Agthia Group, a multinational food and beverage company based in Abu Dhabi, has formed Agthia Ventures, a corporate venture capital (CVC) fund designed to broaden Agthia’s innovation capabilities and generate mutual value with startups as the company drives profitable growth in both new and existing markets.
The $54 million fund, by Agthia and its parent company ADQ, an Abu Dhabi-based investment and holding company, will be managed in collaboration with Touchdown Ventures, a global leader in establishing and operating bespoke CVC programs for blue-chip corporates.
The fund will capitalize on Agthia’s four decades of experience by developing a program to assist the best and brightest entrepreneurs in the food and related industries in scaling its operations and accelerating product development and market adoption by providing access to Agthia’s extensive industry knowledge, diverse distribution networks, technological infrastructure, research, development, marketing capabilities, and established customer relationships.
Agthia Ventures is well-positioned to identify potential early-stage, seed, and growth investment opportunities within relevant and target markets by leveraging Touchdown’s wide network of businesses, venture capital relationships, incubators, and accelerators.
Alan Smith CEO – Agthia Group
“Innovation is the lifeblood of Agthia Group and plays a vital role in our strategic vision of being a leading food and beverage company in the MENA region and beyond by 2025. In conjunction with our internal R&D initiatives, our CVC will give us access to cutting-edge technologies and market insights from dynamic entrepreneurs, helping to future-proof our growth and strengthening our ability to meet the evolving needs of consumers across multiple territories. In turn, Agthia will offer our product, market, and distribution expertise to the entrepreneurs supported by the program to help them succeed.”
The fund is stage-agnostic, investing particularly in companies with demonstrable product-market fit and revenue growth. Investments will be made across Agthia’s portfolio in brands, categories, and solutions that are both complimentary and adjacent to its business strategies, such as snacks and beverages, value chain technology, and ingredient technology.
Target investment interests include premium and “better for you” snacks and beverages, functional water and hydration, alternative proteins, sustainability solutions in farming and packaging, eCommerce solutions for the F&B industry, and other capability expansions related to Agthia’s value chain.
Mr. Scott Lenet, Touchdown President and co-founder noted that “We believe entrepreneurs globally will be impressed by the collaborative, supportive culture of Agthia’s team and their capabilities to help a startup grow. Whether through providing expertise and distribution locally in the MENA region, or by working collaboratively in North American and European markets to leverage Agthia’s expertise, the team has a lot to offer to food and beverage innovators.”
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