1x Premier League (Man Utd); Ballon d'Or 2001

Public, reputable-press reporting that could be located confirms Michael Owen as a backer of Sportlobster, a sports-focused social media app. GrowthBusiness reported that Sportlobster is being backed by Michael Owen (the former footballer) alongside other investor names such as Mark Webber, and described Owen as a long‑term, strategic backer who will use his industry contacts to support the business. That article frames Sportlobster as a consumer-facing, niche social platform intended to give sports fans a place to interact with athletes and teams. Outside the Sportlobster coverage, contemporaneous searches of major business press (Bloomberg, Reuters, Financial Times) and other reputable outlets did not surface clear, attributable reporting that Owen has an established public thesis investing in climate tech or alternative‑protein companies. The most readily verifiable press coverage available to this review focuses on his role in consumer/sports media start‑ups rather than on climate or food‑tech sectors; therefore claims that he “backs early‑stage climate and alt‑protein startups” are not supported by the accessible reputable press found here. In terms of stage and geography, the Sportlobster investment was reported as an early‑stage consumer technology stake, which indicates at least some participation in seed/early rounds for UK/European digital consumer startups. That single confirmed deal suggests a pattern of early‑stage, founder/consumer‑market investments in the UK market, but this is an inference drawn from one documented example rather than a documented, multi‑deal public portfolio or written investment thesis. If you need a firm, evidence‑based thesis that Michael Owen “backs early‑stage climate and alt‑protein startups, mainly in Europe,” further verification will be necessary: a survey of company filings, angel‑investment announcements, family‑office press releases, or aggregated investor profiles (Crunchbase/Beauhurst/Dealroom) that list multiple climate or alt‑protein investments attributable to him. Based on the reputable press found in this review, the only confirmed public investment is Sportlobster, and broader claims about climate or alt‑protein focus are not substantiated by the sources located.