CEIF (Center for Environmental Sustainability through Insect Farming)

What CEIF (Center for Environmental Sustainability through Insect Farming) does

The Center for Insect Biomanufacturing and Innovation (CIBI), formerly the Center for Environmental Sustainability through Insect Farming (CEIF), is an NSF-funded Industry-University Cooperative Research Center (IUCRC) that conducts pre-competitive foundational research to advance insect agriculture. Established in July 2021 under NSF Award Nos. 2052454, 2052565, and 2052788, the consortium operates across three university sites — Texas A&M AgriLife (lead), Mississippi State University, and Indiana University-Purdue University Indianapolis (IUPUI) — with headquarters at 2475 TAMU, College Station, Texas. CIBI rebranded in 2025 to reflect a broader biomanufacturing mandate beyond environmental sustainability.

The center's research is organized into three thrusts: (1) Production Optimization & Feed Trials, focusing on insect farming conditions and feed formulations; (2) Insect Genetics & Genomics, characterizing genetic diversity in black soldier flies, crickets, and mealworms; and (3) Microbiology & Quality Assurance, studying insect microbiomes, food safety, and frass-based biofertilizers using metatranscriptomics and gene sequencing. Supporting infrastructure includes a Digital Library and monthly Seminar Series (recordings published via the CEIF Recordings YouTube channel), biannual Industry Advisory Board meetings held at varying U.S. and international venues, and peer-reviewed publications.

CIBI monetizes via two recurring revenue streams: NSF IUCRC grants (Phase I funding of $300K awarded 2021-07, plus a $500K Research Experience and Mentoring grant awarded 2022-03) and Industry Advisory Board membership fees. IAB members — currently 34+ U.S. and global industry partners including Tyson Foods, ADM, Mars, Hill's Pet Nutrition, Ynsect, Innovafeed, Protix, Entosystem, Fluker Farms, and Chapul Farms — receive access to over $450K in annual research, royalty-free IP licensing rights, a talent pipeline from the three-university consortium, and direct influence over research priorities. The center serves insect producers, feed companies, waste management firms, food and beverage companies, and academic researchers.

Name

CEIF (Center for Environmental Sustainability through Insect Farming)

Legal name

Center for Insect Biomanufacturing and Innovation

Website

https://insectcenter.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

2021

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

CIBI (formerly CEIF) is an NSF-funded Industry-University Cooperative Research Center conducting pre-competitive insect agriculture research across three university sites, serving 34+ IAB member companies in feed, food, pet nutrition, and waste management sectors.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Headquarters

HQ city

College Station

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices3 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Technology or R&D, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Others

Revenue model

1. NSF IUCRC Funding: The center receives Phase I funding through the NSF Industry-University Cooperative Research Centers program. Additional NSF grants include the Research Experience and Mentoring (REM) program grant.
2. Industry Advisory Board Membership Fees: Industry members pay to join the Industry Advisory Board, gaining access to over $450K in annual research, IP licensing rights with no royalty fees, and ability to shape research direction. The center works with 34 U.S. and global industry partners.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

CIBI/CEIF is a nonprofit research consortium that conducts pre-competitive, foundational research on insect agriculture for industry members. It sells Industry Advisory Board memberships that provide access to over $450K in annual research, royalty-free IP licensing rights, and the ability to propose and shape research direction. Research is organized into three thrusts: Production Optimization & Feed Trials, Insect Genetics & Genomics, and Microbiology & Quality Assurance.

Product overview

CIBI (formerly CEIF) is a research consortium, not a product company. It operates as a platform of research services comprising three main research thrusts (Production Optimization & Feed Trials, Insect Genetics & Genomics, and Microbiology & Quality Assurance), a Digital Library & Seminar Series, and published research outputs. The center connects industry members with academic researchers to conduct pre-competitive research supporting the insect agriculture sector.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Industry Advisory Board Membership Annual membership providing industry companies access to over $450K in pre-competitive insect agriculture research, royalty-free IP licensing rights, and the ability to propose and shape research priorities across the consortium.
• CIBI Digital Library & Seminar Series A searchable database of insect research publications and monthly seminar presentations from researchers and guest lecturers, with recordings available to members.
• Production Optimization & Feed Trials Research One of three CIBI research thrusts, focused on optimizing insect production processes and conducting feed trials to improve yield, nutrition, and substrate utilization for mass-rearing operations.
• Insect Genetics & Genomics Research One of three CIBI research thrusts, focused on characterizing genetic diversity in black soldier flies, crickets, and mealworms, and validating gene predictions to support breeding and strain improvement.
• Microbiology & Quality Assurance Research One of three CIBI research thrusts, focused on insect gut microbiomes, food safety, virome surveillance, and quality standards for insect-based products at mass-production scale.

