iSelect recognized the looming crises of diabetes and obesity early on, pinpointing poor nutrition as the root cause. Since 2014, our mission has been to harness the forces of Creative Destruction in agriculture and health technology innovation to address these critical issues. We invest in pioneering companies that are redefining the food and health system, emphasizing yield, taste, nutrition, and sustainability to combat obesity, reduce waste, and tackle metabolic diseases. Our portfolio boasts over 60 companies, illustrating our commitment and impact. These firms are advancing crop quality, minimizing fertilizer use, and innovating in healthcare to cut costs and fast-track health improvements. With time, we have shifted our focus from yield to taste and nutrition, and now to enhancing nutritional density, targeting the root cause in obesity and metabolic—a market with vast untapped potential and significant implications for US GDP growth. iSelect provides investors with broad exposure to innovators in the AgTech and HealthTech sectors, offering our 500+ investors the chance to increase investments in high-performing companies and deliver insightful market intelligence that influences both venture and public market strategies. Our approach gives investors a unique blend of risk mitigation and opportunity maximization in sectors poised for substantial growth. Our network of investors, entrepreneurs, and early adopters reshapes the landscape of ag, food and health, creating sustainable impact, driving economic growth, investor returns and building a healthier future for all. With our deep human network of market insight, robust portfolio, and commitment to innovation, we're not just investing in companies; we're investing in a healthier, more sustainable world. #AgTech #HealthTech#SustainableInvesting #FoodTech #ImpactInvesting #AgricultureInnovation #NutritionTech #Biotech #FutureOfFood
External link for iSelect Fund
1401 S. Brentwood Blvd
Suite 300
St. Louis, MO 63144, US
Westport, CT 06880, US
iSelect Fund reposted this
A milestone was achieved today in ushering in a new generation of RNA + AI/machine learning powered predictive diagnostics. This marks a significant leap forward in bridging the precision medicine gap in immunotherapy. Congratulations to team Cofactor and the 38 US healthcare systems involved! https://lnkd.in/gHaaPgPY
Join us this Friday, October 4th, to hear from some of the brightest minds in Food is Health! Discover how innovative startups are revolutionizing the way we think about food and health. This webinar will: 🔹 Increase awareness of cutting-edge Food is Health startups 🔹 Facilitate connections between startups and potential customers 🔹 Foster collaboration to align with market priorities 🔹 Provide a platform for startups to share their groundbreaking ideas With 80% of people metabolically unstable and a growing demand for healthier options, it's crucial to stay informed about emerging technologies and solutions. Learn how startups are addressing these challenges and how you can be part of this transformative journey. 📅 Date: October 4th 🕒 Time: 9am-1:30pm CT 📍 Register for free: https://lnkd.in/gW6pYn55 Don't miss this opportunity to connect, learn, and innovate! #FoodIsHealth #StartupInnovation #HealthTech #FoodTech #AgTech
iSelect Fund reposted this
#FoodasMedicine is a HOT topic right now! I was an ICU, ER, and Diabetes Ed RN for 15 years and left healthcare to help realign the food system with health outcomes so for me personally, this has been a LONG TIME COMING! This conversation with Carter Williams is just the beginning of a multi-part series on the role of food in our health care system on the Regenerative By Design Podcast. Approaching the intersection of food, ag, health care, insurance, finance, hospital systems, and people requires some deep experience from people who have worked in those industries. This is truly one of the most important topics of our time. Enjoy #GLP-1 #dialysis #healthcare #dietrelateddisease #regenerativeag #guthealth iSelect Fund
Listen now to Revolutionizing Health through Food: A Deep Dive with Carter Williams. https://lnkd.in/gjmxKsYT
iSelect Fund reposted this
As World Water Week gets underway, we’re thrilled to announce our collaboration with Google, focused on water replenishment in Nebraska. Together, we’re enabling farmers to optimize irrigation decisions through advanced agricultural technology, promoting both water conservation and crop productivity. This partnership underscores our shared commitment to sustainable solutions. Learn more about our collaboration → https://ow.ly/G1cV50T72mT #WaterStewardship #WaterReplenishment #AgTech #SustainableAgriculture #WaterConservation #WWWeek
