Proteen

What Proteen does

Proteen, operating as Marula Limited, is an East African agricultural biotechnology company founded in 2017 in Kampala, Uganda, by co-founders Tommie and Philipp. The company uses Black Soldier Fly (BSF) bioconversion technology to convert urban organic waste streams into organo-mineral fertilisers through a 26-day production cycle. Its feedstock supply chain is anchored by a waste-to-value partnership with the Kampala City Authority (KCCA), which provides urban organic waste as bioconversion input at near-zero acquisition cost.

The company offers a three-product portfolio under the ProNova brand, formulated in partnership with a German mineral fertiliser company (since 2023): ProNova Power Grow (NPK 8:3:7+Mg+SA, organic-mineral blend, UGX 82,000 per 50kg bag), ProNova Organic Boost (NPK 2-2-4+2S+1.3Mg, 100% organic certified, UGX 70,000), and ProTilizer (Insect Frass + Trichoderma, UGX 49,000). Field trials report 10x yield improvement (2.32 kg/tree vs 0.22 kg/tree with conventional inputs on coffee), 100% positive crop response, and 30-65% cost advantage versus imported fertilisers.

Proteen generates revenue through one-time transactional fertiliser sales to smallholder farmers, cooperatives, commercial estates, and agro-dealer distributors across Uganda, Rwanda, and Kenya. Distribution combines direct WhatsApp ordering, bulk commercial orders (10+ tonnes at UGX 1,560,000 per tonne), and channel partnerships with cooperatives and agro-dealer networks. The company serves 10,200+ farmers, employs 34+ team members across three countries, and operates production hubs in Kampala (Uganda) and Nzove (Rwanda), with Kenya operations launched in 2025. The company is founder-owned, with only $15,000 in disclosed equity funding from The 97 Fund in 2020, indicating a bootstrapped, revenue-funded growth model.

Name

Proteen

Legal name

Marula Limited

Website

https://marulaagribusiness.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2017

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Proteen (Marula Limited) converts urban organic waste into organo-mineral fertilisers using Black Soldier Fly bioconversion, serving smallholder farmers, cooperatives, and commercial estates across Uganda, Rwanda, and Kenya through its ProNova and ProTilizer product lines.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Organic Fertilisers

NAICS

Fertilizer and Compost Manufacturing (32531)

SIC

Agricultural Chemicals (2870)

akta.pro primary industry

OMRI-Listed Crop Protection (Botanical & Mineral Pesticides) (AFABAKAA)

akta.pro secondary industry

Pest Control Product Supply (Fumigants, Traps, Lures, Applicator Equipment) (AFAOAIAN)

Keywords

• Organic fertiliser production
• Black Soldier Fly bioconversion
• Organo-mineral fertilisers
• Agricultural waste management
• Smallholder farm inputs

Headquarters

HQ city

Kampala

HQ country

Uganda

HQ region

Africa

Offices3 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Hardware or Manufacturing

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Fertiliser Product Sales: One-time transaction sales of ProNova fertiliser products (Power Grow, Organic Boost, ProTilizer) to farmers, cooperatives, estates, and commercial distributors. Products sold in 50kg bags or bulk tonnes. Revenue generated from product sales with pricing based on product tier and order volume.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels2 records

Core offering

Proteen (Marula Limited) manufactures and sells organo-mineral fertilisers produced through Black Soldier Fly (BSF) bioconversion of urban organic waste. Its ProNova product line includes ProNova Power Grow (NPK 8:3:7+Mg+SA), ProNova Organic Boost (NPK 2-2-4+2S+1.3Mg, certified organic), and ProTilizer (insect frass with Trichoderma), sold in 50kg bags and 10+ tonne bulk orders to farmers, cooperatives, estates, and agro-dealers across Uganda, Rwanda, and Kenya.

