Investors Back Cerve with €4.2M for Data-Driven Food Supply Chain Solutions

Courtesy: Cerve

In a world grappling with the twin crises of food waste and insecurity, the announcement of €4.2 million in seed funding for British tech company Cerve offers a glimpse into how the power of data might change the way we think about the global food system. Backed by investors like SuperSeed, Zenith, Ponderosa, and The First Thirty, Cerve is stepping into the complex web of inefficiencies that characterize the food industry, offering solutions rooted in connectivity and standardization.

For Cerve’s CEO and founder Dan Mazig, the problems aren’t just technical—they’re systemic. “Solving the fragmented and disconnected problems within the food system requires new thinking and a more creative and innovative approach,” Mazig explains. The food supply chain, sprawling and often opaque, has long resisted coherent integration. While advances in logistics and inventory management have been made, many parts of the food system remain mired in outdated methods. The reliance on email threads, PDF invoices, and spreadsheets to communicate critical information has created silos where collaboration should flourish.

The stakes are immense. The global food industry, valued at an eye-watering €9.4 trillion, operates against a backdrop of chronic waste. An estimated one-third of all food produced goes uneaten, contributing not only to missed economic opportunities but also to environmental degradation. Meanwhile, food insecurity persists in both developed and developing nations, exacerbating social inequities. These challenges demand a new paradigm, one that Cerve believes lies in data integration.

The Origins of a Solution

Dan Mazig isn’t new to big challenges. His career spans leading data infrastructure projects for Fortune 500 companies and startups alike, experiences that shaped his belief in the transformative power of technology. Joining him at Cerve is David Walker, whose leadership resume includes stints at Barclays, Dyson, and Sky. Together, they have assembled a team poised to address one of humanity’s most fundamental concerns: how to feed a growing population sustainably and efficiently.

Cerve’s approach centers on creating a standardized protocol for data exchange in the food industry. While the term “protocol” might seem dry, its implications are profound. Imagine a universal language for the myriad systems and platforms that touch every link in the food supply chain—from farmers and manufacturers to retailers and consumers. By making it easier for businesses to share and act on information, Cerve’s infrastructure opens doors to a host of innovations, including real-time inventory tracking, predictive demand analytics, and streamlined logistics.

Already, over 2,000 businesses across the UK and Europe have adopted Cerve’s infrastructure, a testament to its practical appeal. These businesses, which range from manufacturers to wholesalers and retailers, are leveraging the platform to cut waste, improve food security, and save costs.

A Persistent Problem with Waste

Food waste isn’t just a problem of excess—it’s a problem of access. When edible food is discarded, the resources used to produce it—land, water, labor—are wasted too. The carbon footprint of wasted food is staggering, rivaling that of entire countries. Yet the causes of waste are often mundane: products left unsold because of poor forecasting, or shipments delayed by miscommunication.

For decades, attempts to tackle food waste have largely focused on downstream solutions like food donation programs and consumer awareness campaigns. While valuable, these measures fail to address the upstream inefficiencies that create waste in the first place. This is where Cerve’s platform stands out. By enabling businesses to anticipate demand more accurately and coordinate supply more effectively, the system can help nip waste in the bud.

The Role of Collaboration

Cerve’s mission extends beyond building tools; it’s about fostering a culture of collaboration. “We believe that the key to a sustainable and resilient food system is rooted in data,” Mazig notes. But for data to drive change, it must be shared. The company’s technology facilitates not only transparency but also trust, allowing organizations to work together without fear of losing a competitive edge.

This collaborative ethos resonates with Ferdinand Reynolds, Principal at SuperSeed, the VC firm leading the funding round. “Dan and David had clearly spent a long time working backwards from the problems to arrive at a very sophisticated, elegant solution,” Reynolds says. His praise underscores the careful thought behind Cerve’s design, which seeks to address the root causes of inefficiency rather than merely treating symptoms.

Looking Ahead

The infusion of €4.2 million will enable Cerve to scale its operations, expanding across the UK, Europe, and North America. Key priorities include bolstering its engineering, product, and technical support teams to meet growing demand. At the same time, the company aims to deepen its research and development capabilities, ensuring that its platform remains adaptable to the evolving needs of the industry.

Cerve’s ambition is as bold as the challenges it seeks to tackle. By offering a foundational layer of connectivity for the food supply chain, it aspires to create ripple effects that go beyond its immediate users. Whether it’s reducing waste, improving food security, or making the industry more resilient to shocks, the potential impact is enormous.

The global food system is often described as broken, but solutions like Cerve’s remind us that even the most entrenched problems can be addressed with ingenuity and determination. For Mazig and his team, the journey has just begun, but their vision is clear: a future where data drives not just profits, but progress.