iSelect Fund reposted this
Katie Stebbins, Ellen Brown, and I have just released the first two episodes of our new podcast series, focused on the "Food is Health" opportunity. Integrating the views of Agriculture, Food, and Health. This podcast is designed to bridge the gaps across the entire value chain. Whether you're at Nestlé, involved in ingredient sourcing, working on the farm, or focused on metabolic health, you'll gain insights into how different sectors collaborate to make nutrition more affordable, improve health outcomes, boost farmer profitability, and reduce costs. GLP-1s are disrupting healthcare by changing diets, which means CPG companies need to reformulate their products. Ingredient suppliers now require crops with higher nutrient density, produced at scale and lower costs. Meanwhile, farmers are accelerating the transition to regenerative farming to meet these demands. Our podcast will introduce you to the people leading these changes and driving innovation across the food system. We're releasing episodes every other week, each one highlighting actionable steps toward creating a food system that benefits everyone—from the ground up. The first two episodes are live now, with more on the way. We'd love your feedback—how can we make this podcast even more valuable for those who see the potential in the "Food is Health" movement and want to drive real change? Tune in Spotify: https://lnkd.in/gjZq4vfs Apple: https://lnkd.in/g4zZPRt9 #FoodIsHealth #Entrepreneurship #Investing #Innovation #AffordableNutrition
iSelect Fund reposted this
SPEAR LEP receives second emergency use authorization in Greece. Our groundbreaking bioinsecticide SPEAR® LEP has received a second emergency use authorization (EUA) in Greece for the control of tomato leafminer, providing Greek tomato growers continued access to a powerful new tool against a costly and devastating pest. Greece’s decision to grant a second EUA underscores the urgent need for effective, new crop protection products in Europe as growers' pesticide options are becoming increasingly restricted. Read more: https://lnkd.in/gmcRvser
iSelect Fund reposted this
We’re excited to announce the expansion of our RangeAg farmland valuation tool to four new states: North Dakota, South Dakota, Kansas, and Missouri. RangeAg now offers instant land valuation reports for over 144 million acres across ten states, or half of all federally-insured farmland. The tool aggregates soil ratings, satellite imagery, crop history, and FEMA flood map data to deliver precise, equitable, and efficient land valuations. Find information here https://rb.gy/tw61kb and try the tool yourself for free at: insights.range.ag.
What Learned This Week...... I saw no reason to watch debates this week. Instead, focusing on arbitrage in the AgTech venture market, renewable fuels, and improving rural healthcare. We are at a point in the investment cycle where the answer to the $1.9T in healthcare cost of poor nutrition will come from the farmers and entrepreneurs who figure out how to take the pressure from healthcare, Ozempic, and climate and turn it into a set of innovations that solve for all three. The innovations will likely come from the co-optimization of seed genetics, soil health, and food science. Combined with increased leadership from farmers and decreased market power of the processors. AI is the enabling force multiplier if it integrates with practical on-farm knowledge to co-create affordable nutrition. 1) Affordable nutrition will replace cheap calories. 2) The $53M investment by Andreessen Horowitz in Mark Hyman, MD Function Health is noteworthy. 3) Midwest farmers have an opportunity to tackle health in their local community. Increasing production of local fresh regenerative produce and collaborating with the rural health system to reduce diabetes. 4) Does anyone have any idea what to do with all the excess soybean meal from renewable diesel? 5) Both presidential candidates will support expansion into sustainable aviation fuel and renewable diesel because it is what farmers and export markets want. 6) If the Feds back out of 45z, blue states, foreign markets, climate billionaires, and corporations will fund the $5B to $10B in subsidy needed to close the business case. 7) Crop genetics and microbiome innovators need to develop technology that positively correlates crop energy and nutrient density—concurrently optimizing soil and genetics. 8) US fruit and vegetable production should move from California to the Mississippi Delta region. 