nextProtein
nextProtein is a Paris-headquartered industrial biotech company that uses Black Soldier Fly larvae bioconversion of organic waste to produce insect-based protein powder, lipid, and fertilizer for B2B sale into aquaculture, livestock, and pet feed markets, with production based in Tunisia.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded2015
- HeadquartersParis, France
- Headcount51–100
- GTM typeB2B
- OfferingHardware or Manufacturing
What nextProtein does
nextProtein is an industrial biotechnology company founded in 2015 and headquartered in Paris that produces insect-based protein for animal feed through Black Soldier Fly (BSF) larvae bioconversion. The company's core process breeds BSF larvae on fruit and vegetable organic waste sourced from markets, converting what would otherwise be discarded food into three commercial products: nextProtein, a dry protein powder for aquaculture, pet food, and animal feed; nextOil, a lipid product for aquaculture and animal feed; and nextGrow, a natural fertilizer derived from BSF frass for agricultural use. Production is concentrated in Grombalia, Tunisia, where the company operates an existing 2,500m² facility and is constructing a second, larger facility targeting 12,000 tons of insect-based ingredients annually.
The business model is B2B sales-led, with the company selling ingredients directly to animal feed manufacturers, aquaculture operations, livestock farms, and pet food producers. Pricing is quote-based by volume, with a publicly stated target of €1,000–€1,200 per metric ton for protein — positioning nextProtein at a discount to traditional fishmeal. Revenue is not publicly disclosed; based on a stated current production target of 1 tonne of protein per day, annual revenue at full utilization would be in the low hundreds of thousands of euros from protein alone, with incremental contribution from nextOil and nextGrow. As of the November 2025 Series B, the company has raised approximately $33 million cumulatively across a 2017 seed round (€1.3M), a 2020 round (~$11.2M), and a 2025 Series B ($20.7M) led by SWEN Capital's Blue Ocean Fund and British International Investment.
nextProtein's regulatory position is anchored by EU approval (effective July 2017) to sell insect protein into aquaculture feed, with the company actively pursuing expanded approval for poultry and pork applications. The technology's primary claimed advantages are dramatic land efficiency (output equivalent to 100 hectares of soy from 100m²), lower water and energy use versus traditional protein sources, and a circular-economy feedstock model. Founders Mohamed Gastli (CEO) and Syrine Chaalala (COO) remain operationally involved, with board representation from early investor Cyril Grislain.
nextProtein firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- nextProtein
- Legal name
- nextProtein SA
- Website
- https://nextprotein.co
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 2015
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 51–100 employees
- Short description
- nextProtein is a Paris-headquartered industrial biotech company that uses Black Soldier Fly larvae bioconversion of organic waste to produce insect-based protein powder, lipid, and fertilizer for B2B sale into aquaculture, livestock, and pet feed markets, with production based in Tunisia.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
nextProtein industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Insect-based Animal Feed Ingredients
- NAICS
- Animal Food Manufacturing (3111)
- SIC
- Agricultural Prod-Livestock & Animal Specialties (200)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Insect Farming (Crickets, Mealworms, Black Soldier Fly) (AFAEAIAI)
- akta.pro secondary industry
- Insect Protein Ingredients (Cricket, Black Soldier Fly, Mealworm) (AFAJAHAG)
Keywords
Where nextProtein is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Paris
- HQ country
- France
- HQ region
- Europe
Offices3 records
Markets served
nextProtein business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B
- Offering type
- Hardware or Manufacturing
- Cost components
- Supply Chain, Operations, Personnel, Technology or R&D, Infrastructure, Marketing or Sales
Revenue model
- Insect-based Protein Products: Sale of insect-based protein ingredients (nextProtein dry protein powder, nextOil lipid product) to animal feed manufacturers for aquaculture, livestock, and pet food applications. Revenue generated from product sales to B2B customers in the animal feed industry.
- Organic Fertilizer: Sale of nextGrow, a natural fertilizer made from Black Soldier Fly frass and organic waste for agricultural use.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | B2B animal feed ingredient pricing for aquaculture, livestock, and pet food manufacturers |
Go-to-market motion1 record
Distribution channels1 record
Marketing channels6 records
nextProtein product offering
Product offeringCore offering
nextProtein produces insect-based protein ingredients for animal feed by rearing Black Soldier Fly larvae on fruit and vegetable organic waste through an industrial bioconversion process. The company sells three products to B2B buyers: nextProtein (dry protein powder for aquaculture, pet food, and animal feed), nextOil (lipid for aquaculture and animal feed), and nextGrow (natural fertilizer for agriculture from Black Soldier Fly frass). Production is operated from a 2,500 m² facility in Grombalia, Tunisia, with a new 12,000-ton-capacity facility planned following the November 2025 Series B.
Product overview
nextProtein is an insect-based protein producer offering three core products derived from Black Soldier Fly larvae: nextProtein (a dry protein powder for aquaculture, pet food, and animal feed), nextOil (a lipid product for aquaculture and animal feed), and nextGrow (a natural fertilizer for agriculture). The company converts organic waste into sustainable protein ingredients through bioconversion, with production facilities in Tunisia and operations managed from Paris.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Brands
- nextProtein: Dry protein powder used as feed ingredient for aquaculture, pet food and other animal feed
- nextOil
- nextGrow
Products and services
- nextProtein A dry protein powder produced from Black Soldier Fly larvae, used as a feed ingredient for aquaculture, pet food, and other animal feed applications. Sold B2B to feed manufacturers.
- nextOil A lipid product extracted from Black Soldier Fly larvae, used as a feed ingredient for aquaculture and other animal feed. Sold B2B to feed manufacturers.
