Pioneer impact VC, built on conviction.
Founded by Claire Smith in 2017, Beyond Impact has been a pioneer in providing venture capital for the transition towards a kinder, cleaner, healthier world. Article 9 (SFDR) classified.
Three forces shaping the next economy.
Humane Innovation
We replace animal-derived inputs across nutrition, ingredients, pharmaceuticals and materials — eliminating suffering at industrial scale.
Decarbonization
Precision fermentation and cellular agriculture deliver 50–80% lower cost AND a fraction of the emissions footprint of legacy supply chains.
Bio-Economy
Regenerative inputs — micro-algae, fungi, pulses, fibres — feeding circular ingredient systems with structural margin advantages.
Three layers of impact — measured, not implied.
Every portfolio company is underwritten and tracked against a triple-pillar framework. No green halo, no vanity metrics.
Biodiversity
- Track animal lives spared and suffering avoided by replacing livestock products with ethical alternatives.
- Quantify land liberation and rewilding from a reduced industrial-agriculture footprint.
- Measure net-positive ecosystem gains using standardised biodiversity restoration metrics.
Climate
- Target aggressive methane reduction for immediate cooling effects on the planet.
- Prioritise innovations delivering both emission avoidance and active carbon sequestration.
- Benchmark every portfolio company against global net-zero and Paris-aligned pathways.
Health & Wellbeing
- Combat chronic disease by removing harmful animal-based ingredients from global diets.
- Reduce the rise of antibiotic-resistant microbes driven by routine livestock antibiotic use.
- Mitigate zoonotic pandemic risk by decoupling supply chains from factory farming.
80+ years of direct experience across four continents.
Claire Smith
🇨🇭 🇮🇹 🇬🇧Founder of Beyond Investing and Beyond Animal platform. 35+ years of financial management experience. Head of Equity Quantitative Strategies at Albourne Partners Limited, Head of Investor Derivative Marketing at UBS, and Head of Convertible Sales at Swiss Bank Corporation. Among the earliest investors in Geltor, EVERY, Mosa Meat, Supermeat and BlueNalu.
Tarja Zudemberg
🇫🇮 🇸🇪20+ years of experience in venture capital, impact investing, and SME financing. An active angel investor, investing in early-stage Nordic startups focused on sustainable goals. Previously 13 years as CEO and Fund Manager at Almi Invest, executing over 100 transactions across 60+ portfolio companies and holding 30 board seats.
Sagar Tandon
🇮🇳 🇫🇮 🇳🇱Involved in setting up 2 funds — Gray Matters Capital (family office managing over $200 million in AUM), edLABS & Australian Govt. DFAT-backed impact fund. Led investments in over 20 early-stage companies. Mentor at Good Food Institute India & APAC, FI Food APAC and Fashion for Good, Netherlands. Advisor at 2X Global Forum and 2X Ignite.
Anthony Stam
🇨🇭 🇳🇱20+ years of experience in Private Equity, M&A and Corporate Finance in Europe and North America. Extensive experience in investments across the capital structure (equity, structured equity, mezzanine and debt).
Hanna Y. Gabay
🇮🇱 🇫🇷20+ years of Operational experience, Program Management and Scale-up. Served on several not-for-profit boards, currently chairwoman at Freedom 4 Animals and Director of Global Campaigns for Plant-Based Treaty and the Animal Save Movement. Portfolio Board Representation: Les Nouveaux Affineurs (Observer).
Jody Rasch
🇺🇸Pioneer alternative protein investor. Former Trustee — VegInvest, Board of VegFund, Woodstock Farm Sanctuary, Advisor to Crowdbureau. VegInvest was an early investor in Wild Earth, Clara Foods, Geltor, BlueNalu, Veggie Grill, NutPods, Just Inc. and others. Portfolio Board Representation: Renewal Mill (Board Member).