Pioneer impact VC, built on conviction.
Founded by Claire Smith in 2017, Beyond Impact is an Article 9 (SFDR) impact venture capital platform — a pioneer impact VC, climate investor and bioeconomy investor backing plant-based, biodiversity-positive biosolutions and alternative protein across global developed markets.
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 the Beyond Animal platform with 35+ years of financial management experience. Former 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 direct experience in venture capital, impact investing and SME financing. Spent 13 years as CEO and Fund Manager at Almi Invest, executing 100+ transactions across 60+ portfolio companies and holding 30 board seats. Active angel investor in early-stage Nordic startups focused on sustainable goals.
Sagar Tandon
Specialised bioeconomy fund designer. Historically involved in setting up multiple impact funds, including Gray Matters Capital (family office managing over $200 million in AUM), edLABS, and an Australian Government DFAT-backed impact fund. Active Mentor at the Good Food Institute India & APAC, FI Food APAC, and Fashion for Good (Netherlands). Advisor at 2X Global Forum and 2X Ignite. Board seats: Swedish Algae Factory (Sweden), TissenBioFarm (South Korea) and Perfat (Finland).
Anthony Stam
20+ years of direct experience in Private Equity, M&A and Corporate Finance across Europe and North America, with extensive focus across complex capital structures — including equity, structured equity, mezzanine and debt. Board seat: YeastUp (Switzerland).
Hanna Y. Gabay
20+ years of operational experience, program management and scale-up execution. Serves on several not-for-profit boards — currently acting as Chairwoman at Freedom 4 Animals and Director of Global Campaigns for the Plant-Based Treaty and the Animal Save Movement. Portfolio board representative (Observer) at Les Nouveaux Affineurs.
Jody Rasch
Pioneer alternative protein investor. Former Trustee at VegInvest, Board Member at VegFund and Woodstock Farm Sanctuary, and Advisor to Crowdbureau. Early vehicle backing includes Wild Earth, Clara Foods, Geltor, BlueNalu, Veggie Grill, NutPods and Just Inc. Portfolio board representation at Renewal Mill.