Flybox®
UK agri-tech company converting organic waste into insect protein and organic fertiliser using Black Soldier Fly bioconversion technology, serving waste management companies, food manufacturers, and agricultural operations globally with modular systems from pilot to 500 TPD industrial scale.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded2021
- HeadquartersLondon, United Kingdom
- Headcount11–50
- GTM typeB2B
- OfferingHardware or Manufacturing
What Flybox® does
Flybox® is a UK-based agri-tech company founded in 2020 that develops Black Soldier Fly (BSF) bioconversion technology to convert organic waste — including food waste, agricultural byproducts, manure, and processing sludge — into protein-rich insect biomass and organic frass fertiliser. The company offers a portfolio of five engineered systems spanning containerized Pilot Insect Farms (1-5 tonnes/day) for R&D validation through to industrial Fortress systems (5-500 tonnes/day), plus BSF Breeding & Nursery solutions, Entomology Lab Equipment for research institutions, and a Low-Tech BSF Farm (Smart Poly Package) as the lowest-CAPEX entry point for emerging markets. Operations span the UK, Europe, seven African countries, the Middle East, and Asia.
The technology platform centres on proprietary metabolic heat recirculation that channels heat generated by maturing larvae upward to warm younger larvae and dry final output, eliminating external drying energy and reducing operational costs. Fortress claims an average insect protein production cost of $1,600/tonne with a documented path to under £1,500/tonne — the industry's viability benchmark. All systems integrate IoT monitoring for remote temperature, humidity, CO2, and production metrics, enabling Flybox to support customer sites globally. The company's leadership team combines 10+ years of hands-on insect farming, HVAC, automation, and waste management experience, with operations managed from London (HQ) and Nairobi (African operations base).
Flybox operates a multi-revenue model comprising one-time system sales (equipment licenses), recurring gate fees for waste processing, ongoing protein and frass fertiliser sales, fee-based consulting, and neonate/juvenile larvae supply through a Hub and Spoke breeding model. Primary customer segments are waste management companies, food manufacturers and processors, and agricultural operations, with secondary segments including existing insect farm operators and specialist breeding companies. Named engagements include Kiambu County Government, Nottingham Trent University, ICIPE, Pharm2Farm, and Stepney City Farm. To date the company has executed 21+ commercial projects across four continents and reported 25,000 tonnes of waste diverted in Global South deployments, targeting 300,000 tonnes/year of customer installed waste processing capacity by 2030.
Flybox® firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Flybox®
- Legal name
- Flybox Ltd.
- Website
- https://flybox.bio
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 2021
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 11–50 employees
- Short description
- UK agri-tech company converting organic waste into insect protein and organic fertiliser using Black Soldier Fly bioconversion technology, serving waste management companies, food manufacturers, and agricultural operations globally with modular systems from pilot to 500 TPD industrial scale.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Flybox® industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Insect Farming Technology / Agri-tech Systems
- NAICS
- Farm Machinery and Equipment Manufacturing (333111), Agricultural Implement Manufacturing (33311), Fertilizer and Compost Manufacturing (32531)
- SIC
- Farm Machinery & Equipment (3523), Agricultural Services (700)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Insect Farming (Crickets, Mealworms, Black Soldier Fly) (AFAEAIAI)
Keywords
Where Flybox® is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- London
- HQ country
- United Kingdom
- HQ region
- Europe
Offices3 records
Markets served
Flybox® business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B
- Offering type
- Hardware or Manufacturing
- Cost components
- Technology or R&D, Personnel, Operations, Supply Chain, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure
Revenue model
- Technology System Sales: Sale of Flybox insect farming technology systems including Fortress (industrial), Pilot Farm, Low-Tech BSF Farm, Breeding & Nursery, and Entomology Lab Equipment. Customers purchase complete systems with full deployment support.
- Gate Fees / Waste Processing: Waste management companies pay gate fees to process organic waste through Flybox systems. The Fortress processes organic waste at industrial scale producing dried insect protein and organic fertiliser as outputs.
- Protein Sales: Sale of dried insect protein (BSF meal) produced from organic waste bioconversion. Sold to animal feed manufacturers, aquaculture operators, and poultry feed producers.
