Earlier this month we celebrated Verlinvest’s 30th anniversary with Futurekind: 30 Years of Heritage in Motion.
For three decades, Verlinvest has stood alongside visionary entrepreneurs who don’t just sell products, but create experiences, connections, and cultural movements. From clean beauty to conscious food, from healthcare to exciting entertainment and sports, the brands we back are redefining categories and reshaping consumer expectations.
In uncertain times, one thing remains constant: people seek connection and meaning. The conversations at Futurekind reminded us that resilience is built through collaboration, trust, and purpose. These values have shaped Verlinvest’s heritage and will continue to guide our future.
As we look ahead, we remain committed to building a multigenerational portfolio rooted in innovation, ambition, and long-term value. Our heritage is strong — but it is our future that excites us most.
Innovation, disciplined execution, and doubling down on values were the heartbeat of Futurekind. We left the event energized and inspired, with a few key takeaways:
- Collaboration as a Competitive Advantage
“Pre-competitive collaboration is the unfair advantage purpose-driven businesses need right now.” – Hannah Jones, Board Member, Oatly
From Oatly and Tony’s Chocolonely’s call to collaborate on sustainability to Verlinvest’s emphasis on “acting with purpose and embracing progress,” the message was clear: long-term success depends on working together. True impact happens when brands stop competing on principles and start building collective solutions.
- Think Local When Going Global
When Tom&Co expanded into France, they discovered that success meant adapting their product mix — prioritizing cats over large dogs — and building credibility with local breeders and vets. In India, Purplle and Blue Tokai echoed the same lesson: winning customers means tailoring to cultural realities and state-by-state preferences.
As our CEO Roberto Italia put it, respecting the customer’s needs in every context is what builds enduring trust.
- Embrace Complexity, Don’t Avoid It
“In India, complexity isn’t a bug — it’s part of the business model.” – Arjun Anand, Managing Director and Head of Asia at Verlinvest
From scaling multisite healthcare clinics across Europe to navigating India’s regulatory and consumer landscape, leaders across our portfolio agreed: resilience means building systems that thrive in complexity. Instead of resisting turbulence, great businesses find ways to turn it into structure, efficiency, and ultimately, advantage.
- Define New Categories
Lahori Zeera disrupted a Coke-and-Pepsi-dominated market by creating India’s fastest-growing homegrown beverage, now touching over 1 million retail points. Yepoda carved out a new clean K-beauty category in Europe. Tony’s Chocolonely reframed chocolate around fairness. Oatly went beyond transforming dairy and became a climate solutions company.
The common thread: enduring brands don’t just enter markets, they reshape them.
- Purpose Beyond Profit
Both Oatly and Tony’s stressed that sustainability, fairness, and long-term resilience are not just ethical positions, but business imperatives. Hannah Jones said: “Companies that think about purpose and sustainability are building the businesses that will survive and thrive.”
Verlinvest’s mantra of acting with purpose reflects this same commitment: purpose is not an add-on—it’s core to scaling brands that last.
- Harnessing AI with Human Oversight
“The best way to predict the future is to create it — and that includes how we shape AI.” – Roberto Italia, CEO, Verlinvest
AI is no longer a side note — it is reshaping how brands are built. Purplle’s Manish Taneja showed how data and algorithms are rewriting the rules of India’s beauty market, powering hyper-personalized product matches for millions while slashing customer acquisition costs. Numa went further, proving that AI isn’t just about efficiency — it can be a creative weapon, turning digital journeys into emotional brand stories at scale.
The lesson: brands that treat AI as an add-on will be left behind. The future belongs to those who fuse AI’s speed and scale with human vision, creativity, and trust.
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These lessons from Futurekind remind us that while markets shift and technologies evolve, our compass remains steady: purpose, trust, and resilience. As we celebrate 30 years of Verlinvest, we are more convinced than ever that the best is yet to come.
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