership to early-stage startups. Laura Thissen, StartLife’s Operations Director, explains: “We have known Tijl Hoefnagels, Venture Partner at Rubio, for years. We are pleased that our long-standing relationship has led to this strategic partnership. In essence, this also exemplifies what we aim to accomplish with our partnership: allowing relationships to be built between investors and startups from an early phase, which could potentially lead to a partnership when the time is ripe.”
StartLife strongly believes in the collaborative approach to solve the most pressing sustainability challenges. Ecosystem collaboration is essential to make innovation happen,” said Thissen. “To successfully build sustainable food systems, we need entrepreneurs, investors and corporations to unite forces. That’s why we proactively invite these players to the same table.”
Strong ecosystem
Rubio shares StartLife’s belief in a collaborative approach and its ambition to accelerate systemic change. Hoefnagels said: “At Rubio, we aim to help startups grow successfully to make a game-changing impact in a bigger, better, and faster way than doing it alone.”
Hoefnagels also looks forward to connecting with the other StartLife ecosystem partners to share experiences and learn from peers and other like-minded companies. “StartLife has successfully built a community that goes beyond startups and deal flow. It is a great network to exchange ideas and knowledge with others and explore how a diverse set of industry players can strengthen each other.”
Inviting startups to reach out
StartLife is looking forward to connecting Rubio with early-stage entrepreneurs who unite powerful positive impact with a scalable commercial business. “We invite startups with game-changing technologies that can have a huge positive impact on biodiversity, climate change or land use to contact StartLife for support and a (potential) introduction to Rubio Impact Ventures,” adds Thissen.
