Nous, an Italian ingredient company developing functional ingredients for the food and beverage and nutraceutical industries, has secured a €2.315 million seed investment to advance the commercialisation of Koncentra, its branded botanical functional ingredient for the energy category.

The round was led by dsm-firmenich Ventures, with participation from FoodSeed, foodtech program of CDP Venture Capital’s National Accelerator Network, established by CDP Venture Capital and Eatable Adventures (Accelera Ventures).

The syndicate brings together strategic and financial expertise across ingredient development, foodtech commercialisation and international scale-up. dsm-firmenich Ventures will support the further development, claims substantiation and market validation of Koncentra as Nous advances the ingredient from clinical development towards commercialisation. Accelera Ventures, through Eatable Adventures, brings foodtech sector expertise and capital to support market expansion, while CDP Venture Capital, through Fondo Acceleratori, will support the scaling of the company’s technological infrastructure and production reach.

Koncentra is produced using Nous’ proprietary extraction technology and is designed to support energy, focus and mood. Its functionality has been assessed through a preliminary comparison with caffeine and a clinical study currently expected to be published by the end of 2026. Nous will use the funding to commission further clinical studies, strengthen its scientific substantiation, and expand its supply chain across Europe and Asia.

The investment comes as food, beverage and nutraceutical companies look for natural ingredients that can address consumer demand for energy and wellbeing products. Nous has established a partnership with dsm-firmenich and is developing a network of commercial partners across Europe.

Lorenzo Pessini, CEO of Nous, said, “This investment is an important milestone for Nous as we move from scientific validation towards wider commercialisation. Support from investors with deep expertise in ingredients, foodtech and market scale-up gives us the resources to strengthen the scientific position of Koncentra, expand our supply chain, and build the next generation of functional ingredients.”

José Luis Cabañero, CEO and Founder of Eatable Adventures, said, “Our investment in Nous is fully aligned with the mission of Foodtech Accelerator, the foodtech program of CDP Venture Capital’s National Accelerator Network: supporting startups that combine scientific excellence, proprietary technology and a clear path to market adoption. Nous’ proprietary extraction platform and the clinical validation behind Koncentra provide a strong foundation for scalable growth while addressing relevant challenges for the food and health industries.”

Stefano Molino, Head of Fondo Acceleratori at CDP Venture Capital, said, “We decided to invest in Nous because we believe in the value of its proprietary extraction platform and in the science-based approach underpinning ingredients such as Koncentra. Its clinical validation and focus on natural approaches to energy and wellbeing align with strong and growing market trends. The team has demonstrated clear technical expertise and the ability to scale internationally. We therefore consider this a strategic investment to support high-impact innovations in the food and health sectors.”

The company is actively developing new functional ingredients by leveraging its proprietary extraction platform, while expanding Nous’ talent acquisition strategy to hire key specialists to drive the next phase of international scaling.

Nous plans to expand distribution of Koncentra into the US market from November 2026. By the end of 2027, the company aims to publish at least three clinical studies and reach an annual production capacity of at least 60 tonnes of Koncentra.