- Frass Fertiliser Sales: Sale of BSF frass (organic fertiliser by-product) to agricultural operations. Frass commands premium pricing over synthetic alternatives with strong agronomic credentials.
- Expert Guidance & Consulting: Fee-based consulting services for low-tech BSF farm projects including business plan development, feedstock validation, system design, and build support. Customers pay for expert guidance rather than purchasing full systems.
- Neonate/Seedling Supply: Supply of juvenile BSF larvae (neonates) to operators through the Hub and Spoke breeding model. Breeding specialists can co-locate on waste management sites.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| One time/ perpetual license | Multi-year contract | Fortress Industrial System (5-500 TPD) |
| One time/ perpetual license | Multi-year contract | Pilot Insect Farm (1-5 TPD) |
| Unit Pricing | Multi-year contract | Low-Tech BSF Farm (1-5 TPD) |
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | $1,600/T Average Insect Protein Production Cost |
Go-to-market motion3 records
Distribution channels1 record
Marketing channels8 records
Flybox® product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Flybox® designs, manufactures, and deploys modular Black Soldier Fly (BSF) bioconversion systems that convert organic waste streams (food waste, agricultural byproducts, manure, processing sludge) into two sellable outputs: protein-rich insect biomass and organic frass fertiliser. The portfolio spans industrial-scale Fortress plants (5–500 TPD) down to containerised pilot farms (1–5 TPD), low-tech polytunnel farms for emerging markets, BSF breeding and nursery modules, and entomology lab equipment, all supported by IoT monitoring and ongoing operational partnership.
Product overview
Flybox® is a technology company offering a portfolio of five distinct Insect Waste Management (IWM) systems engineered for commercial viability across all scales—from containerized pilot farms for R&D validation to the industrial-scale Fortress factory system processing up to 500 tonnes per day. The product line includes BSF Breeding & Nursery solutions for controlled reproduction, Entomology Lab Equipment for research institutions, and the Low-Tech BSF Farm (Smart Poly Package) as the lowest-CAPEX entry point for emerging markets. All systems convert organic waste into insect protein and organic fertilizer (frass) using black soldier fly larvae bioconversion, supported by IoT monitoring software, operational training, and ongoing partnership services.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- Fortress Insect Factory System
Quantifiable outcome
- Manure volume reduction up to 70% with BSF processing
- +6 more outcomes
Companies that use Flybox®
Customer profileNamed customers6 records
Segments5 records
Ideal customer profiles5 records
Flybox® technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed Yes
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Feature6 records
Flybox® partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Eight partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.
- University of SharjahcorePartnership announced as part of UAE FoodTech Challenge win. Flybox plans to establish R&D centre in partnership with University of Sharjah for regional research and development.
- Nottingham Trent UniversitycoreNovel Proteins Grant collaboration to lower cost of production through biofortification of underutilised waste substrates and improving growth rates.
- NESTLER Consortiumcore14-partner EU consortium developing technologies and systems for sustainable agriculture and food security. Flybox part of consortium working on BSF applications including frass fertiliser, aquaculture feed, and livestock diets.
- Undaunted Accelerator (Grantham Institute, Imperial College London)minorGrantham Institute's accelerator programme (formerly Greenhouse Accelerator) supporting early-stage climate and sustainability ventures. Flybox joined as cohort member.
- Grantham Institute (Imperial College London)minorClimate and sustainability institute at Imperial College London. Partnership through Undaunted Accelerator and research collaborations.
- KenInvestminorKenya Investment Authority supporting foreign direct investment in Kenya. Partner for African operations and market development.
- Hub71minorAbu Dhabi-based global technology hub supporting startups. Partner providing ecosystem access in UAE and Gulf region following FoodTech Challenge win.
- ICIPE (International Centre of Insect Physiology and Ecology)coreAfrican research institute focused on insect physiology and ecology. Partner for BSF research and African operations with on-the-ground expertise.
Scale indicators12 records
Recent moves6 records
Expansion highlights6 records
Flybox® competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- Ÿnsect: France-based insect protein company (mealworm focused) with industrial-scale ambitions in petfood, aquafeed and fertilizer. Comparable to Flybox on insect protein economics, vertical integration, and EU customer base, though species and feedstock profile differ.
