How to apply for Vice President, Catalytic Capital

About Food System Innovations

Food System Innovations is a mission-driven organization at the forefront of the alternative protein revolution, supporting plant-based, fermentation, and cultivated meat technologies to create a more sustainable and ethical food system. Unlike traditional venture funds, FSI blends philanthropic and investment capital to fill financing gaps that conventional investors overlook, offering a unique opportunity to drive both impact and financial returns. Working here means collaborating with scientists, market experts, and philanthropists to accelerate solutions to global food challenges.

About the role

As Vice President of Catalytic Capital, you will lead FSI's investment strategy and portfolio management for sustainable protein companies, deploying equity, debt, guarantees, recoverable grants, and blended finance to unlock progress where traditional capital falls short. You will be responsible for sourcing deals, conducting deep diligence, structuring mission-aligned investments, and managing portfolio relationships, all while working cross-functionally with scientific and philanthropic teams. This role is impactful because it directly enables breakthroughs in alternative proteins that can transform the food system.

A typical day

A typical day might involve reviewing a pipeline of sustainable protein startups, conducting diligence calls with management teams, and building financial models to assess unit economics. You could also meet with FSI's scientific team to evaluate a technology's readiness or discuss with philanthropic partners how to structure a blended finance deal. Later, you might join a portfolio company board meeting or strategize with colleagues on filling a critical financing gap in the sector.

Who Food System Innovations is looking for

• 7+ years of principal investing experience (VC, growth equity, private equity, or impact investing) with a track record of leading deals from sourcing to execution.
• Deep knowledge of the sustainable protein sector, including plant-based, fermentation, and cultivated meat technologies, and the unique financing gaps they face.
• Expertise in structuring blended finance and catalytic capital instruments (equity, debt, guarantees, recoverable grants) and managing portfolio performance.
• Strong analytical skills, including financial modeling, unit economics, and risk assessment, combined with the ability to collaborate with scientific and philanthropic teams.

Tips for this application

• Highlight specific deals or investments you've led in the sustainable protein or adjacent sectors, emphasizing how you identified and filled financing gaps.
• Demonstrate your understanding of catalytic capital and blended finance by referencing examples where you structured non-traditional investments to unlock impact.
• Show your ability to work cross-functionally by describing instances where you collaborated with scientists, philanthropists, or other non-finance stakeholders.
• Tailor your resume and cover letter to FSI's mission: explicitly connect your investment philosophy to their goal of supporting alternative protein technologies.
• If you have experience in both venture capital and philanthropic/grant-making, emphasize how this hybrid background aligns with FSI's blended approach.

What to cover in your cover letter

In your cover letter, focus on: (1) your specific experience in catalytic or blended finance and why it excites you; (2) a concrete example of a sustainable protein investment you sourced, diligenced, and structured; (3) your ability to bridge scientific and financial perspectives, perhaps citing a time you advised on grant vs. investment decisions; and (4) your passion for FSI's mission and how you would contribute to their portfolio strategy.

Research before applying

• Study FSI's existing portfolio and investment announcements to understand their focus areas and typical deal structures.
• Research the current state of alternative protein financing, including recent reports from organizations like the Good Food Institute and Blue Horizon.
• Understand the differences between catalytic capital, blended finance, and traditional VC, and how FSI applies these concepts.
• Explore FSI's team and their backgrounds to identify potential synergies and tailor your interview responses to their expertise.

Likely interview topics

Based on the job description, expect questions about:

• How would you develop an investment thesis for a cultivated meat company, considering technology readiness, market potential, and capital needs?
• Describe a time you structured a blended finance deal. What instruments did you use, and how did you balance impact and financial return?
• What are the key financing gaps in the alternative protein sector, and how can catalytic capital uniquely address them?
• Walk us through your diligence process for a fermentation-based protein startup, including technical, market, and unit economics assessments.
• How would you collaborate with FSI's scientific team to evaluate a novel plant-based technology and decide between a grant and an equity investment?

Common mistakes to avoid

• Focusing only on financial returns without demonstrating a genuine commitment to FSI's mission and impact goals.
• Lacking specific examples of deals or investments in the sustainable protein space, which could signal insufficient sector knowledge.
• Overlooking the importance of cross-functional collaboration, such as failing to mention how you've worked with scientists or philanthropists.