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BugBox
Providing a fully automated and scalable mass-rearing technology for food-grade edible insects
- Foodtech, SDG&Impact
- Seed
Location
Tallinn, Estonia
Revenue size
EUR 10,000 - 99,999
Year founded
2015
Funding raised
EUR 1 million
Founders
Erlind Sild
Most relevant investors
N/A
Team size
1-9
Problem
The demand for protein is increasing rapidly, but traditional animal farming practices are unsustainable and contribute to environmental degradation and climate change. Recently, there has been a growing interest in edible insects as they are a more sustainable source of protein than livestock produced in pastureland. Insect farming is a thriving industry and there is an opportunity to incorporate it into urban agriculture. However, the traditional methods of insect farming are not scalable.
SOLUTION
BugBox has developed a rearing technology that enables scalable mass-production of edible insects. The company has developed the “rearing reactor (a box containing insects)” with sensors and AI-based software that fully automate and regulate the rearing process. Various types of data are collected across insect farms and used to finesse the rearing process to increase efficiency and predictability. As a result, the production is over 200x more productive, and over 10x more affordable than the existing model. Their technology is standardized and controlled by their own AI-powered software which has been built in-house and takes into account the knowledge gained over the years about insect breeding and its various capabilities.
KEY CUSTOMERS AND INTERNATIONAL PRESENCE
BugBox has already established an international presence, with operating research labs in Uganda and Finland, and agreements with international partners, Nutrinsect from Italy and InsectBiomatrix from Portugal.
Team
BugBox is operated by a highly competent team with a diverse set of expertise. Erlend, the founder and CEO holds 25 years of successful international entrepreneurship experience within the fields of shipping, logistics, marketing, and sales. Heikki, the co-founder, is a highly recognized biologist and an emeritus professor, who has dedicated 40 years to science and entomology, with 155 publications, supervising 26 Ph.D. students and more than 100 MBA students in the meantime. Finally, there is Andrus, with more than 20 years of experience as a software analyst with an extensive background in leadership and business development.
Unique selling point
BugBox’s unique scalable technology allows them to produce high-quality ecological and sustainable food-grade protein powder in large quantities as an alternative to existing animal protein. Their software is self-learning and uses AI to make better suggestions and decisions, that are based on historical data, that is gathered from all of our farms. That is the key differentiator and helps their clients to become the most efficient insect breeders in the world.
Asia Connection
BugBox considers Japan as an ideal base for distributing their technology to other Asian markets. Insect farming presents a huge potential for Japan to maximize the yield from scarce agricultural land. Moreover, the country’s abundant geothermal resources is a prime source of heat for rearing reactors to further reduce operational costs. BugBox is looking for distribution partners, clients, and funding.
