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Insectius is a biotechnology company based in Sant Iscle de Vallalta, Spain, breeding mealworms for sustainable protein flour for animal feed and human food. It utilizes AI, automation, and a circular production model to optimize farming, reducing resource use and labor in the agri-food sector. The company has secured $1.1M in total funding, including a €200k investment in November 2023, holding a $1.7M valuation and $513k annual revenue. With under 10 employees, key figures include CEO Raul Reyes Caballero, Javier Martínez Lizarraga, Guillermo Vicente (Head of R&D), and Marcos Aguayo (CTO). Founded in 2022, Insectius showcased its AI and robotization at 4YFN, Mobile World Congress in 2024. Its business model centers on produces and sells mealworm-based protein ingredients like flour, funded through investment rounds.
Insectius has raised $1.2M across 2 funding rounds.
Insectius has raised $1.2M in total across 2 funding rounds.
Insectius has raised $1.2M across 2 funding rounds. Most recently, it raised $1.0M Seed in November 2024.
| Date | Round | Lead Investors | Other Investors | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Nov 1, 2024 | $1M Seed | — | Premoney, Radicle Ventures | Announced |
| Oct 1, 2023 | $210K Seed | — | Premoney, Radicle Ventures | Announced |
Insectius is a Barcelona-based agtech startup revolutionizing sustainable protein production through AI-optimized insect farming, primarily using Black Soldier Fly (BSF) and mealworms (Tenebrio molitor).[1][2][3] The company produces high-protein products like insect meal (defatted flour for pet food, aquaculture, and poultry), dehydrated larvae, BSF neonates/eggs, and organic fertilizer (frass), while offering farm management software, mobile apps, AI for health monitoring/anomaly detection, and automation robotics to enable efficient, scalable insect farms.[1][2] Serving aquaculture, pet food, poultry, and agriculture sectors, Insectius solves key challenges in sustainable nutrition by converting food waste into hypoallergenic, eco-friendly protein alternatives that require minimal space/water and generate little waste, all within a circular economy model.[1][2][3][6] With $1.06M-$1.1M in seed funding (including a €200K round), the company demonstrates strong early momentum and investor validation from backers like GVC Gaesco Group.[1][3][4][5]
Insectius emerged from the vision of co-founders Eric Diez and CEO Raul Reyes Caballero, tech entrepreneurs with deep expertise in technology and sustainability, who identified the potential of insect farming to address global protein shortages.[1][3] The idea took shape as a "biotech farm" in Sant Iscle de Vallalta, Spain, where they began raising mealworms—the first insect approved for human consumption in Europe in 2021—following a circular model that repurposes all insect byproducts.[3][4] Early traction came from developing proprietary AI software and robots that slashed tray processing time from 6 minutes to 40 seconds and improved pest detection, earning high marks at TecnoCampus' Investment Day in 2023, which secured €200K to expand processing capabilities like freezing and drying for flour production.[3][4] This pivot to BSF alongside mealworms, backed by further funding up to $1.1M in November 2024, solidified their founder-market fit in AI-driven agtech.[1][5]
Insectius stands out in the insect protein space through its tech-forward approach:
Insectius rides the sustainable protein wave amid rising demand for alternatives to resource-intensive animal agriculture, fueled by climate pressures, EU approvals for insect consumption, and growth in pet/aquaculture markets.[1][2][3] Timing is ideal post-2021 mealworm authorization and accelerating agtech investments, with market forces like food waste valorization (via BSF bioconversion) and AI/biotech convergence favoring scalable solutions.[1][5][6] By democratizing insect farming tech, Insectius influences the ecosystem, enabling global adoption of circular ag models, boosting biotech nutrition advances, and supporting biodiversity through low-water, waste-minimizing production—positioning it as a leader in the $8B+ alt-protein sector.[1][2]
Insectius is primed for hypergrowth, leveraging its $1.1M war chest to scale AI platforms and expand BSF/mealworm output amid surging demand for green proteins.[1][5] Trends like AI-ag integration, regulatory tailwinds for insects, and corporate sustainability mandates will propel it, potentially capturing share in pet food (hypoallergenic edge) and fertilizers while partnering for large-scale farms.[2][3] Influence may evolve from niche innovator to ecosystem enabler, with international expansion and deeper biotech R&D—watch for Series A and production milestones that could 10x impact in the fight for food security. This tech-powered farm exemplifies how AI meets sustainability to feed tomorrow.[1][2]
Insectius has raised $1.2M in total across 2 funding rounds.
Insectius's investors include Premoney, Radicle Ventures.
