Pilot Lite

We Drive Innovation to Get to Market Impact Faster

Bringing bandwidth, agility, capabilities, and boots on the ground to corporate teams globally.

Who we are

Pilot Lite Group

Pilot Lite is the hands-on, trusted venture management partner for corporates in the CPG, food & beverage, and consumer healthcare industries.

On a fee-for-service basis, we help corporate clients identify, de-risk (and share risk), validate, and launch early-stage technology, new ventures, and ESG initiatives across developed and emerging channels and markets.

Pilot Lite Activity Map

How we help

Pilot Lite uses our proven, modular, end-to-end venture management process to validate, commercialise, and deploy new corporate ventures and ESG initiatives.

Scouting & Origination

8-16 weeks

We provide strategic AI-driven scouting and origination of new business (product / technology or channel) or IP opportunities for future commercialization, focusing on building strategic and sustainable platforms.

The outcome is a set of 5 to 10 tangible investment opportunities that fit our clients' strategic objectives with explicit steps to validate and action the investment.

Validation

10-12 weeks

Our Pilot Lite commercialization team, working with our extensive network of subject matter experts, rigorously validates innovation opportunities through a uniquely commercial lens to assess their 'doability', sustainability and financial viability. 

The outcome of this work is an immediately actionable plan to move the opportunity towards implementation and readiness for pilot launch. 

Business Readiness

3-8 months

Once validated, a period of preparation for launch is required. Pilot Lite’s team takes on accountability for a pilot launch of the opportunity, leveraging our capabilities and methodologies to accelerate and de-risk the opportunity in market. Our team addresses all the core work streams highlighted in Validation, firming up critical planned pathways, raw materials, supply, co-manufacture, sales, logistics and regulatory activities. We initiate and close all contracts in preparation for a green light to launch. 

At the end of this stage, the opportunity is ready for an initial pilot launch in market to maximize learning prior to a full scale launch.

Test & Learn to Launch

3-24 months

Pilot Lite deployment teams take new ventures into market to actively stress test all aspects of launch, including consumer response, supply chain performance and technology robustness. We directly managing all aspects in preparation for a scaled up effort. 

This step de-risks the opportunity and accelerates subsequent scale up into the selected target markets. 

Pre-Scale Launch

6 months 

In preparation for mass scale, where our corporate clients leverage their proven muscle to build businesses, Pilot Lite tests all partners' ability to cope with supply chain and geographic expansion. Upon completion of pre-scale, brands and corporates can seamlessly reintegrate the deployed technology or products back into their systems (EAPs, SAPs, etc).

Case studies

Case Study:

Eliminating On-Premise Single-Use Glass Bottles

A global alcohol beverage company engaged Pilot Lite to manage the implementation of ecoSPIRITS™, a low-carbon, low-waste distribution technology for the on-premise consumption of its premium spirits.

Eliminating On-Premise Single-Use Glass Bottles
Case Study:

From Unproven Tech into UK's #1 Snack Brand

Pilot Lite successfully commercialized a stranded corporate technology, creating a category-busting, award-winning crisp with the lowest fat and salt content in the market.

From Unproven Tech into UK's #1 Snack Brand
Case Study:

The world's first truly recyclable paper bottle

Pilot Lite and Diageo collaborated to establish Pulpex, a sustainable packaging technology company that has developed a patented, first-of-its-kind, single-mould paper bottle that is being adopted for use by its global CPG partners.

The world's first truly recyclable paper bottle

Read more

News

Pilot Lite Sponsors Future Food-Tech London

Pilot Lite Sponsors Future Food-Tech London

2 October 2024

Pilot Lite sponsored the Future Food-Tech event in London 2-3 October. The summit, which attracts hundreds of executives from global food & beverage corporates, focused on scaling solutions in health, nutrition, and alternative proteins, an area of expertise for Pilot Lite.

