This agriculture technology company specializes in the scalable breeding of mealworms to produce insect meal, insect oil, chitosan, and fertilizers. By utilizing sustainable insect farming methods, the company provides a nutritious protein source that addresses the growing demand for alternative food sources in diets.
Funding
$26.1M raised to dateRaised to date based on public sources. This may differ from the amount the company actually raised and is based only on what is publicly available on the internet.
Founders
Product
Problem
The increasing global demand for protein necessitates exploring sustainable and cost-effective alternatives to traditional sources like soy and fishmeal, which have significant environmental impacts. Current food processing methods often result in substantial byproducts that are discarded instead of being repurposed into valuable resources.
Solution
Alpha-Protein addresses these challenges by pioneering the industrial-scale breeding of mealworms, transforming food processing byproducts into high-value products. Utilizing a circular economy approach, the company upcycles these byproducts as feed for mealworms, which are then processed into insect meal, insect oil, and chitin/chitosan. This closed-loop system not only reduces waste but also creates a sustainable source of protein, healthy fats, and versatile biopolymers. Alpha-Protein also offers production licenses, enabling others to adopt their innovative and scalable insect farming methods.
Target Audience
The primary target audience includes animal feed manufacturers, food producers seeking alternative protein sources, and agricultural businesses interested in organic fertilizers.
Features
- Automated and modular production facilities for cost-efficient mealworm breeding
- Upcycling of food processing byproducts into high-quality mealworm feed
- Production of insect meal with a protein content of 60%, containing all essential amino acids
- Extraction of insect oil rich in unsaturated fatty acids, Omega-3, and Omega-6
- Extraction of chitin/chitosan from insect exoskeletons for use in packaging, food, and medicine
- Production of organic fertilizer from mealworm excrement, promoting plant growth and soil health
- Licensing model providing access to proprietary technologies for automated and scaled mealworm production