The Rise Fund announced today that Taryn  Goodman will join as Sector Lead for food and agriculture, and Walter Robb will  serve Senior Advisor focused on that same industry sector. In her new role,  Goodman will help source new investment opportunities, develop impact and  sector strategy, and work across the platform to help expand focus on food and agriculture.  As Senior Advisor, Robb will help grow the fund’s current portfolio through new  opportunities and work with existing portfolio companies to help them refine  and enhance their operations. Previously, Goodman served as Senior Director at  NatureVest, and Robb as co-CEO of Whole Foods and current Principal at  Stonewall Robb Advisors. 

“Walter and Taryn not only understand how to build successful food and  agriculture businesses, they also have dedicated their careers to driving  innovation and change when it comes to how we sustainably feed society,” said  Maya Chorengel, Partner at The Rise Fund. “Their perspective will be invaluable  as we expand our efforts to drive impact in this crucial sector and build on  the existing work our team has done to date.”

“The  Rise Fund has a demonstrated track record of impact throughout its portfolio companies,  as it pursues the creation of more sustainable food and agriculture models that  can lift up communities. It has built a deeply experienced global team  collectively focused on creating positive impact,” said Walter Robb, Senior  Advisor to The Rise Fund. “I am pleased to able to participate as a senior  advisor in helping them continue to make meaningful investments in the food and  agriculture sector.”

“With the right resources and collective expertise, the  food and agriculture industry represents an opportunity to create significant  social and environmental impact. I couldn’t be more excited to join The Rise  Fund to help drive this positive change and build on the work they have done to  date,” said Taryn Goodman, Rise Fund Food and Agriculture Sector Leader. “I  look forward to working with the investing team at The Rise Fund to build on  their track record of supporting impactful, solutions-oriented businesses that  can help increase food security and decrease the effects of climate change.”

Robb and Goodman join an extensive team and advisory network at The  Rise Fund, where the current food and agriculture portfolio includes Dodla  Dairy, one of India’s largest milk producers, as well as Cellulant, which has  developed fintech tools specifically geared towards increasing farmer yields  through streamlined subsidy payments across Africa.