- nextGrow A natural fertilizer made from Black Soldier Fly frass and organic waste, intended for use in agriculture as an alternative to synthetic fertilizers.
Quantifiable outcome
- Can produce as much protein from 100m² as 100 hectares of soya field
- +4 more outcomes
Companies that use nextProtein
Customer profileSegments4 records
Ideal customer profiles4 records
nextProtein technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Feature3 records
nextProtein partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Six partnerships are on record, tiered supporting.
- Climate-KICsupportingEuropean Institute of Innovation and Technology program supporting climate innovation. nextProtein was an Accelerator participant, gaining access to mentorship, resources, and sustainability-focused innovation network.
- IncuballiancesupportingFrench business incubator that supported nextProtein during its early growth phase in the Paris-Orsay region.
- Scientipole IDFsupportingIDF (Ile-de-France) innovation and entrepreneurship support organization that provided incubation and support services.
- Réseau Entreprendre TunisiasupportingEntrepreneurship support network in Tunisia that supports the company's Tunisian operations and production facility.
- SupBiotechsupportingParis-based engineering school specializing in biotechnology that provides talent pipeline and potential research collaboration opportunities.
- IPIFF (International Platform for Insects for Food and Feed)supportingIndustry association representing the insect protein industry at European level, advocating for regulatory approvals and industry standards.
Scale indicators5 records
Recent moves7 records
Expansion highlights6 records
nextProtein competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- Ÿnsect: French insect protein producer using mealworm (Tenebrio molitor) for animal feed and pet food; one of the most capitalized players in the European insect protein space with a flagship Amiens facility. Directly comparable business model and target customers as nextProtein.
- InnovaFeed: French insect protein producer using Black Soldier Fly larvae for aquafeed (notably a partnership with Cargill/Aqua Nutrition). Operates a major facility in Nesle, France, making it the closest direct competitor to nextProtein in technology and end markets.
- Protix: Dutch insect protein company using Black Soldier Fly to produce protein, oil, and fertilizer for animal feed and pet food. Comparable bioconversion technology and European market focus, with significant industrial scale already established.
- AgriProtein: South African insect protein pioneer using Black Soldier Fly larvae to convert organic waste into feed protein. Operates in a different geography but uses an identical core technology and targets the same aquaculture/livestock feed markets as nextProtein.
Emerging players
- Entocycle: UK-based Black Soldier Fly insect protein producer focused on animal feed applications. Smaller and earlier-stage than nextProtein but uses the same BSF bioconversion technology and targets overlapping feed industry customers.
- Bioflytech: Spanish insect protein producer using BSF larvae for animal feed ingredients including aquafeed and pet food. Regional European competitor with similar technology stack and target end markets as nextProtein.
Regional players
- Entofood: Malaysian Black Soldier Fly insect protein producer serving Asian aquaculture and animal feed markets. Uses the same core BSF bioconversion technology as nextProtein but operates in a different geography, providing a useful regional benchmark.
Broad incumbents
- Skretting (Nutreco): World-leading aquafeed producer and a subsidiary of Nutreco. A potential offtake customer for nextProtein, but also a strategic competitor as it partners with insect protein companies (notably InnovaFeed) and could vertically integrate. Represents the broader incumbent aquafeed value chain.
- Cargill Aqua Nutrition: Global aquafeed division of Cargill and one of the largest buyers of alternative protein ingredients including insect protein. A potential major offtake customer for nextProtein but also has invested in competing insect protein partnerships, making it a critical counterpart for the industry.
- Darling Ingredients: Global rendering and sustainable ingredient producer (including for animal feed) and majority owner of Diamond Pet Foods. A broad incumbent in alternative proteins that competes at the supply level with insect protein producers like nextProtein in feed and pet food markets.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat5 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights6 records
Customer concentration
nextProtein social profiles
Digital presencenextProtein compliance and trust
Trust signalCompliance1 record
nextProtein financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
nextProtein leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles2 records
nextProtein funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds7 records
Investors16 records
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
nextProtein M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about nextProtein
What does nextProtein do?
nextProtein produces insect-based protein ingredients for animal feed by rearing Black Soldier Fly larvae on fruit and vegetable organic waste through an industrial bioconversion process. The company sells three products to B2B buyers: nextProtein (dry protein powder for aquaculture, pet food, and animal feed), nextOil (lipid for aquaculture and animal feed), and nextGrow (natural fertilizer for agriculture from Black Soldier Fly frass). Production is operated from a 2,500 m² facility in Grombalia, Tunisia, with a new 12,000-ton-capacity facility planned following the November 2025 Series B.
Is nextProtein a public or private company?
nextProtein is a private company. It is classified as venture growth investor backed and is currently operating.
When was nextProtein founded?
nextProtein was founded in 2015. It employs 51 to 100 people.
Where is nextProtein based?
nextProtein is headquartered in Paris, France, in the Europe region.
How does nextProtein make money?
Two revenue lines are on record. Insect-based Protein Products are the primary driver. The others are organic Fertilizer.
Who are nextProtein's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are Ÿnsect, InnovaFeed, Protix and AgriProtein. Emerging players are Entocycle and Bioflytech. Entofood is listed as a regional player. Broad incumbents are Skretting (Nutreco), Cargill Aqua Nutrition and Darling Ingredients.
Does nextProtein have an API?
No public API is recorded for nextProtein.
What industry is nextProtein in?
nextProtein's product category is Insect-based Animal Feed Ingredients. Its primary akta.pro industry code is AFAEAIAI, Insect Farming (Crickets, Mealworms, Black Soldier Fly), with a secondary code of AFAJAHAG, Insect Protein Ingredients (Cricket, Black Soldier Fly, Mealworm). Its NAICS code is 3111 and its SIC code is 200.