The March Group

📢 We're thrilled to announce that Rivalz™ has completed the first close of its $5M Series A, and we're proud to be leading the round! 🎉 Rivalz is closing the gap between the foods we enjoy and the foods we need — using #AI-driven formulation to create high-protein, high-fiber, low-glycemic snacks that combat rising rates of diabetes and metabolic disease, especially in kids. The traction speaks for itself: Rivalz is now in 18 school districts across the US, expanding across retail and ecommerce, and launching a high #protein and high #fiber baked Puff line later this year. Rivalz is also teaming up with Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis microbiome researchers Dr. Jeffrey Gordon and Dr. Michael Barratt -- among the most respected pioneers in gut microbiome science -- to validate the health impact of its formulations. As Rivalz Co-Founder Ralph Jerome put it: "The obesity epidemic and the metabolic health situation can be vastly improved if the foods that we enjoy are also the foods that we need." 👏 Congratulations to the Rivalz team — we can't wait for what's ahead! 🌟 Ralph Jerome | Peter Grant Barrick | John Thamm | Victoria Foster | Trevor Smith | Harold Schmitz, PhD | Christopher Lai | Max H Schmitz | Dennis Wong #FunctionalFoods #BetterForYou #FoodAndHealth #FoodTech #Microbiome #MetabolicHealth #SnackIndustry #CPG

Our Managing Partner, Christopher Lai, took the stage at the Proterra Asia Annual Meeting in Singapore last week. The food industry's old model is broken — and the data backs it up. From rising GLP-1 adoption to declining returns for legacy food companies, the shift from calorie-based consumption to health-outcome-driven nutrition is already underway. At TMG, we believe this is one of the most significant wealth creation opportunities of our generation — and AI-driven compression of biotech innovation cycles is only accelerating it. Precision Nutrition, Intelligent Health, and Food & Medicine are where the next wave of value gets built. Thank you to Proterra Investment Partners Asia for the invitation and for hosting such a thoughtful gathering of minds across the industry. If you'd like to learn more about Chris' presentation, feel free to reach out to us directly.

We had a real win in Hong Kong last week, with Number 8 bio claiming first prize at the 2026 Mills Fabrica DFI Sustainability Innovation Challenge! Over 40 entrants from five continents took part in this year's challenge, which seeks to identify and accelerate novel solutions to decarbonise beef and dairy supply chains. CEO Thomas Williams and CTO Dominik Kopp went head to head with four other finalists at the challenge's final pitching event on 5 June, before Number 8 bio's BetterFeed product was announced as the 2026 challenge winner. This recognition will not only see us receive an additional grant, but will enable Number 8 bio to collaborate with DFI to scale our solution across its regional beef and dairy supply chains. Thank you to The Mills Fabrica and DFI Retail Group for this honour! https://lnkd.in/gBjPqQQS

How do we build the partnerships, companies, and capital pathways needed to shape the future of the food and health systems? That was the driving question at the IIFH Partner Summit 2026, where leaders across academia, industry, investment, and entrepreneurship came together to confront the strategic challenges ahead. As the food system undergoes transformational change, the path forward will depend on more than breakthrough science alone — it will require aligned leadership, new business models, and collaboration across sectors. The most valuable outcomes from the Summit went beyond the room itself: new relationships, new partnerships, and new company formation that can help turn ideas into impact. University of California, Davis | UC Davis Office of Research | University of California, Davis - Graduate School of Management | Justin Siegel | Kim Fisher | Dana Armstrong Hughes | Marissa Pickard | Antoine Abrieux | Mariana Barboza | K. Hunter Jacobs | Rene Herrera | Rao Unnava | Harold Schmitz, PhD 🎥 https://lnkd.in/gHDBUd3T

We don't absorb 100% of the protein we eat. amplifye was founded to change that. Thank you to the UC Davis Institute for Innovation and Entrepreneurship & Development Office for this feature on amplifye's story. The article covers how our enzyme technology is addressing one of the most pressing nutritional challenges of the GLP-1 era — helping people absorb more from the protein they already consume — and features members of our expert team, Glenn Nedwin, Justin Siegel, Bruce German, Wilson Mak, Keith Baar, Harold Schmitz of The March Group, Innovation Institute for Food & Health, UC Davis, and UC Davis Venture Catalyst. Read the full story here: https://lnkd.in/gXuyGjD8

Founders and innovators: this is your moment. Applications for the inaugural cohort of the Aggie Venture Accelerator are being accepted through May 18. If you’re building an early-stage startup at the intersection of life science, food, health or planetary impact, AVA is designed to help you go from breakthrough idea to market-ready venture. Through mentorship, structured programming, investor connections and the opportunity for up to $250K in investment support, AVA is bringing together a focused, high-impact cohort of founders ready to tackle urgent global challenges. Don’t miss the chance to help shape the very first AVA cohort and build alongside the next generation of innovators emerging from the UC Davis ecosystem. Apply now: https://lnkd.in/gd8G9jha Mike Lemcke | Janine Elliott | George Baxter | The March Group | UC Davis Venture Catalyst | UC Davis Institute for Innovation and Entrepreneurship | Innovation Institute for Food & Health, UC Davis | UC Davis Student Startup Center | Monique Brown | Boo L.

Wonderful to be at Turkovich Family Wines for the AgriFood Investor Network Summit yesterday. Amazing people, wonderful location. Thank you everyone that participated and a special thank you to the panelists: Christopher Lai Isabella Fantini Kim Fisher Joncarlo Mark The March Group Re:food Food & Health Angels Upwelling Capital Group And thank you Pam Marrone, Wes Selke amd Lena Horvath McAtee for sharing compelling insights on the investment landscape. And the amazing founders of AIN: Luciana Moreno Turkovich Chris Turkovich and Daniel Turkovich

To early-satge founders quietly building something bold at the intersection of food, health, and life sciences — this one's for you. The Aggie Venture Accelerator (AVA) at University of California, Davis connects early-stage startups in food, health, and life sciences with mentorship, community, and capital — exactly when it matters most. 📣 Applications are open now -- if you're building in this space, we want to hear from you. 👉 Learn more and apply here: https://lnkd.in/gd8G9jha Mike Lemcke | Janine Elliott | George Baxter | Karl Jessen | Aggie Square | Connect Labs by Wexford | UC Davis Innovation and Economic Development Office | UC Davis Institute for Innovation and Entrepreneurship| Innovation Institute for Food & Health, UC Davis | UC Davis Student Startup Center | Carlsen Center for Innovation & Entrepreneurship | StartupSac

Exciting to see the Aggie Venture Accelerator (AVA) featured on KCRA 3! AVA will help strengthen the Sacramento region’s growing life science startup ecosystem by connecting talent, technology and capital to support innovations that advance a healthier, more resilient world. Great job by Mike Lemcke, Harold Schmitz and everyone else who participated in this segment! Watch the full story: https://lnkd.in/dDN6eXvj University of California, Davis | UC Davis Innovation and Economic Development Office | The March Group | Aggie Square | George Baxter | Janine Elliott | Karl Jessen | Valerie Quiroz | Boo L. | Aijun Wang