Big Idea Ventures' Christian Cadeo preps for SBR's Hottest Startups Panel Briefing

The managing partner will share how entrepreneurs can navigate the food tech space.

New York and Singapore-based VC firm Big Idea Ventures aims to back plant-based food and alternative protein companies through a fund anchored by investments from Temasek Holdings and Tyson Food (NYSE: TSN).

Before joining the firm, the company’s managing partner for Asia, Christian Cadeo, led the Asia Pacific business of alternative protein startup JUST, which raised over US$372m.

He was an employee at AdMob when Google acquired the mobile advertising company for US$750m. He was also with software company Domo before it went public on NASDAQ in 2018.

In an interview with Singapore Business Review, Christian shares his early days in the industry, as well as the idea behind Big Idea Ventures’ entry into Asia Pacific, as he prepares for his session at SBR’s Hottest Startups Panel Briefing 2019 happening next week.

Can you describe to us a particular work or personal experience that somehow contributed to your current role as managing partner of Big Idea Ventures?
It was my first role in food tech at JUST back in 2014. I was the first hire for the company outside of the USA and it was truly an eye opener. It was still a nascent industry but right away I realised that alternative protein was going to help transform our food industry in the future.

As an investor, what are your key business philosophies?
As an investor, the #1 philosophy is to find great entrepreneurs around the world and help them accelerate their vision as it pertains to novel applications in alternative proteins.

Tell us something about Big Idea Ventures. How did the company start, and what are the company's significant milestones?
The idea for Big Idea Ventures started over a year ago when we realised that the best way to capture this massive alternative protein market was building a fund that bridges between the US and Asia. This leverages off the key capabilities on both sides of the world.

Can you give us a glimpse of what you will talk about at the 20 Hottest Startups Panel Briefing 2019?
I will talk about the space as it pertains to food tech and how entrepreneurs can navigate it.

Singapore Business Review’s Hottest Startups Panel Briefing 2019 is happening on 24 October at Four Points by Sheraton Singapore. To learn more about the event, click here. To register, click here. For inquiries, you may contact Kim at [email protected] or at +65 3158 1386 ext 224