British infrastructure and API provider Cerve has raised €4.2 million in seed funding to advance its mission of digitising the global food supply chain.
The funding round was led by B2B SaaS-focused VC firm SuperSeed, with additional support from investors Zenith, Ponderosa, and The First Thirty.
Dan Mazig, CEO and founder of Cerve, shared his vision: “Solving the fragmented and disconnected problems within the food system requires new thinking and a more creative and innovative approach. Current progress is simply not fast or effective enough. We believe that the key to a sustainable and resilient food system is rooted in data. Our approach provides the foundation for developers, rule-breakers and innovators to help solve the most impactful problems of food waste and food security.
He added: “We are building a world-class team to solve the most interesting and challenging problems in the food industry that affect every person on the planet.”
Cerve was founded by serial entrepreneur Dan Mazig, who has a background in leading data infrastructure projects for Fortune 500 companies and early-stage startups. Joining him is David Walker, Chief Commercial Officer, whose leadership experience spans organisations such as Barclays, Dyson, and Sky.
Cerve’s technology delivers a standardised protocol for data exchange within the food industry, allowing organisations to build custom applications and automations that tackle inefficiencies, reduce food waste, and improve food security. With over 2,000 businesses across the UK and Europe already using its infrastructure—including manufacturers, wholesalers, and retailers—Cerve is driving innovation in the reportedly €9.4 trillion global food system.
According to Cerve, the food industry remains largely reliant on manual data-sharing methods, such as emails, spreadsheets, and PDFs, leading to inefficiencies, limited visibility, and poor traceability. These practices contribute to billions of euros in lost opportunities and exacerbate challenges like food waste—where over one-third of all food produced globally goes to waste—and food insecurity.
Cerve’s platform differentiates itself by serving as a core technology layer rather than a one-off solution. It enables businesses to collaborate and innovate at scale, addressing systemic inefficiencies and fostering more sustainable operations.
“We were immediately impressed by the team’s understanding of the complex web that makes up the global food supply chain,” said Ferdinand Reynolds, Principal at SuperSeed. “Dan and David had clearly spent a long time working backwards from the problems to arrive at a very sophisticated, elegant solution. Their approach to data standardisation and connectivity is groundbreaking and has the potential to reshape how the global food system operates. We are enormously excited to partner with Cerve as they continue to transform this industry.”
With this funding, Cerve plans to expand its operations across the UK, Europe, and North America, while strengthening its research and development capabilities. The company aims to hire additional engineering, product, and technical support teams to meet growing demand and continue its mission of digitising the food supply chain.
Read the orginal article: https://www.eu-startups.com/2024/12/london-based-cerve-secures-e4-2-million-to-digitise-the-global-food-supply-chain/
