In this episode of FoodTech Junkies, Sharon sits down with Andrew Ive, Founder of Big Idea Ventures, to explore the urgent need for innovation in food and agtech. From his journey at Procter & Gamble to building one of the most influential VC firms and ecosystems in the space, Andrew shares hard-won insights on what it takes to drive impact at scale.
They dive into:
The urgency of climate action (00:00)
Andrew’s path from corporate to venture (02:45)
How BIV is scaling innovation (06:08)
The role of corporates (17:00) and governments (22:07)
Future food production and farmer inclusion (32:20)
Policy confusion in the U.S. (34:32)
Tech trends and ecosystem challenges (35:53–41:00)
Personal reflections and what’s next (43:18–57:52)
A must-listen for anyone building—or backing—the future of food.
About Andrew Ive
Andrew is the founder of Big Idea Ventures (BIV). BIV’s purpose is to solve the world’s biggest challenges by supporting the world’s best entrepreneurs, scientists and engineers. Their New Protein and Global Food Innovation funds invest in sustainable food alternatives to impact climate change, animal welfare, and personal health.
BIV’s third fund is focused on working with Top US universities to create the future of food companies in rural communities and regions.
Andrew is an Advisory Board member for Tufts Nutrition Council. Friedman School Entrepreneurship Advisor. Harvard Business School graduate, Procter & Gamble brand management trained, Andrew spent a number of years as an entrepreneur growing companies.
Andrew is married, has a daughter and the toughest 10 lb fluffy white dog resembling Snowy from the Tin Tin books.
