Nick Cooney
Consultant, Director, and Chef in PA, United States
Nick Cooney (born c. 1981) founded and serves as Managing Partner at Lever VC, an early-stage venture capital fund focused on alternative protein startups. The alternative protein sector includes both plant-based meat and dairy companies (Nick’s past investments in this space include Beyond Meat, Miyoko’s Kitchen, Sunfed Meats, and Good Catch Foods) as well as clean meat companies (Nick’s investments in this space include Memphis Meats, Aleph Farms, and Avant Meats). Through Lever VC and his prior fund, Nick has invested in several dozen alternative protein companies globally, with a combined net value of over $7 billion USD.
Lever VC maintains offices in the United States and in Hong Kong S.A.R., with staff and venture partners in the U.S., Europe, Israel, India, mainland China, Hong Kong, and Singapore.
Lever VC was launched by fellow partners and Nick Cooney in 2019.
Nick’s investments and articles about him are also available on Crunchbase. Initial portfolio companies include The Good Spoon and TurtleTree Labs among others.
Nick serves as Board Member or Board Observer for a number of Lever VC portfolio companies. He is also founder and Board member of the Lever Foundation, a 501(c)3 non-profit organization that works to grow the alternative protein sector and public demand for alternative protein products in Asia.
Nick Cooney has been working in the alternative protein space for nearly twenty years. Prior to founding Lever VC, Nick co-founded and served as Investment Committee member and Managing Trustee for New Crop Capital, a private venture capital trust also focused on the alternative protein sector. Nick also co-founded and served as Board Chair for the Good Food Institute, the largest non-profit working to grow the clean meat and plant-based meat sectors globally.
Individuals and companies interested in learning more about investment and co-investment opportunities, and alternative protein entrepreneurs and companies interested in connecting with the Lever VC team to request consideration for funding, can contact Nick at nick@levervc.com or submit information though the Lever VC website.