Insectum

What Insectum does

Insectum (UAB 'Insectum') is a private Lithuanian biotechnology company founded in 2015 and headquartered in Vilnius that develops black soldier fly (Hermetia illucens) larvae rearing technology to convert plant-origin biodegradable waste — including bakery, beverage, and wood-processing residues — into protein ingredients and organic fertilizer. The company sells three core product lines via its own e-commerce storefront with DPD delivery across Lithuania: frozen larvae (€2.42/kg), dried larvae (€6.05/kg), and larval flour (~60% protein, €4.84/kg), targeted at aquaculture feed, poultry feed, and pet food (hypoallergenic dog food base). Its stated technical differentiation is a proprietary, self-sustainable rearing process engineered to operate efficiently in cold climates — a positioning aimed at temperate Northern European markets where conventional insect farming is harder.

The company operates a hybrid GTM combining product-led D2C e-commerce (bottom-of-funnel) with direct B2B sales to aquaculture and poultry operators. Commercial revenue mechanics are not disclosed, and no headcount, ARR, or prior funding rounds are recorded in the source data. The single material disclosed capital event is a 2026-03-04 partnership with Ghanaian waste manager JSO Waste and Danish investor Michael Bundgaard Holding ApS to commit EUR 2.5 million (USD 2.9 million) toward an insect-protein facility in Accra, Ghana — Insectum's first commercial-scale facility and framed as a regional hub for West Africa, with planned capacity of approximately 8,000 tons of organic waste processed annually.

Strategically, Insectum has invested in scientific validation rather than rapid commercialisation: it has built collaborations with the Lithuanian Genetics Laboratory, the Life Sciences Centre, and universities including Kaunas University of Technology (KTU), producing published work on antimicrobial and anti-inflammatory properties of BSF fat and larvae, and on microbial safety and antibiotic-resistance gene dynamics. It won the 2018 MITA 'Idea for Lithuania' competition and operates a corporate-waste sourcing channel (coffee grounds at the K29 building with KPMG and NASDAQ offices). Ownership appears founder-controlled with no disclosed venture-capital or private-equity backing.

Name

Insectum

Legal name

UAB "Insectum"

Website

https://insectum.eu

Company type

Private

Founded year

2015

Operating status

Operating

Short description

Insectum is a Lithuanian private company that rears black soldier fly larvae to convert plant-origin food and beverage waste into protein ingredients (frozen/dried larvae and larval flour) sold via domestic e-commerce and direct B2B channels to aquaculture, poultry, and pet-food customers.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Insect Protein Production

NAICS

Dried and Dehydrated Food Manufacturing (311423)

SIC

Wholesale-Farm Product Raw Materials (5150)

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

• Insect protein production
• Black soldier fly farming
• Animal feed ingredients
• Organic waste valorization
• Sustainable aquaculture feed

Headquarters

HQ city

Vilnius

HQ country

Lithuania

HQ region

Europe

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Hardware or Manufacturing

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Insect Product Sales: Direct sales of black soldier fly larvae products including frozen larvae, dried larvae, and larval flour for use in aquaculture feed, poultry feed, and pet food applications.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels2 records

Marketing channels3 records

Core offering

Insectum rears Black Soldier Fly (Hermetia illucens) larvae on plant-based biodegradable waste to produce three core insect protein products: frozen larvae, dried larvae, and larval flour (approximately 60% protein). The company also operates a waste collection service that accepts plant biodegradable waste from food producers, bakeries, and beverage companies, processing it into sustainable insect-based feed ingredients for aquaculture, poultry, and pet food applications.

