A local startup, Insectika Biotech Pvt Ltd, has received substantial investment backing from an Israeli serial entrepreneur to advance the commercialization of its groundbreaking product: the cultivation of insect larvae from household waste, intended for use as feed in the poultry and fish industries.
This startup has pioneered India’s first auto-climatized and decentralized insect farming bioreactor, revolutionizing the upcycling of municipal bio-waste and streamlining insect farming with cost-effectiveness. Leveraging innovative technology, it cultivates insect larvae within food or kitchen waste.
The bioreactor-based technology boasts impressive efficiency, enabling economically viable mass production of insect larvae for both the natural feed and biofuel sectors, as well as producing insect frass for the organic fertilizer industry.
Arun Kumar Das, Founder and CEO of Insectika, explained that this innovation facilitates the upcycling of municipal waste while simultaneously bolstering natural feed resources for poultry, fish, shrimp, and pig farming. “This is a waste-to-value concept. We take wet waste and cultivate insect larvae by utilizing this waste. Once the larvae reach a size of half a centimeter, they are rich in protein (40 percent) and fat (20 percent), making them ideal as feed. We have already commenced larva production and aim to produce 100 tonnes of feed per week,” he emphasized.
The innovative technology has captured the attention of Israeli investor Benjamin Elad Rubin, the Co-Founder and CEO of Giggd, a disruptive freelancer accounting solution. Rubin has committed to invest INR 100 crore to scale up production.
Rubin recently held discussions with Housing and Urban Development Minister Usha Devi and officials from the Bhubaneswar Municipal Corporation (BMC), which has agreed to supply wet waste for the venture. Rubin stated, “Typically, insects thrive on refuse, while chickens and fish relish insects, and humans savor fish and poultry. Our collaboration with Insectika will enhance the natural process and enable industrial-scale insect farming using technology.”
In addition to larvae production, the startup has plans to manufacture insect frass, a second-generation organic fertilizer that will contribute to soil enrichment and enhance natural farming practices, leading to increased productivity. Das remarked, “The bioreactor technology can be replicated worldwide and significantly enhance biowaste management, food security, and employment opportunities. As part of our project, we will engage youth in collecting household waste for the bioreactor.”
To streamline operations and reduce transportation costs, the company intends to decentralize the process by establishing bioreactors near daily vegetable markets. This approach aims to address a significant portion of the expenses incurred by the BMC, which accounts for approximately 70 percent of waste disposal costs. Bioreactors, covering an area of 170 sq ft, will process the waste and yield larvae. Das added that approximately 40 tonnes of fish feed can be generated daily from the waste collected in Bhubaneswar.