Product overview

Proteen (Marula Limited) offers a unified product line of organo-mineral fertilisers under the ProNova brand, consisting of three distinct products: ProNova Power Grow (NPK 8:3:7+Mg +SA organic-mineral blend), ProNova Organic Boost (NPK 2-2-4+2S +1.3Mg 100% organic formulation), and ProTilizer (Insect Frass+ Trichoderma). These products are designed for different needs and budgets, ranging from premium organic soil restoration to high-yield performance blends, all manufactured locally in East Africa using Black Soldier Fly bioconversion technology.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• ProNova: ProNova organo-mineral fertiliser product line combining organic soil health with fast-acting mineral nutrients. Includes ProNova Power Grow (NPK 8:3:7+Mg+SA), ProNova Organic Boost (NPK 2-2-4+2S+1.3Mg), and ProTilizer (Insect Frass+Trichoderma).
• ProTilizer

Products and services

• ProNova Power Grow NPK 8:3:7+Mg+SA high-nitrogen organo-mineral blended fertiliser combining organic matter with German mineral fertilisers for vigorous crop growth, improved nutrient efficiency, and healthier soils; sold in 50kg bags and bulk to farmers, cooperatives, and estates in East Africa.
• ProNova Organic Boost NPK 2-2-4+2S+1.3Mg 100% organic certified soil input that restores degraded soils, improves water retention, organic matter, and microbial health; sold in 50kg bags and bulk to farmers, cooperatives, and estates.
• ProTilizer Insect Frass + Trichoderma organic fertiliser produced from BSF bioconversion; the most affordable option in the line, delivering 2.32 kg/tree yield in field trials versus 0.22 kg/tree with conventional inputs (10x improvement), sold in 50kg bags and bulk across East Africa.

Quantifiable outcome

• 10× yield improvement - 2.32 kg/tree with ProTilizer vs 0.22 kg/tree with conventional inputs
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers3 records

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed Yes

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature2 records

Partnerships

Four partnerships are on record, tiered core.

• Kampala City Authority (KCCA)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerWaste-to-value supply chain partnership. KCCA provides organic waste streams sourced from Kampala city for use as feedstock in the Black Soldier Fly bioconversion process, turning urban waste into agricultural inputs.
• German Mineral Fertiliser CompanycoreTechnology or IntegrationWorld-class mineral enrichment partnership for German mineral fertilisers. Ensures consistent product quality and nutrient profiles in ProNova product formulations. Partnership launched in 2023.
• Agricultural Research InstitutionscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerFormulations developed and validated through partnerships with leading agricultural research institutions. Independent field trials conducted to validate product efficacy.
• Cooperatives & Agro-dealer NetworkscoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorDistribution partnerships with established cooperatives and agro-dealer networks across East Africa to reach farmers directly.

Scale indicators7 records

Recent moves5 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• Protix: Dutch BSF bioconversion pioneer producing insect protein and frass at industrial scale. Closest analogue to Proteen's waste-to-fertiliser model; both use BSF larvae to convert organic waste into high-value outputs.
• Nutrition Technologies: Malaysia/Singapore-based BSF producer generating both protein meal and Hi·Ferm organic fertiliser (frass). The most direct peer in dual protein + fertiliser output and tropical-climate BSF farming.
• InnovaFeed: French insect protein company co-locating BSF production with industrial waste sources (e.g., via partnerships with major agri-businesses). Comparable vertically integrated waste-to-value architecture and downstream fertiliser co-product.
• Ÿnsect: France-based BSF pioneer (now operating under restructuring) producing mealworm and BSF ingredients for feed, with related frass co-products. Relevant as a globally-scaled insect-protein platform peer with comparable technology stacks.
• AgriProtein (Insect Technology Group): South Africa-founded BSF pioneer (now part of Insect Technology Group) producing MagMeal protein and MagFrass organic fertiliser. The closest African geographic peer and a model for waste-to-insect-product at scale in emerging markets.
• NextProtein: France-headquartered BSF producer with a flagship facility in Tunisia, converting organic waste into insect protein for aquaculture feed. Direct peer in tropical/sub-tropical emerging-market bioconversion.

Regional players

• Sanergy: Kenya-based waste-to-value social enterprise converting urban organic waste into animal feed and agricultural inputs. Regional peer with overlapping East African urban waste partnership model and smallholder farmer customer base.

Broad incumbents

• Yara International: Global mineral fertiliser leader with established distribution in East Africa. Comparable as the incumbent organic/mineral fertiliser category competitor that ProNova is priced against and that Proteen's pricing is benchmarked against (30-65% below imports).

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/PROteen_africa
• Facebookfacebook.com/Proteen

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles2 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds2 records

Investors2 records

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 Proteen