Product overview

Insectum operates as a Lithuanian startup that processes plant biodegradable waste into sustainable black soldier fly (Hermetia illucens) insect products. The company offers three core product lines: Frozen larvae, Dried larvae, and Larval flour. These products serve as protein-rich feed ingredients for aquaculture, poultry, and companion animals, functioning as circular economy solutions that return food waste to the food chain.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Frozen larvae

Named customers3 records

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed Yes

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature1 record

Partnerships

Six partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• JSO Waste (Ghana)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 4 March 2026Ghanaian waste management company partnering with Insectum to establish an insect-based waste-to-protein facility in Accra, Ghana. This represents Insectum's first commercial facility and the first of its kind in Africa.
• Michael Bundgaard Holding ApS (Denmark)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 4 March 2026Danish holding company co-investing EUR 2.5 million in the Ghana waste-to-protein facility partnership, participating in the commercial expansion into Africa.
• Insectum ApS (Denmark)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerDanish subsidiary/entity of the Insectum group involved in the international expansion partnership for the Ghana facility.
• Genetikos laboratorija (Genetics Laboratory)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerLithuanian research institution collaborating with Insectum on scientific research regarding Black Soldier Fly larvae, including microbial safety and antibiotic resistance gene dynamics.
• Gyvybės mokslų centras (Life Sciences Centre)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerLithuanian academic research institution partnering with Insectum on scientific studies related to Black Soldier Fly larvae.
• Educational Institutions (Lithuanian universities)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerVarious Lithuanian educational institutions collaborating with Insectum JSC on studies regarding the antimicrobial properties of Black Soldier Fly (Hermetia illucens) fat, including KTU (Kaunas University of Technology).

Scale indicators2 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Protix: Netherlands-based pioneer in BSF protein for animal feed and pet food, operating one of the largest insect facilities in Europe. Closely comparable to Insectum on species (Hermetia illucens) and feed-grade protein output, with established industrial-scale capability.
• InnovaFeed: French insect protein producer farming BSF larvae at industrial scale for aquafeed, pet food, and fertilizer, with major partnerships with aquaculture majors. Directly comparable to Insectum on species, end-markets, and circular-economy thesis, though at substantially larger scale.
• AgriProtein: South Africa-headquartered insect protein company using BSF (and other species) to convert organic waste into feed ingredients for aquaculture, poultry, and pet food. Comparable to Insectum in waste-to-protein model and emerging-market geographic thesis, though operating at larger scale.
• Entocycle: UK-based BSF rearing technology company supplying modular insect farming units and protein ingredients for animal feed. Comparable to Insectum on species (Hermetia illucens), technology-led approach, and focus on small/mid-scale modular deployment rather than single mega-plants.
• Nutrition Technologies: Singapore/Malaysia-based BSF producer making protein meal, oil, and frass for aquaculture and pet food. Comparable to Insectum on species, tropical rearing, and Southeast-Asia/Asia geographic focus, providing a regional reference point for waste-to-protein economics.
• Ÿnsect: Former French leader in insect protein farming mealworm-based products for feed and food. Comparable BSF/insect farming sector player; relevant for the species-adjacent insect-rearing IP and scale dynamics that frame Insectum's competitive landscape, despite different target species.

Emerging players

• Loop Worm: India/US-based emerging BSF company producing protein, oil, and frass for animal feed and aquaculture from organic waste. Relevant emerging peer for Insectum's waste-to-protein thesis and tropical/temperate rearing model, with comparable sub-industrial scale.
• Bioflytek: Spanish BSF producer focused on converting organic waste into protein for animal feed and pet food. Comparable emerging peer for Insectum on species, Mediterranean/Iberian rearing conditions, and small-scale-to-mid-scale production profile.

Regional players

• Hermetia BioTech: Germany-based BSF production company serving the German and Central European feed and pet food markets with insect protein and frass. Comparable to Insectum on species and European temperate-climate rearing focus, but with a regional (DACH) rather than Baltic/West-African geographic emphasis.

Others

• Bühler Group: Swiss industrial equipment provider that supplies turnkey insect-rearing processing lines (drying, defatting, fractionation) used by Ÿnsect, Protix, and others. Adjacent enabling rather than competing peer, but critically shapes the cost structure and scaling options available to Insectum's facilities.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat3 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/insectum.eu

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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 Insectum