Pilot Lite Expands in US

Pilot Lite Expands in US

7 August 2024

We are thrilled to announce the expansion of our executive team at Pilot Lite USA’s office. Joel Nelson, Pete Dulcamara, and Nigel Hughes are powerhouses in the CPG industry who have worked for world-leading companies in innovation, R&D, sustainability, and executive management. They join PL USA CEO Dave Behringer to help US companies quickly deploy strategy and innovation into the marketplace.

 

Pilot Lite Expands Across LATAM

Pilot Lite Expands Across LATAM

1 July 2024

We are thrilled to announce the expansion of our senior management team in the Latin American office. 

Pilot Lite USA CEO Speaks at FFT CHI

Pilot Lite USA CEO Speaks at FFT CHI

16 June 2024

Pilot Lite USA CEO Dave Behringer took the stage with an esteemed panel of CPG executives at Future Food Tech Chicago in June.

Read more

About Us

The Pilot Lite team comprises 30 core professionals who combine proven best-of-class corporate, consultancy, and entrepreneurial expertise and a broad pool of over 100 technology, geocentric, financial, and commercial management professionals and subject matter experts worldwide. Our leadership team selects professionals from within this associate network based on the required skill sets and geographic location of the project. These 'boots on the ground' set PIlot Lite apart from other service offerings and are key to the success of our clients' ventures. 

Pilot Lite's leadership offers critical skill sets and experience in investment management, business planning, and brand transformation across a wide spectrum of industries. We engage with and challenge our customers’ organizations, which gives us unrivaled access, insight, and relationships.

 

Meet the team

Mike Anstey

Mike Anstey
CEO & Founder

Pier Massa

Pier Massa
COO & Regional Head EU

Dave Behringer

Dave Behringer
CEO PL USA

Pete Dulcamara

Pete Dulcamara
Executive Partner

Anthony Wells

Anthony Wells
Executive Partner

Joel Nelson

Joel Nelson
Executive Partner

Nigel Hughes

Nigel Hughes
Executive Partner

HENRY GOMEZ

HENRY GOMEZ
COO LATAM

Chris Thomas

Chris Thomas
Venture Manager Finance

Toby Matthewson

Toby Matthewson
Venture Director

Louise Wymer

Louise Wymer
Venture Lead EU

Mary Henderson

Mary Henderson
Global Communications Manager

Aba Sagoe

Aba Sagoe
Venture Manager

Sadiq Edu

Sadiq Edu
Africa Advisor

Mike Swain

Mike Swain
Subject Matter Expert, Packaging and Sustainability UK

Lora Spizzirri

Lora Spizzirri
Venture Manager

Geraldene Dobson

Geraldene Dobson
Financial Lead

Pablo Rivero

Pablo Rivero
Venture Lead, LATAM

Susan Bodett

Susan Bodett
Venture Lead USA

Patrick Muthoka

Patrick Muthoka
Venture Lead Africa

Muyiwa Oke

Muyiwa Oke
Venture Lead Africa

Min Zhou

Min Zhou
China Advisor

Michael Norton

Michael Norton
Venture Lead USA

Leslie Maclin

Leslie Maclin
Venture Lead USA

Jacqueline Patchen

Jacqueline Patchen
Venture Lead USA

Daniella Felgueres

Daniella Felgueres
Venture Support LATAM, EU

Daniel Lauri

Daniel Lauri
Venture Lead USA, LATAM

Daniel Johnsen

Daniel Johnsen
Venture Lead USA

Daniel Clarke

Daniel Clarke
Executive Partner

Clara Casaretto

Clara Casaretto
Venture Support LATAM

Andrea Guani

Andrea Guani
Venture Lead LATAM

Adrian Mutton

Adrian Mutton
India Advisor

Contact

If you would like to find out more about Pilot Lite or what we can do for your business, then call or email us and let's start a conversation.

 UK +44 20 3393 6490
 US +1 720 805 3095

info@pilotlite.com

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