- Protix: Dutch BSF insect protein company operating industrial-scale facilities and supplying aquafeed and petfood markets. Comparable to Flybox on bioconversion technology, modular facility design, and waste-to-protein value proposition; differentiated by deeper vertical integration and EU customer footprint.
- InnovaFeed: French vertically-integrated BSF producer building large insect protein plants with partners like Cargill and ADM. Directly comparable to Flybox on feedstock (organic waste), output (BSF protein and frass), and target end markets (aquafeed, petfood, fertilizer), but at materially greater scale and capital.
- AgriProtein: Pioneering South African / UK BSF company using organic waste to produce insect meal for animal feed and frass fertilizer. Closely comparable to Flybox on core bioconversion technology, target outputs, and African geographic exposure; historically faced industry headwinds that affected sector sentiment.
- Entocycle: UK-based BSF technology and insect protein producer with modular farming systems. Direct UK competitor to Flybox on insect bioconversion equipment and protein output for feed markets.
- Bioflytech: Spanish BSF producer with industrial-scale insect protein and frass operations targeting animal feed and petfood. Comparable to Flybox on BSF bioconversion, modular facility design, and European waste management customer base.
- Nutrition Technologies: Malaysia-based BSF producer operating in tropical Southeast Asia with a focus on low-cost insect protein and frass for animal feed and agriculture. Comparable to Flybox on tropical climate deployment, low-CAPEX system design, and dual protein/frass revenue model.
Broad incumbents
- Darling Ingredients: US-listed global leader in rendering animal byproducts into sustainable proteins and fats for feed, petfood and biofuel. Competes with Flybox in the alternative protein feed value chain, with established global offtake relationships but a non-insect feedstock base.
- Cargill: Global agribusiness and animal nutrition major with strategic investments in insect protein (notably a partnership with InnovaFeed). Relevant to Flybox as a potential offtake partner, competitor in protein feed sourcing, and benchmark for global scale.
Others
- Big Dutchman: Global supplier of livestock and poultry housing, feeding and climate-control equipment. Comparable to Flybox on engineering-led equipment sales into the agricultural sector; differentiated by species focus and absence of insect bioconversion IP.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat4 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
Flybox® social profiles
Digital presenceFlybox® financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Flybox® leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles6 records
Flybox® funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds6 records
Investors5 records
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Flybox® 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 Flybox®
What does Flybox® do?
Flybox® designs, manufactures, and deploys modular Black Soldier Fly (BSF) bioconversion systems that convert organic waste streams (food waste, agricultural byproducts, manure, processing sludge) into two sellable outputs: protein-rich insect biomass and organic frass fertiliser. The portfolio spans industrial-scale Fortress plants (5–500 TPD) down to containerised pilot farms (1–5 TPD), low-tech polytunnel farms for emerging markets, BSF breeding and nursery modules, and entomology lab equipment, all supported by IoT monitoring and ongoing operational partnership.
Is Flybox® a public or private company?
Flybox® is a private company. It is classified as venture growth investor backed and is currently operating.
When was Flybox® founded?
Flybox® was founded in 2021. It employs 11 to 50 people.
Where is Flybox® based?
Flybox® is headquartered in London, United Kingdom, in the Europe region.
How does Flybox® make money?
Six revenue lines are on record. Technology System Sales are the primary driver. The others are gate Fees / Waste Processing, protein Sales, frass Fertiliser Sales, expert Guidance & Consulting and neonate/Seedling Supply.
Who are Flybox®'s main competitors?
Direct peers on record are Ÿnsect, Protix, InnovaFeed, AgriProtein, Entocycle, Bioflytech and Nutrition Technologies. Broad incumbents are Darling Ingredients and Cargill. Big Dutchman is listed as an others.
Does Flybox® have an API?
No public API is recorded for Flybox®.
What industry is Flybox® in?
Flybox®'s product category is Insect Farming Technology / Agri-tech Systems. Its primary akta.pro industry code is AFAEAIAI, Insect Farming (Crickets, Mealworms, Black Soldier Fly). Its NAICS code is 333111 and its SIC code is 3523.