Lever VC is a U.S.-Hong Kong venture capital firm specializing in early-stage investments within the alternative protein sector, encompassing plant-based and cell-based meat, egg, and dairy companies. Founded by Managing Partner Nick Cooney, the firm operates globally with offices in Hong Kong and the U.S., and staff across the U.S., Hong Kong, Europe, and Israel. Lever VC's team has been active in the alternative protein space since 2014, backing early winners like Beyond Meat, Impossible Foods, JUST, Miyoko's, and Kite Hill, as well as emerging leaders such as TurtleTree, Mission Barns, UPSIDE Foods, and THIS.

Over the past decade, the firm's partners have deployed over $1.5 billion in capital across various sectors, including more than thirty deals in the alternative protein space. Lever VC's Fund I, which closed with $80 million, has invested in over two dozen leading companies developing plant-based, cultivated, and fermentation-derived meat and dairy products, as well as ingredients and technology inputs into the sector. ( In January 2025, Lever VC announced the first close of its Fund II, securing an initial $50 million for early-stage investments in the global food and agritech ecosystem.

The firm's investment approach focuses on scalable and impactful solutions that address critical challenges in sustainability, health, and efficiency within the food and agriculture sectors.