We are Clever. We Make
Fruit Better.
We’re a developer of fermented biotic health ingredients for functional food-drink, nutraceutical, and pharmacological brands.
The Untapped Potential of Superfruit
Mission
Clever’s mission is to enhance the health of society by increasing the potency of fruit polyphenols through fermentation. Polyphenols are a category of naturally occurring organic compounds found most plentiful in fruits and vegetables. They have powerful antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, and antimicrobial properties. Our bodies use these properties to protect themselves. Many polyphenols have direct and specific powerful health benefits. They are often called micronutrients and are metabolized by our bodies into phenolic metabolites. There are about 8,000 different phenolic metabolites and they play a key role in microbiome health and are important contributors to neuroprotection. Fruit, specifically berries like blueberries, have richly complex polyphenol profiles. The wild blueberry, the number one superfruit in the world, is recognized as contributing positive health benefits to defend against six of the top ten health pandemics in the world.
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Problem
The challenge is bioavailability — our body’s ability to absorb the beneficial compounds in fruit. Polyphenols and other bioactives are incredibly valuable to human health, but in their natural form they are not easily absorbed. At Clever, we focus on berries because they are especially rich in these compounds, highly potent, and well suited for extraction. Through fermentation, we convert them into smaller, more bioavailable molecules. With microencapsulation, we can deliver them precisely where the body needs them, and stabilize them as a powder that can be packaged and shipped anywhere in the world.
Vision
Clever believes that unlocking the bioavailability of fruit’s natural compounds can change the world. Our proprietary fermentation technologies are designed to improve absorption, transforming fruit polyphenols into powerful metabolites that help protect against inflammation and support cell, gut, skin, and brain health.
Our vision is 10 Superfruit – 10 Nutraceuticals.
Fruit Waste
Fruit farming has a large percentage of waste, often 25–35% of the annual harvest. Clever wants to rescue that fruit, especially superfruits, where the goodness is richest and most valuable. Ironically, most of the fruit too ugly or not ripe enough for stores has more goodness than perfectly ripe fruit.
GHG's
Population growth will put pressure on farming, which already accounts for 25% of greenhouse gas emissions. Solving the bioavailability of superfruit’s non-nutrient compounds and leveraging fruit waste solves multiple problems and has attractive economics.
Partners
Clever’s business model is to work with farmers and growers associations to find value in their farm-loss fruit waste.
Why Metabolites & the Microbiome Matter
lever’s fermentation mimics the body's digestive system, its normal metabolic sequences. When we digest food, our bodies break down food compounds into smaller molecules. Our bodies transform the chemistry of food compounds to create something new. This change is a biotransformation at the cellular level. Our bodies do this automatically through a process called metabolism.
These smaller molecules are called metabolites and there are over 200,000 different types of metabolites. The more scientific term is a microbial metabolite. These metabolites come from our food. They play critical roles like feeding the brain, forming new cells, managing cellular connections, and communication. They keep us alive.
The production of specific metabolites can be thwarted by pathogens found in our food systems and the environment or viruses like COVID-19. Our health can suffer significantly if it is deficient in specific metabolites. It can also suffer if a specific metabolite is out of balance with other metabolites.
Yes, it is complicated and yes, it is new. But this approach to health will change everything we know about managing our health and every part of the drug, nutriceutical, and food industry we invest in and rely upon.
Phenolics
Most food, and certainly, fruits are full of food compounds that are antioxidant or anti-inflammatory. When our bodies transform these compounds, they are called phenolics or phenolic metabolites.
Phenolic Metabolites are a critical class of metabolites that underpin our immune system. Phenolics both protect the body and fight inflammation. Or as we like to say, they supply the deficiency and fight the underlying inflammation problem. Phenolic metabolites are primarily absorbed and used in our colon and greatly influence what is referred to as our gut microbiome.
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Partners & Fruit Capitals
Clever partners with manufacturers, distributors, and processors to create value from fruit waste. We operate in what we call Fruit Capitals, regions with biodiversity advantages and an abundant supply of superfruits. Today, Clever is active in North Eastern North America (wild blueberry country), Jalisco Mexico, and Tasmania Australia.
We are interested in wild blueberry, highbush blueberry, strawberry, cherry, raspberry, açai, pomegranate, avocados, grapes, and apples, as well as other fruits.
Clever strongly believes the only sustainable use of fruit waste is creating products of greater value than the original fruit. Our Intelligent Fermentation Technology Platform is designed to extract and biotransform the goodness of fruit into rich arrays of health-impacting bioactives, including phenolics, short chain fatty acids, and other metabolites.
Our Team
SEAN SEARS
CEO
Sean Sears is a veteran executive having spent 11-years with Accenture and worked on numerous start-up innovation projects, with 3 technology exits all to public companies. He has been a Board Directorfor 25 years across many industries and business models. He has spent +9 years creating healthier products by leveraging fruit and fermentation processes.
CATHERINE SARNIE
INDEPENDENT DIRECTOR
Catherine Sigmar is an experienced senior management team member with significant board experience. She is a skilled technology strategist, accomplished leader, and results-driven lawyer. She is well versed in contract law and IP growth and protection legal frameworks. She is a noted negotiated and personal health advocate.
ALEX WALKER
CFO & DIRECTOR
Alex Walker is a veteran CEO, COO, and CFO. He has numerous exits and financing and has a career of transactions of different structures and sizes. He has led food businesses including food quality programs, regulatory compliance and quality audits by large customers. At Clever, he manages corporate finance and provides strategic input.
DR. VASANTHA RUPASINGHE
CHIEF SCIENCE ADVISOR
Vasantha Rupasinghe has 25 years of fruit polyphenol research experience and is one of the most cited researchers in the field. He is currently a MacDonald Research Chair at Dalhousie University where he still teaches plant science. He is the former Chair of Functional Food and Nutreceutical and is responsible for most of Clever’s prior science and current science program.
TREASA PAULEY
HEAD OF REGULATORY AFFAIRS
Treasa Pauley has two decades of food system value chain experience from primary production to post harvest physiology and the intricacies of food processing and marketing. She is trained in multiple food safety schemes, is a certified PCQI for US market providers and has over 15 years of experience in food safety programs including HACCP approved processing facilities.
GERARD WADDEN
HEAD OF COSTS & MANUFACTURING
Gerard Wadden spent 5-years at ImmunoVaccine (now “IMV Inc. – Nasdaq: IMV”) as Controller and Research Funding Coordinator and has 20 years investing in start-up companies, including their funding strategies, raising capital and managing company’s spend programs. He has previously designed and built out two fermentation facilities and 8-years in cost control.
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Let’s talk about what Clever can do to make your products more competitive. Let us power them with our premium fermented functional ingredients.