Amsterdam-based VaVersa, an indoor garden producer, announced on Monday that it has secured an undisclosed amount in pre-seed round funding from ASIF Ventures and angel investors.
ASIF Ventures is a student-centric venture capital fund backed by the UvA, the VU, and private investors. It is run by a group of recent graduates, and have led investments in Lalaland, GetEase, Workwize, and ten other student-driven firms.
“We were impressed by the growth and vision of Olivier Francescangeli, the founder of VaVersa, and are excited about this new chapter for ASIF Ventures, and we cannot wait to partner with VaVersa to create a more sustainable and delicious future for the food industry,” says ASIF Ventures.
VaVersa: Cooking sustainably
Founded by Olivier Francescangeli, VaVersa produces indoor gardens called MIA, which enable chefs to grow over 80 different microgreens and herbs on-site, providing hyperlocal and ultra-fresh ingredients for their dishes.
The MIA is a vertical farming solution that allows chefs to cultivate rare and expensive herbs and microgreens that would otherwise be hard to come by.
It can also help restaurants become more sustainable by reducing their dependence on wholesalers and minimising the risk of ingredient shortages.
The MIA is a fully automated, sustainable, and eco-friendly solution with a consistent production 365 days/ year, says the company.
The Dutch company utilises a process that eliminates the use of pesticides and single-use plastics (2,400 plastic packages per year) while also significantly reducing food waste.
In addition, the process utilises 95 per cent less water to grow plants than traditional agriculture methods, and there is a 95 per cent reduction in carbon emissions from transport in traditional supply chains.
By growing the food as locally as possible, the company is taking a step towards reducing the carbon footprint of food transportation.
The Dutch offers MIA as an all-inclusive subscription service.
It includes one fully equipped, high-tech automated garden, monthly replacement of plants and supplies, access to VaVersa’s online inspiration and support, and yearly maintenance of the garden.
Currently, VaVersa is active in the Netherlands but it intends to expand to other countries as well.
“The market for sustainable food solutions presents a compelling investment opportunity, and VaVersa, with its focus on providing sustainable and locally grown herbs and microgreens, is well-positioned to capitalise on this growing trend,” says Alexander Esser, Deal Flow & Investment Director, ASIF Ventures.
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