SB Meets… Paolo Dalla Mora, Liquid Ventures

Why It Matters

By building brands rather than merely funding ideas, Liquid Ventures can rapidly scale differentiated low‑alcohol products, meeting a shifting consumer demand and reshaping the drinks market.

Key Takeaways

• Liquid Ventures is Europe’s first venture builder for no‑ and low‑alcohol brands
• Focus on building companies, not just incubating ideas, with operational support
• Targets white‑space categories like fermented, functional, and premium Alpine drinks
• Positions no/low drinks as consumer choice, not sacrifice, for Millennials/Gen Z
• Uses AI for trend analysis and Liquid Insight Lab for data‑driven decisions

Pulse Analysis

The launch of Liquid Ventures marks a pivotal shift in how the no‑ and low‑alcohol market is being cultivated across Europe. While incubators typically provide mentorship and seed funding, a venture builder takes the concept a step further by assembling the full operating stack—product development, branding, supply chain, and go‑to‑market strategy—before the company ever reaches a consumer. This hands‑on approach reduces the risk of “spray‑and‑pray” investments and aligns capital with proven execution capabilities. In a category that grew double‑digit percentages in 2025, such a model offers investors a clearer path to scalable returns.

Consumer dynamics are the engine behind this strategic focus. Millennials and Gen Z are not abandoning social drinking; they are redefining the ritual by demanding agency over what they ingest. Brands that frame low‑alcohol options as a sacrifice lose relevance, whereas those that position them as a curated, lifestyle choice resonate strongly. Liquid Ventures identified significant white‑space beyond the crowded non‑alcoholic spirits and ready‑to‑drink segments, targeting fermented beverages, functional drinks, and premium Alpine offerings where trade expertise is scarce. By pairing wellness‑savvy insights with deep trade knowledge, the firm aims to capture unmet demand.

Data and speed are the new competitive moats. The company’s Liquid Insight Lab functions as an internal intelligence hub, continuously mapping consumer sentiment, cultural trends, and category gaps across key markets. Coupled with AI‑driven trend analysis, this infrastructure compresses the decision‑making cycle from months to weeks, allowing brands to launch while the market signal is still fresh. Moreover, the lab’s insights will be packaged as a service for retail and HoReCa partners, creating an additional revenue stream. As the low‑alcohol sector matures, Liquid Ventures’ blend of operational rigor, consumer‑centric branding, and real‑time analytics positions it to shape the next wave of drinking culture.