Scaling Small Business Success in Protein Innovation


Apply for the Bold Growth International Program here.


The application deadline has been extended to Midnight on Monday, October 21.

MBOLD is pleased to announce the launch of
Bold Growth: Scaling for Success in Food & Ag.
"Bold Growth" aims to accelerate the success of high growth potential companies that can contribute to Minnesota's ecosystem for Food & Ag innovation.
Learn More & Apply

MBOLD is committed to advancing the sustainability of plant, alternative and traditional proteins and we recognize the critical importance of promising young businesses in driving needed innovation.  Our “Bold Growth” mentorship program helps small businesses that are innovating in the protein space scale up in the U.S. market with coaching from senior leaders from MBOLD member companies and our Minnesota-based network of corporate food and agriculture partners.

Bold Growth – International Program

Bold Growth – International is a 9-month mentorship program that offers tailored coaching to promising protein innovation businesses from around the globe that want to enter or expand their presence in the U.S. market. We invite applications by October 15, 2024, from companies located anywhere in the world with innovative solutions for plant-based and alternative proteins and alternative crops for inclusion in animal feed.   

MBOLD will coordinate with successful applicants to understand your aspirations and needs, and then will provide you with:

Please note that participation for selected companies is free and no equity is taken. The program will run from approximately February through October 2025. 

To date, Bold Growth mentors have included leaders from Cargill, General Mills, Target, CHS, Compeer Financial, Ecolab, Hormel Foods, McKinsey & Co., Schwan’s Co., Bread and Butter Ventures, SunOpta, United Health Group and the University of Minnesota.  We have provided confidential, tailored mentoring to small business on topics ranging from new product development to navigating the U.S. regulatory environment, national distribution through refrigerated and frozen food channels, brand development, manufacturing scale-up and marketing strategy.

Companies selected for the program choose how you want to focus your Bold Growth experience given your business’ needs and aspirations.

The ideal candidate for Bold Growth International:

We will consider businesses that address a wide range of protein sustainability product and process innovations. We particularly welcome those that are scaling up products or technologies in the following areas (as MBOLD members and partners are, ourselves, collaborating to drive innovation for these high priority protein ingredients):

Learn More and Apply for the Program

We hope you will apply. We look forward to working with you.

Bold Growth – Minnesota Program

Minnesota protein companies chosen for MBOLD’s 2024 Bold Growth program
CLO-CLO Vegan Foods, maker of vegan pizzas and flatbreads, and Thousand Hills Lifetime Grazed, producer of regeneratively raised, lifetime grazed, grass-fed beef, have been selected for the 2024 Minnesota cohort of the Bold Growth entrepreneurship program. Learn more.

Past Bold Growth - Minnesota Participants

Bold Growth – Minnesota is managed by MBOLD in collaboration with Naturally Minnesota and AURI with support from MN DEED and MBOLD members.

See more of MBOLD in action

MBOLD is driving innovation in thesustainability of plant, alternative and traditional proteins.  

Learn more