Nathan Cooper

Investing in the Future of Food Founder & Managing Partner at Barrel Ventures

📍 United States🔄 Updated September 2026💼 18 investments📅 8 years investing🗓 Last invested Feb 2026
VC🌍 United StatesInvested this year
18
Total investments
6
Early stage
3
Mid stage
0
Late stage
8y
Years active

Portfolio

18 investments · sorted by recency
All investments
Early stage
Mid stage
Late stage
Investor/Board Observer
Feb 2026
Cloud inventory and manufacturing software: Plan, procure, store, produce, sell, and ship, all in one place.
Investor
Dec 2025
Instant focus in a pouch. Zero nicotine.
Investor
Dec 2025
Kimba’s technology uses AI to analyze biometric data and offer a personalized scent therapy to improve sleep and health.
Investor
Oct 2025
CommanderAI is the first sales intelligence platform that helps Waste Management businesses find and sell to the right people. We combine AI-powered prospecting with real-time outreach tools to help your reps find high-value leads, contact decision-makers faster, and close more deals. Designed to fit your existing workflow, CommanderAI integrates seamlessly with the tools you already use and scales with your business — whether youre running a local hauling operation or a national sales team. Book a demo today and see how CommanderAI helps your reps close more with less effort.
Investor
Jun 2025
Revolutionizing dairy management with cutting-edge technology, Linok provides real-time data analytics and insights to help farmers make smarter decisions, optimize herd health, boost production efficiency, and achieve sustainable growth
Investor
Dec 2024
Founded by longtime friends and entrepreneurs, we exist to put a new spin on drinking. Nowadays is a cannabis infused spirit designed to deliver a light and buzzy experience without the negative effects of alcohol. Crafted with natural fruit flavors, a crisp finish, and low doses of THC to deliver the happiest of happy hours. Mix it, sip it, serve it on the rocks. Whether you’re drinking or not drinking, this lively spirit provides an uplifting experience for any occasion.
Investor
Nov 2024
Only FruitScout enables growers to fully implement precision crop load management. An easy-to use smartphone app with computer vision and business intelligence tools, FruitScout empowers you to: - Set targets for optimal crop load - Monitor and measure from bud to bin to stay on track - Maximize orchard profit year to year
Investor
May 2024
Iris is the real-time source of truth for any businesss financial performance that gives CPG leaders, operators & investors the visibility they need to plan for the future, make better financial decisions, and grow profit faster.
Board Observer
Nov 2023
The first Creator-led CPG brand made for Gen Alpha. Co-founded with leading YouTube Creators Aphmau and Unspeakable, BloxSnacks is engaging kids with great products and one-of-a-kind Creator-led experiences, content, and collectibles. The first product line, JuiceBlox, is available now in Walmart locations nationwide.
Investor
May 2023
Confido is the first automated financial operations software built for CPG. We help brands streamline and scale their financial and operational functions in brick-and-mortar retail. We power emerging leaders like Olipop, Chomps, and Dr. Squatch, as well as established brands like Baskin Robbins Ice Cream — giving them clarity and control through deep integrations with 40+ retailers, distributors, and ERP systems. Our two core products: Cash Application & Deductions Automation – handling 1M+ transactions annually so finance teams can focus on strategy, not spreadsheets. Trade Promotion Management (TPM) – helping brands forecast $1B+ in retail sales and track promo effectiveness in real-time. Backed by Y Combinator and trusted by 100+ brands managing $3B+ in revenue, Confido brings together domain expertise from Anheuser-Busch and Simple Mills with tech talent from Google, Square, and HubSpot — were a tech company that understands CPG.
Board Observer
Oct 2022
Celleste has successfully grown 100% real cocoa ingredients from a single cell. This breakthrough enabled the creation of the worlds first milk chocolate made with real cell-cultured chocolate-grade cocoa butter, developed in collaboration with our strategic partner, Mondelēz International. By uncoupling the bean from the tree, our pioneering researchers have created the biological infrastructure to brew real cocoa in a controlled environment. The result we aim for is chocolate-grade cocoa butter and cocoa powder designed for commercial applications. Our cocoa will serve as a seamless, high-performance drop-in ingredient for both mass and premium chocolate manufacturing, integrating into existing production processes. Our mission is to strengthen and supplement the global cocoa ecosystem by creating a consistent, high-quality, and resilient supply of real cocoa ingredients for the future of chocolate.
early stageFood Production
Board Member
Aug 2022
GoNana’s is not your nanas banana bread. By swapping traditional with healthy ingredients, we‘ve created a modernized banana bread, so that you can indulge your cravings while still properly fueling your body. We use ingredients that you can recognize and pronounce. We embrace eating according to what our bodies want and need. And that’s why we made something that is good for your body AND soul. GoNanas is founded by two University of Michigan female graduates, and as our team expands, we remain fully women owned and operated. We strive to empower other women founded businesses through connections and collaboration. We understand the importance of small businesses on communities and do our best to support and maintain the relationships we have with them. This is done by putting on events and demonstrations with hopes to gain feedback, build a like minded community of customers, and put a face to our brand. Community is an integral part of GoNanas, as the customers and the companies we work with are what make up our brand. We pride ourselves on offering a banana bread that is vegan, gluten free, allergen free and appealing to everyone. GoNanas provides nutritious treats that will have your back whether you’re on the go, or looking for an at home activity. Our banana bread is versatile and easily customized, yet filled with enough flavor to be enjoyed by itself. To say the least, this bread is b-a-n-a-n-a-s!
Investor
Apr 2022
Stay AI is the subscription management app that helps DTC brands on Shopify supercharge their growth. Elevate your subscription programs with innovative, new-to-market features to optimize for LTV and reduce churn with Stay. 🚀 Power any time of subscription program — from trials, to dynamic bundles, to prepaid — with frictionless subscriber touch points. 📈 Boost growth and reduce churn with our proprietary ExperienceEngine, an experience builder delivering rewards and upsells with AI-powered personalization and comprehensive A/B testing. 📉 Reduce subscriber churn by 30% more than any other available solution with RetentionEngine, which delivers the most advanced passive and active churn reduction tools leveraging proprietary AI to improve outcomes. We offer seamless, white-glove migration so you can make the switch from other subscription apps with ease. Reach out for a personalized demo today, and find out why top brands like Vita Coco, Olipop, Bright Cellars, and hundreds more choose Stay.
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Experience · 21 entries
All (21)
Investments (18)
Founder (2)
Board (5)
2026
Investor/Board Observer
Feb 2026
Cloud inventory and manufacturing software: Plan, procure, store, produce, sell, and ship, all in one place.
2025
Investor
Dec 2025
Instant focus in a pouch. Zero nicotine.
Investor
Dec 2025
Kimba’s technology uses AI to analyze biometric data and offer a personalized scent therapy to improve sleep and health.
Investor
Oct 2025
CommanderAI is the first sales intelligence platform that helps Waste Management businesses find and sell to the right people. We combine AI-powered prospecting with real-time outreach tools to help your reps find high-value leads, contact decision-makers faster, and close more deals. Designed to fit your existing workflow, CommanderAI integrates seamlessly with the tools you already use and scales with your business — whether youre running a local hauling operation or a national sales team. Book a demo today and see how CommanderAI helps your reps close more with less effort.
Show all 21 entries ↓
Investment activity
2018–2026 · 18 investments
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