Sunshine For All® Fund
We are committed to increasing access to good nutrition and reduction of waste. We humbly acknowledge that we do not have all the answers we need today, so we are on the lookout for partners who share a similar passion, to help with their superpowers.
How it Works?
The “Sunshine For All® Fund” is a $2 million annual fund that will support global strategic partnerships and innovation in the crucial areas of sustainability, food access and waste.
We strongly believe that collaboration with external partners is the key to unlock the Dole Promise. We want to find solutions, whether they be from startups, social enterprise, NGO, influencers, investors, or R&D networks. We also recognize that technology has revolutionized our world, and the food and agricultural tech industry is moving quickly – and we are a part of this ever-evolving process.
Our Focus Areas
We have identified 6 key priorities. By focusing on areas of our operations that we can control, we can directly and immediately impact how our business affects people and planet.
Crop Nutrition, Health & ProtectionTechnologies that will boost, but also ensure sustainability of the food and agriculture value chain, including solutions to regenerative agriculture, carbon sequestration, or fight diseases like fusarium touching our banana trees.
Technologies that will boost, but also ensure sustainability of the food and agriculture value chain, including solutions to regenerative agriculture, carbon sequestration, or fight diseases like fusarium touching our banana trees.
Food & WasteUpcycling solutions that would divert waste from landfill or animal feed to higher value chains to help us reduce fruit loss and waste.
Upcycling solutions that would divert waste from landfill or animal feed to higher value chains to help us reduce fruit loss and waste.
Food Safety & TraceabilitySupporting the increase in consumer demand for transparency, traceability and clean and safe food from farm to fork.
Supporting the increase in consumer demand for transparency, traceability and clean and safe food from farm to fork.
Nutrition & IngredientsBringing more nutritious food to 1 billion people via novel foods, formats, and ingredients. Increasing awareness and education about the importance of good nutrition in our daily lives and making it affordable to everyone.
Bringing more nutritious food to 1 billion people via novel foods, formats, and ingredients. Increasing awareness and education about the importance of good nutrition in our daily lives and making it affordable to everyone.
Environmental Impact & PackagingReducing our use of fossil-based plastic in our farms and packaging with fully compostable material, as well as helping to reduce our environmental impact with novel formats and business models.
Reducing our use of fossil-based plastic in our farms and packaging with fully compostable material, as well as helping to reduce our environmental impact with novel formats and business models.
LaborImproving farm labor efficiencies through technology from precision agriculture to sensors, automation and robotics.
Improving farm labor efficiencies through technology from precision agriculture to sensors, automation and robotics.
Your Profile
StartupsTechnologies that will boost, but also ensure sustainability of the food and agriculture value chain, including solutions to regenerative agriculture, carbon sequestration, or fight diseases like fusarium touching our banana trees
Technologies that will boost, but also ensure sustainability of the food and agriculture value chain, including solutions to regenerative agriculture, carbon sequestration, or fight diseases like fusarium touching our banana trees
Social Enterprises & NGOIf you are trying to bridge the gap between technology and access to food and nutrition, or if you have developed a model allowing us to reduce our food and water waste, to reduce our plastic footprint, and more, please connect with us.
If you are trying to bridge the gap between technology and access to food and nutrition, or if you have developed a model allowing us to reduce our food and water waste, to reduce our plastic footprint, and more, please connect with us.
Experts & InfluencersYour expertise can be a game-changer for us and for our planet. We are keen to collaborate with experts and influencers that can help us to realize our Dole Promise.
Your expertise can be a game-changer for us and for our planet. We are keen to collaborate with experts and influencers that can help us to realize our Dole Promise.
Investors & Venture CapitalIf you have a startup in your portfolio that you think can help us to make our food system more sustainable please reach out to our venture team. We will be happy to help and exchange notes.
If you have a startup in your portfolio that you think can help us to make our food system more sustainable please reach out to our venture team. We will be happy to help and exchange notes.
Get in Touch
If you are an entrepreneur, an investor, an innovation catalyst or a food & agtech ecosystem player, and you want to work with us or simply know more about the Sunshine for All® Fund, please help us to fill in this form and we will get back to you swiftly.
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FAQ
How can I get involved?
If you have a proven product, service or technology which has been tested in-market and you are looking to partner with us, you can get in touch via the Get in Touch form.
What type of business is a good fit for Sunshine for All® Fund?
We constantly look for innovative external partners, start-ups and scale-ups who can collaborate with us to address our strategic priorities and help us to deliver our Dole Promise. If this is you, lets talk!
Is the Sunshine for All® Fund a Corporate Venture Capital (CVC) and do you take equity?
The Fund is not a CVC and we do not take equity when engaging with start-ups. Our primary aim is to develop programs that can potentially scale into long term relationships. We will consider investing in relevant companies that work with Dole, but it will be a case-by-case basis.
Can you explain how you select start-ups & partners you work with?
The selection process will be slightly different depending on your growth stage. The criteria that we evaluate are the technology & proprietary IP behind the product or the service, the scalability of the solution into our business and the team spirit and ability to understand our challenges. In the case of us proactively reaching out to you, we usually ask you to answer a few questions about your company, including team and fit with the challenge at hand to understand how a partnership could work. If you contact us regarding your product or technology, we will review your message and respond to the proposals that best fit our business priorities.
