60 Startups. $7 Million. How Ignite20 Is Funding The Future Of CPG.

Apr 15, 2025

Gabriela Morales, co-founder and managing partner of Ignite20, is reshaping the venture capital landscape for early-stage CPG startups. She shares insights on why margins are more crucial than price points in funding decisions. The conversation covers the rise of functional snacks and high-protein foods as game changers in innovation. Gabriela emphasizes the power of a strong 30-second pitch and the importance of strategic connections for startup success. Tune in to discover how Ignite20 plans to support 60 promising brands over the next three years!

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ANECDOTE

Gabriela Morales' Origin Story

Gabriela Morales shared her journey from a nutritionist and wellness entrepreneur to a venture investor with Ignite20.
Her background includes starting a healthy food restaurant and witnessing firsthand the challenges of early-stage startups.

INSIGHT

Founder Resilience Matters Most

Ignite20 targets startups with $100K to $1M revenue in health, wellness, food, beverage, pet and beauty sectors.
The fund highly prioritizes founders' resilience and determination, looking for those with "fire in the belly."

INSIGHT

Functionality Drives Trend Success

Functional benefits, like high protein, create meaningful trends aligned with aging population needs.
Brands riding growth waves in functional categories have higher chances of success in wellness markets.

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Ignite20 isn’t just cutting checks. The new $7 million venture capital fund and hybrid accelerator is lighting a fire under the next wave of CPG innovators.

Launched in February 2025, Ignite20 was born out of the Redwood Ventures Group and is also backed by early-stage VC firm Santatera Capital and food distributor RPM Food. Over the next three years, the fund will invest in 60 early-stage startups across the health, beauty, food, beverage, and pet care industries – targeting 20 promising brands per year.

Each selected company will receive a $50,000 capital investment, along with hands-on support from a network of operators, investors, and retail buyers. Through tactical mentorship, operational strategy, and founder-focused development, the program is designed to help brands grow sustainably and strategically.

In this episode, we sit down with Gabriela Morales, Ignite20’s co-founder and managing director, who shares how the fund is rethinking early-stage investing, the reason why margins matter more than price point, how categories like functional snacks and high-protein foods are redefining innovation, and the value of a 30-second video pitch.

Show notes:

0:25: Interview: Gabriela Morales, Co-Founder & Managing Partner, Ignite20 – On location at Expo West 2025, Gabriela shares her first impressions of the industry’s biggest stage and her journey from nutritionist and wellness entrepreneur to trailblazing venture investor. She also opens up about what fuels her investment philosophy, including her admiration for founders with true “fire in the belly.” Gabriela also dives into the traits she looks for in early stage brands, categories she views as poised for breakout growth, and her take on buzzy trends like better-for-you soda, adaptogens, and non-nutritive sweeteners. Plus, Gabriela unpacks why sustainable growth and velocity – not just profitability – are the metrics that really matter in today’s CPG market.

Brands in this episode: Hiyo, Little Sesame, Wildwonder, Mezcla