Ÿnsect: Vertically farming insects for more sustainable protein
Founded in 2011, #Ÿnsect has been transforming #farmed #insects into premium #animal feed. The #startup is developing #innovations to farm insects at a large #scale and #automating #processes to turn insects into the highest quality raw materials.
Currently, the main market for Ÿnsect is the commercial fish farms market, and they look to supply high #protein feed to poultry and pig farmers after #regulatory approval. There are many insect species available to farm on a large scale. However, the company chooses to focus on farming the ‘#mealworm’ due to its high #protein content.
Ÿnsect uses a #vertical farming which reduces the space needed. The company has over 40 #technology #patents, and since 2011, it has raised almost $400m, making it the most highly #funded upstream #agritech #startup outside the US. The management board of Ÿnsect consists of Antoine Hubert, Benjamin Armenjon, Francoise Lesage, Alain Revah, Alain Davadant, Philippe Pichol and Frédéric Julien.
Enabled by deep tech, the entire #production process, from feeding to controlling our insects' health and welfare, and from the sensors used for quality control to #harvesting mature insects, is #automated. The 260 patents covering their technology, the products themselves and their different applications give Ÿnsect the world’s most extensive #insect patent portfolio.