In our interview series, we quiz future food investors about the solutions that excite them the most, their favourite climate-forward restaurant, and what they look for in successful founders.
Mirasbek Kuterbekov is the Principal at Thia Ventures.
What future food technologies most excite you?
I see huge potential in abiotic technologies such as cell-free manufacturing and chemical synthesis to unlock much better unit economics, beyond what is currently achievable with fermentation or cultivation.
What are three future food verticals you are actively looking at for 2025?
The broader category of food as health, which encompasses several verticals from healthier ingredients to supplements, is top of mind for us.
What do you consider the food tech sector’s greatest achievement in the past five years?
Giving consumers lots of choices to consume more fibre without sacrificing taste, texture, or convenience, best exemplified by probiotic sodas.
If you could wave a magic wand, how would you fix plant-based meat?
Remove all subsidies from farmed meat.
What’s the top trait you look for in a founder?
Obsessiveness, both with the problem they are addressing and the niche they operate in.
The One That Got Away: What is the deal you wish you had gotten into, but didn’t?
Spore.bio. They are leveraging computer vision to streamline quality control across industries, including food. We missed their pre-seed round and, unfortunately for us, also their Series A. Kudos to the team!
What do you consider your most successful future food investment so far?
Switch Bioworks gives me a lot of hope in our ability to displace synthetic fertilisers from our fields.
What has been your most disappointing investment so far?
I became an investor only two years ago, so I haven’t yet made a disappointing one so far. But time will surely change that, as bold bets necessarily carry risk.
What do people misunderstand/get wrong most about VC?
Most generous checks at the highest valuation don’t mean a particular VC is the best partner for you.
What is the most ‘future food’ thing you have eaten this month?
Not this month, but a few weeks ago, I tried alternative chickpea-based coffee from Koppie, a Belgian startup.
Where is your favourite climate-forward restaurant/dish/place to eat anywhere in the world?
I will instead highlight my favourite ingredient: buckwheat, a hardy grain used to make delicious kasha and tasty galettes.
What’s your ‘why’? What motivates you to do what you do?
Climate change is the biggest threat and opportunity for my generation.
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