# Paul Polman

> Paul Polman is a Series A investor in London backing Consumer Goods and Food and Beverage. See 6 investments, check sizes, portfolio. Updated Aug 2026.

- Type: Angel Investor
- Location: London, United Kingdom
- Total investments: 6
- Last investment: Oct 2024
- Lead investor: 0%
- Last updated: Aug 2026
- LinkedIn: https://uk.linkedin.com/in/paulpolman
- X (Twitter): https://twitter.com/PaulPolman
- Website: https://x.com/PaulPolman

Paul Polman is a Series A investor in London focused on Consumer Goods and Food and Beverage. Paul Polman was elected to the Dow Board of Directors in February 2010, and serves on the Environment, Health, Safety and Technology Committee.Unilever PLC and Unilever N.V. – Chief Executive Officer, January 2009 to date. Nestlé S.A. – Executive Vice President of Americas, January 2008-September 2008; Chief Financial Officer 2006-2008. TheProcter & Gamble Company (a provider of consumer, pharmaceutical, cleaning, personal care and pet products) – Group President Europe, 2001-2006; CFO of the Year 2007, Investor Magazine; Carl Lindner Award 2006, University of Cincinnati; WSJ/CNBC European Business Leader of the Year 2003. Member of United Nations high level task force on post 2015 development goals. President of the Kilimanjaro Blindtrust/Chair of Perkins International Advisory Board. Board member of Global Consumer Goods Forum. Member: International Business Council of WEF, Swiss American Chamber of Commerce and vice chair of the World Business Council for Sustainable Development. Member of the B-Team (a global initiative to help transform the future of business). Honorary degrees from Universities of Northumbria, UK in 2000 and University of Cincinnati in 2009.

## Round sizes

| Stage | Round size |
| --- | --- |
| Series A | $2.5M–$42M |

## Investment focus

### Industry

| Industry | Investments | Share |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Consumer Goods | 2 | 33% |
| Food and Beverage | 2 | 33% |
| Apps | 1 | 17% |
| Mobile | 1 | 17% |
| Retail | 1 | 17% |

21 industries tracked in total.

### Stage

| Stage | Investments | Share |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Series A | 2 | 33% |
| Seed | 1 | 17% |
| Series B | 1 | 17% |
| Post-IPO Equity | 1 | 17% |
| Venture - Series Unknown | 1 | 17% |

### Country

| Country | Investments | Share |
| --- | --- | --- |
| United Kingdom | 2 | 33% |
| Finland | 1 | 17% |
| Australia | 1 | 17% |
| United States | 1 | 17% |

## Investments

| Company | Description | Amount | Stage | Date | Website |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Basecamp Research | Basecamp Research is a market leader in mapping biodiversity for AI-based design of biological systems. We match and refine novel proteins for our partners' exact industrial, therapeutic or diagnostic applications using BaseGraph™, a new generation of AI design that is powered by the first-ever high-resolution map of global geneticbiodiversity. Understanding the full genetic, evolutionary, and environmental context of each protein allows Basecamp Research to design tailored proteins for specific applications without the need for expensive and time-consuming directed evolution campaigns. We're a team of explorers, scientists and policy experts driven by our ambition to protect and learn from nature's diversity, whilst delivering life-changing breakthroughs to those who need them most. | $60M | Series B | Oct 09, 2024 |  |
| Freja | Freja natural Norwegian bone broth is packed with taste and essential mood and health-boosting nutrients, helping you to live well and eat pleasantly. | $2.5M | Seed | Jan 15, 2024 |  |
| Toast Ale | Toast Ale is a manufacturer of craft beer used to reduce food waste and raise awareness of environmental issues. Its services include brewing beer from wasted bread, end sandwich slices, and bakeries that throw outdated bread slices helps to maintain a good environment that enables consumers to enjoy beer, reduce the amount of food that is beingwasted and have a positive impact on the planet. | $2.5M | Series A | Dec 13, 2022 |  |
| Hintsa | Hintsa is the world’s leading, evidence-based coaching company, helping top athletes and business professionals achieve sustainable success. Driven by science and guided by people, our methods are road tested in the world’s most challenging business and sports environments.Formula 1 Champions, Fortune 500 CXOs, leading management consultancies,non-profit crisis workers, surgeons, and power plant workers all trust Hintsa to help them live better and perform better. We are proud to be recognised as a thought leader in our field by the World Economic Forum and McKinsey Quarterly. | $5.1M | Venture - Series Unknown | Jul 12, 2022 |  |
| Grove Collaborative | Launched in 2016 as a Certified B Corp, Grove Collaborative is transforming consumer products into a positive force for human and environmental good. Grove creates and curates high-performing, planet-first products across household cleaning, personal care, laundry, clean beauty, and pet, serving millions of households across the U.S. The Grove Co.brand helped create the zero-waste home care category and continues to be the market leader. Every item Grove offers, from both brands they craft — like their flagship brand Grove Co., plastic-free personal care line Peach, and clean skincare brand Superbloom — and from exceptional third-party brands, has been thoroughly vetted against strict standards for clean ingredients, efficacy, sustainability, cruelty-free formulas, and ethical supply chain practices. Grove, a public benefit corporation, is on a mission to move Beyond Plastic. Grove is the first plastic neutral retailer in the world and is committed to being 100% plastic-free by 2025. For more information, visit grove.co/beyondplastic. | $86M | Post-IPO Equity | Jun 17, 2022 |  |
| Who Gives a Crap | Who Gives a Crap is an Australian startup that develops forest friendly toilet paper, paper towels, and tissues. It also donates a portion of the profits to water/sanitation projects in the developing world. Founded in 2012, Who Gives a Crap is based in Melbourne, Victoria. | $41.5M | Series A | Sep 14, 2021 |  |

6 of 6 investments shown.

## Co-investors
- [K5 Global](https://shizune.co/investors/profile/k5-global) — VC Fund, 2 deals together
- [S32](https://shizune.co/investors/profile/section-32) — VC Fund, 2 deals together
- [Active Partners](https://shizune.co/investors/profile/active-partners) — VC Fund, 1 deal together
- [Airtree Ventures](https://shizune.co/investors/profile/airtree-ventures-2) — VC Fund, 1 deal together
- [Athletic Ventures](https://shizune.co/investors/profile/athletic-ventures) — VC Fund, 1 deal together
- [Change Forces](https://shizune.co/investors/profile/change-forces) — VC Fund, 1 deal together

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## FAQ

### What does Paul Polman invest in?

Paul Polman invests primarily in Consumer Goods, Food and Beverage and Apps startups, most often at Series A and Seed stage. Most of the 6 investments tracked by Shizune back companies in United Kingdom. The Investment Focus section breaks down every industry, stage and country in the portfolio.

### What is Paul Polman's check size?

Paul Polman typically joins rounds of $2.5M–$42M at Series A. These ranges are 10th–90th percentile round sizes calculated from confirmed public funding rounds, so they are a realistic guide to the rounds Paul Polman participates in.

### When did Paul Polman last invest?

The most recent investment recorded for Paul Polman closed in Oct 2024. Shizune tracks 6 investments in total for this profile, including round sizes, stages and portfolio companies, all sourced from confirmed public funding rounds and refreshed monthly.

### Is Shizune's investor data accurate?

Yes — every stat on this profile is calculated from confirmed public funding rounds monitored across hundreds of sources since 2020. This profile was last refreshed in Aug 2026 and is updated monthly. Spotted something off? Use the “Suggest an edit” link near the top of the page.

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