CGV Ventures, a Hong Kong-based venture capital firm led by women and backed by fashion billionaire Michael Ying, is actively seeking investments in the food technology sector.
Co-founders Claudine Ying and Mimi Lau are focused on supporting innovative startups that address food security concerns, ranging from fermented oil to AI weeding technology. CGV has already invested in ten companies, with nine based in the United States and one in Hong Kong.
CGV’s portfolio includes notable investments such as Brightseed, a San Francisco-based company recognized in Forbes’ AI 50 list, and Zero Acre Farms, a startup backed by Richard Branson’s Virgin Group and actor Robert Downey Jr.’s Footprint Coalition.
According to Forbes, CGV takes a meticulous approach to selecting investments, evaluating the scientific validity and market potential of startup products, as well as the founder’s experience and execution capabilities. To assess market readiness, Ying and Lau even personally tested products from prospective portfolio companies.
Looking ahead, CGV plans to expand its investments in Asia, beginning with Hong Kong. Good Food Technologies, a plant-based meat startup, received CGV’s sole investment in Hong Kong, securing $1.5 million in seed funding. The duo believes that Asia’s booming countries, such as Singapore and China, face severe food security risks that drive interest in alternative proteins.
For Ying and Lau, investing in FoodTech and AgTech is a matter of survival. They see agriculture and food security as fundamental principles for the future, driven by the belief that farming can be meaningful, economically viable, and free from laborious stereotypes. Ultimately, CGV Ventures aims to contribute to a more secure, sustainable, and just food system.
Featured Image Source: Forbes
