BugsLife

What BugsLife does

BugsLife srl is an Italian B2B ingredient supplier founded in 2019/2020 in Bevagna, Umbria, that mass-rears Black Soldier Fly (Hermetia illucens) larvae on agricultural byproducts (including olive pomace, brewer's yeast, and draff) to produce insect protein flour, live and dried larvae, insect oil, and organic compost for the animal-feed market. The company's core technology is a proprietary, semi-automated bioconversion system that integrates with the on-site biogas plant operated by its partner Società Agricola Iraci Borgia, enabling heat recovery and circular-economy byproduct valorization. The finished insect flour exceeds 60% protein with a balanced essential amino acid profile and is positioned as a hypoallergenic, premium alternative to conventional meat meal for pet food manufacturers, with smaller-volume applications in poultry and reptile/amphibian nutrition.

The company monetizes through direct sales of insect-derived ingredients to pet food manufacturers (and to a lesser extent poultry farmers and terrarists), sales of insect oil to feed, pharmaceutical and petrochemical buyers, and sale of nitrogen-rich compost. A second revenue stream is technology licensing, in which BugsLife packages its bioconversion know-how and Industry 4.0 engineering for other biogas plant operators in Italy. Go-to-market is B2B direct sales supported by content-driven and sustainability-focused marketing on its bilingual (Italian/English) website and hashtag campaigns; pricing is not publicly disclosed. The company has raised approximately €552,000 in equity from SICI sgr (October 2023) and received SMARTUP 2021 grant funding under POR FESR 2014-2020, and operates with a team of 1-10 employees.

Name

BugsLife

Legal name

BugsLife srl

Website

https://bugslife.it

Company type

Private

Founded year

2020

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

BugsLife srl is an Italian B2B supplier that mass-produces insect protein flour from Black Soldier Fly larvae for pet food manufacturers, with additional larvae, oil, and compost byproducts and bioconversion technology licensing for biogas plant operators.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Insect Protein Ingredients

NAICS

Apiculture (112910)

SIC

Agricultural Prod-Livestock & Animal Specialties (200)

akta.pro primary industry

Insect Farming (Crickets, Mealworms, Black Soldier Fly) (AFAEAIAI)

akta.pro secondary industries

Insect-Based Protein Foods Manufacturing (AFAKAGAJ), Insect Protein Ingredients (Cricket, Black Soldier Fly, Mealworm) (AFAJAHAG)

Keywords

• Insect protein flour
• Pet food ingredients
• Sustainable animal feed
• Black soldier fly
• Bioconversion technology

Headquarters

HQ city

Bevagna

HQ country

Italy

HQ region

Europe

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Hardware or Manufacturing

Cost components

Operations, Supply Chain, Technology or R&D, Infrastructure, Personnel, Marketing or Sales

Revenue model

1. Insect Protein Flour Sales: Production and sale of insect protein flour derived from Black Soldier Fly larvae for the pet food market. The flour contains over 60% protein with balanced essential amino acids and is positioned as a premium sustainable ingredient for pet food manufacturers.
2. Live and Dried Larvae Products: Sale of live Black Soldier Fly larvae for poultry feeding and dried larvae for reptile and amphibian nutrition. Products contain high mineral content (calcium, phosphorus), vitamins, and up to 20% fatty acids including lauric acid as prebiotic.
3. Insect Oil: High-purity insect oil extracted during flour production, containing 50% lauric acid with prebiotic properties. Sold for animal feed supplementation, pharmaceutical, and petrochemical industry applications.
4. Compost and Organic Fertilizer: Organic residue from bioconversion process sold as nitrogen-rich compost/fertilizer for agricultural applications or as input for biogas plants.
5. Technology Licensing and Solutions Packages: BugsLife offers complete packages of bioconversion technologies for other biogas plant operators, combining proprietary methodologies with engineering 4.0 machinery for semi-automated large-scale production.

Distribution channels2 records

Marketing channels4 records

Core offering

BugsLife srl operates an industrial-scale bioconversion process using Black Soldier Fly (Hermetia illucens) larvae to convert agricultural byproducts such as olive pomace, brewer's yeast, and draff into insect protein ingredients. The company produces and sells insect protein flour (over 60% protein), live larvae, dried larvae, insect oil, and organic compost, primarily to pet food manufacturers in Italy. It also licenses complete bioconversion technology packages integrated with biogas plant infrastructure to other operators.

Product overview

BugsLife is an innovative Italian startup that develops proprietary bioconversion technologies for mass-rearing Black Soldier Fly larvae to produce sustainable protein products. The company offers a portfolio of insect-derived ingredients for the pet food market, including protein flour (>60% protein content), live larvae for poultry, and dried larvae for reptiles. The bioconversion process also yields valuable byproducts including organic compost fertilizer and high-purity insect oil with prebiotic properties. The technology package enables industrial-scale production integrated with biogas plants, converting agro-industrial byproducts (such as olive pomace and brewer's yeast) into high-value protein products through circular economy principles.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Quantifiable outcome

• Greenhouse gas emissions reduced to 0.01 kg CO2 equivalent per 1kg protein produced (vs 2.8kg for beef, 1.1kg for pork)
• +5 more outcomes

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature5 records

Partnerships

One partnership is on record.

• Società Agricola Iraci BorgiacoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerBugsLife shares its headquarters with Società Agricola Iraci Borgia, an established family-owned farm known for top efficiency in biogas production from recycling of agricultural byproducts. This partnership enables integration of BugsLife's bioconversion technology with biogas plant infrastructure for heat recovery and byproduct utilization.

Scale indicators5 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Ÿnsect: French industrial producer of insect protein (meal and oil) from Black Soldier Fly larvae for pet food, aquafeed, and human nutrition. Closest direct competitor by species, technology, and end-market focus.
• Protix: Dutch pioneer in Black Soldier Fly-based protein ingredients for animal feed and pet food. Direct comparable by BSF species, bioconversion technology, and B2B ingredient model.
• Innovafeed: French insect protein producer focused on BSF larvae for aquaculture, pet food, and plant nutrition, with industrial co-location partnerships. Compares on species, circular-economy approach, and B2B ingredient positioning.
• Bioflytech: Spanish Black Soldier Fly insect protein producer supplying feed and pet food markets. Direct peer by technology, species, and downstream ingredient focus, with similar Mediterranean footprint.
• AgriProtein (Insect Technology Group): Originally South African, now restructured insect protein producer using Black Soldier Fly to convert organic waste into feed protein. Directly comparable on species and bioconversion-of-byproducts business model.

Emerging players

• Entofood: Malaysian-based BSF protein producer with feed and pet food applications. Comparable species and bioconversion technology, focused on Asia-Pacific but expanding globally.
• Hexafly: Irish insect technology company developing BSF-based protein for animal feed. Comparable technology and circular-economy model, smaller scale and earlier stage than BugsLife.
• Better Insect Solutions: European BSF protein producer focused on feed and pet food ingredients. Direct overlap in protein flour products and target customer segments.
• Entocycle: UK-based BSF technology company developing automated insect farming systems for feed applications. Comparable on species and bioconversion focus, with a more automation/IP-led positioning.

Regional players

• Hi.Protein (by Innovatek): European insect protein producer serving feed markets. Comparable product line (BSF-derived protein meals) with emphasis on European feed industry customers.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights5 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/profile.php

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles1 record

Funding overview

Funding rounds1 record

Investors1 record

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about BugsLife