9) CPGs know enough about regenerative agriculture to be dangerous. Farmers need to define best regenerative practices that work in their region. CPGs should shape the branding and food science. 10) Farmers working in a collective of 500k+ acres have the power to disrupt Co-Ops, Processors, nutrient density, and health. 11) To understand agriculture, Nestle, Unilever, BlackRock, JPM, etc need to hire FFA alumni as fast as possible. (Scott Stump) 12) South Asia and Southeast Asia (SASEA) are globalization's next frontier. Taking manufacturing from China. SADEA is a growing early adopter market for soy-based foods. 13) 10% of GHG is agriculture. If capital does not step in to fund recent venture shortfalls, we will lose 10 years of AgTech innovation required for affordable GHG mitigation. 14) H2 2024 and H1 2025 AgTech investments will likely be the best vintage year returns in decades. 15) My 2 cents on the Presidential debate is that a nutrient-dense diet rich in fresh vegetables improves golf handicaps in octogenarians. #foodishealth Brad Fruth Ellen Brown Clint Brauer Erin W. Martin Katie Stebbins Shari Rogge-Fidler
iSelect Portfolio Spotlight: NextSense, Inc NextSense has been recognized as a World Economic Forum Technology Pioneer for 2024. This prestigious honor celebrates their innovative brain technology designed to enhance daily life by restoring energy, joy, and purpose. As a new Technology Pioneer, NextSense's CEO, Jonathan Berent, will speak at Summer Davos in Dalian, China, where he will explore groundbreaking advancements in digital neurotherapeutics. In addition, Jonathan Berent has been named to Fast Company's Impact Council, a network of visionary leaders committed to shaping the future through creativity and mission-driven innovation. Press Release: https://lnkd.in/gA74CpKt #neuroscience #neurotherapeutics #venturecapital
iSelect Fund reposted this
What I learned this week…. As the economy works to eliminate the healthcare cost of poor nutrition, there is no simple set of instructions to follow. There is an abundance of AgTech, FoodTech and HealthTech innovations touching a piece of the bigger equation. But each is driven by divergent signals (GLP-1 vs. sustainable fuels). If this were a large corporation, its R&D group would coordinate the various parts to fit a broader objective. But there is no Bell Labs of longevity or nutrition. The master architect is 350k years of human evolution encrypted in our DNA. Without a large R&D lab or a master plan, it comes down to early adopter customers as our guide. And up to capital providers to see the knowledge arbitrage and invest. We are assembling Food is Health from a pile of Lego blocks. 1) The most legitimate startup investor is a customer. Why don’t we have a tool like PitchBook to find early adopter customers? 2) Nutrient test assays, and many assays, measure a proxy attribute to estimate the target nutrient (i.e. protein). NIR and other spectroscopy are non-destruction and measure a wider array of orthogonal attributes. With the addition of AI, increasing correlations expect an acceleration of valuable insights linking soil, crop genetics, bioavailability, nutrients, health, and longevity. And ultimately, affordable nutrition. 3) Intermittent fasting plus protein pacing (consuming protein at consistent intervals), may boost weight loss and gut health. Perhaps important to GLP-1 treatment and boost to Fairlife Core Power Elite. 4) If we can monitor crops for expression of nutritional qualities (Macro and Micro) during the growing season, we could dynamically modify inputs to modulate nutritional density in season or as a training set for the next season. (John Kempf) 5) Architectural Innovation: Vogue wasn’t replaced by a fashion media company, it was replaced by 10,000 influencers. Salesforce will not be replaced by another CRM. Clayton Christensen and Rebecca Henderson are both right. 6) Taylor Swift’s tour in the US generated $5 billion in consumer spending over 6 months. Who is the Taylor Swift of nutrition? 7) The net demand from the addition of New York to California’s Renewable Diesel standards, by some estimates, would consume the entire US production of soybeans. 8) United Airlines is using the 100k seat back video screens to micro-target consumers with advertising. 9) A plane uses 15%-20% of its fuel during takeoff 10) People who majored in Journalism in the 90’s have seen social media decimate their industry. What college majors will disappear with the Creative Destruction of AI? 11) When playing with Legos, some people follow the instructions precisely, and some do not. I never did. H/T: Erin Martin Ellen Brown Brad Fruth Katie Stebbins More commentary on Creative Destruction: https://lnkd.in/g-vQpF9d