Mary Kay James, a managing director (MD) at DuPont Ventures, the corporate venturing unit of the eponymous chemicals company undergoing a complex merger with peer Dow Chemical, last month announced her move to US-based meat processor Tyson Foods to run its new $150m fund.
Tyson New Ventures will invest in alternative proteins, food security and using the internet in the food chain and its first deal was acquiriing 5% of Beyond Meat, which has created a plant-based protein, in October.
James, a Global Corporate Venturing Rising Star 2016 awardee, said as well as three to four people in the deal team, she would also be setting up an incubator to connect with companies as potential acquisitions.
At DuPont Ventures, James had held responsibility for sourcing, analysing and executing strategic investments for its $15bn agriculture and nutrition businesses. She was promoted in in 2013 to MD for agriculture, nutrition and health investments after more than nine years of investing in energy storage and solar investments. She also has experience as an adviser to cleantech VC American River Ventures. At present, she is also a board observer at AvidBiotics, an anti-bacterial company.
In 2015, James finished her tenure as chairman of the US trade body National Venture Capital Association’s (NVCA) corporate venture group. She was one of the founding members of DuPont Ventures in 2003.
In her spare time, James enjoys working with her family on historic property restoration. Similarly, her work at the NVCA and other organisations has encouraged James, a post-graduate in mechanical engineering from Ohio State University, in her view that collaboration and discussions more broadly are worthwhile.
She said for 2016’s award: “At a high level, CVCs have done a great job participating in and supporting industry groups. But building trusting relationships is what drives investing partnerships, so more work can be done on that side. Non-competing companies should make it a priority to develop co-investing relationships with other CVCs as well as do a better job at finding common areas to share investments.”