Silicon Gorge Profiles: MeatFreed

The Silicon Gorge Investment Pitching competition returns for the 2022 Spring Edition, and offers an opportunity for Tech & Creative companies based in the South West of England and South Wales who are looking for up to £3 million in equity funding. It will offer 12 of these companies the chance to pitch to a virtual room full of investors and enablers of investment on 12th May 2022. Any investors interested in attending the final event on 12th May should contact abby@techspark.co to join the invite list.

Alongside this year’s competition we’re publishing profiles of a few of the companies that have made it through to the semi-finals. Alongside this year’s competition we’re publishing profiles of a few of the companies – up next is Patrick Huang, Co-Founder of MeatFreed.

1. What does your company do?

MeatFreed is the only food community app that incentivises young people to choose plant-based with an initial target of 16-24s. With MeatFreed, members join our movement and community of others like them on their plant-based journey, receive offers and incentives for choosing plant-based when dining out or cooking at home, and co-create ways to engage with others.

2. What problem are you trying to solve?

We are tackling the global challenge of meat production and consumption and the impact on the environment, health, and anin accounts for 60% of all food-related greenhouse gases. We have focused on 16-24s as our target age group as these members adoption of plant-based would drive the longest term reduction of greenhouse gases for their lifetimes and their families lifetimes.

As 16-24s that likely still consume some meat in their diets but want to reduce meat consumption, they want to associate themselves with a community that aligns with their values and beliefs. But they have two poor options: either vegan communities that tend to have strong messaging that puts some people off or brand-led marketing. Our members also want to share their voice and influence but they have limited resources as individuals.

3. What makes your solution unique?

With MeatFreed, our members join an inclusive, positive, and encouraging community that welcomes everyone from that who are plant-based curious to vegans. Our members have shared how MeatFreed represents an aspirational status for themselves.

We also co-create ways for our members to engage with each other, thereby amplifying their voice and influence. By engaging directly with our members, MeatFreed can offer relevant ways for our members to engage with plant-based across their daily and weekend lives.

4. What are you most proud of so far?

We are most proud of the traction that we have achieved with our initial pilot in Cornwall and our current pilot in the North West from our members to our local business partners. Looking forward to scaling our model, we have also established initial interest from national media platforms as partners.

5. How much are you raising and what do you want to use investment for?

We are seeking 150K in SEIS investment for the next 12 moning, we will:

• Expand to more locations around the UK with our growth model.
• Grow our membership and engagement with marketing.
• Continue to build the features on our mobile app for our members and our web app for our partners, all to encourage further engagement.

6. What tools/people/services/organisations helped you most?

Our model is based largely on our focus to collaborate with businesses and our student members to create a community that promotes the adoption of plant-based. We have supported and have received support from the members of our community.

MeatFreed was created out of Launchpad, a venture studio programme out of Falmouth University. Launchpads support has led us to our successes to date.

7. Where can we find out more about you?

You can learn more about our team, and of course, register as a member for free to join our movement!