Nadav Berger

Founding General Partner

Third-generation food industrialist and a FoodTech visionary

Nadav Berger has deep, decades-long roots in the food industry. A third-generation food industrialist, he shifted to entrepreneurship, actively building a number of companies specializing in food applications, marketing, and distribution. In 2008, he co-founded the food applications hub FoodLab, focused on the innovation and development of our food systems. The innovations there led to his founding FoodLab Capital, a premier seed fund and a pioneer in FoodTech investing. The fund’s success helped pave the way to establishing PeakBridge in 2018. Today, Nadav is a board member of InsideTracker and Neolithics, and serves as an observer of BE WTR and Tastewise. He holds a B.A in economics and political science from Tel Aviv University and an EMBA from Northwestern University’s Kellogg School of Management. 

What’s your go-to recipe in life and in the kitchen?

I stopped eating red meat about 18 months ago due to environmental concerns. Being the foodie that I am, it was no easy decision. Although my food preferences have evolved as a result of this change, the meat-lover in me will never be able to give up a good chicken schnitzel. When I make it in the kitchen, it’s about finding the perfect balance between the thickness of the chicken breast and the amount of breading used to coat it. 

 

In life, I like to think of this ratio needed to be maintained as substance to style, where the chicken is the substance and the coating is the style. While style is the manner of doing or presenting, substance represents the concept or technology behind the venture. In my opinion, substance needs to far outweigh style. But just like that schnitzel, substance in the absence of style will not succeed. The two go hand in hand, and startups and businesspeople who have achieved the right proportions are likely to succeed.  

What do you look for in a startup?

Beyond traditional metrics, I like to be confident that the leadership – specifically the founders and CEO – are able to raise money. Regardless of whether it is based on past fundraising experience, or the ability to hire the right talent, a CEO needs to have this as a priority if they are to grow.

What advice do you live by?

As a rule of thumb, I only do business with people – be it huge investors or small startups – after having a culinary experience with them. This can be as small as going out for a coffee or as big as a group dinner on a business trip. There is no better way to gain a glimpse into someone’s values and background as by sharing food and laughter with them!