On why the "Plant-Based Meat" thesis failed & pivoting a $50M fund to Defense Tech - Champel Capital

On why the "Plant-Based Meat" thesis failed & pivoting a $50M fund to Defense Tech - Champel Capital

June 4, 2026 · 46 min · Season 2 · Episode 102

About this episode

Amir Weitmann discusses the failure of the plant-based meat thesis and the pivot of Champel Capital's fund towards Defense Tech.

Episode 102: Champel Capital: Amir Weitmann on why the "Plant-Based Meat" thesis failed and pivoting a $50M fund to Defense Tech In this episode, I sit down with Amir Weitmann, Managing Partner at Champel Capital, an Israeli venture fund that deployed heavily into FoodTech across its first two funds (backing standouts like Remilk and Aleph Farms). Amir delivers a brutally honest post-mortem on the alternative protein sector, explaining exactly why Champel avoided investing in plant-based meat companies like Beyond Meat, opting instead for breakthrough Deep Tech. We discuss the shifting macroeconomic landscape that caused FoodTech funding to collapse to 15% of its 2021 peak, and why Champel's upcoming third fund is pivoting entirely away from AgriFood into Defense and Security. 🎧 Listen to the full episode to hear Amir’s unapologetic take on why ESG should be about human prosperity, not "worshipping Mother Earth," and the terrifying psychological burden of managing LP money. Key Facts Champel Capital: Amir Weitmann: https://www.linkedin.com/in/amirweitmann/ Website: champelcapital.com Headquarters: Israel Goal: To deliver outsized venture returns (targeting 5x fund return /…

People in this episode

Host: Alex Shandrovsky

Guest: Amir Weitmann

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Keywords

Mentioned in this episode

Organizations: Champel Capital, Beyond Meat, Remilk, Aleph Farms

Places: Israel

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