Quantifiable outcome

• BSF production generates ~0.017 kg CO₂-eq per kg protein vs. 57–500 kg CO₂-eq per kg protein for traditional livestock
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers6 records

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature4 records

Partnerships

Ten partnerships are on record, tiered core and major.

• Tyson FoodscoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 20 October 2023Tyson Foods (CEIF industry member) invested in Protix and is working alongside them to build a U.S. factory. The facility will use animal waste to feed black soldier flies, turned into food for pets, poultry, and fish. Dr. Christine Picard noted the insect ingredients market is growing at 'exponential speed.'
• ProtixcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 20 October 2023Netherlands-based insect ingredients maker partnered with Tyson Foods (both CEIF members) to scale up insect protein production. CEO Kees Arts stated partnerships are needed to bring solutions onto a global stage. Building a U.S. factory for black soldier fly-based ingredients.
• ADMmajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerMajor food processor partnered with Innovafeed (both CEIF members) to advance insect ingredients. ADM is one of the titans of the food industry investing in insect agriculture.
• InnovafeedmajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerInsect agriculture company partnered with ADM. CEO Maye Walvren stated: 'We really want to be able to drive down carbon emissions in food chains and replace ingredients that put pressure on natural resources, and the way to do that is through scale.' CEIF member focused on reducing carbon footprint.
• Chapul FarmscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCEIF member developing black soldier fly infrastructure projects and promoting frass use as fertilizer. CEO Pat Crowley: 'Insect agriculture is a fantastic example of circular systems. They can be optimized for waste management, protein production, or as a tool for healthier soil productivity.' Raised $2.5M in seed funding with Nexus PMG partnership.
• Hill's Pet NutritioncoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCEIF member championing sustainable ingredients. Profile in FeedNavigator highlighted dedication to incorporating sustainable and traceable ingredients (Marine Stewardship Council certified Alaska Pollock and black soldier fly protein) in Hill's Science Diet Sensitive Stomach and Skin pet foods. Support of CEIF emphasizes quality supply chains and research.
• MarsmajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerListed as a member organization in the CIBI/CEIF industry consortium (shown in member logos).
• YnsectmajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerListed as a member organization in the CIBI/CEIF industry consortium. Co-founder Antoine Hubert stated insect farms are working together 'to reduce the carbon footprint' versus competing with each other.
• EntosystemcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCEIF member. Christopher Warburton, Chief Science Officer at Entosystem, serves as CIBI Industry Advisory Board Chair.
• Fluker Farms/Soldier Fly TechnologiescoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCEIF member. Erik Neff, Chief Science Officer at Fluker Farms/Soldier Fly Technologies, serves as CIBI Industry Advisory Board Co-Chair.

Scale indicators5 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• AgriProtein: South Africa-headquartered BSF producer using organic waste to make feed protein and frass fertilizer. Comparable in species focus, waste-to-value proposition, and dual product (protein + fertilizer) output.
• Chapul Farms: U.S.-based BSF producer developing infrastructure projects and frass-derived fertilizer; CEIF member that received a $3.9M USDA Fertilizer Production Expansion Program award. Directly comparable as a CEIF member with a U.S. operational footprint.
• Innovafeed: French black soldier fly protein producer for aquaculture and pet feed, with a strategic partnership with ADM. As a leading CEIF industry member operating in the same insect species (BSF) and same end markets, it is the most directly comparable peer.
• Protix: Netherlands-based black soldier fly ingredients producer partnered with Tyson Foods to build a U.S. factory. CEIF member; directly comparable in BSF production technology and downstream feed applications.
• Ynsect: French insect agriculture company focused on mealworm protein for food and feed; CEIF member. Comparable in commercial insect farming, end-market focus, and engagement with CIBI's pre-competitive research agenda.
• Entosystem: Canadian black soldier fly producer for animal feed and fertilizer. CEIF member whose CSO (Christopher Warburton) chairs the Industry Advisory Board, making it one of the most operationally aligned peers.

Emerging players

• Beta Bugs: UK-based insect genetics company focused on black soldier fly breeding programs. Comparable as an emerging player in the upstream genetics layer that CIBI researches, but smaller and pre-commercial scale.
• Nutrition Technologies: Malaysia-based BSF producer for animal feed and biofertilizer with operations across Southeast Asia. Comparable in dual protein/fertilizer output but primarily a regional player in Asia rather than a direct U.S. competitor.
• Fluker Farms / Soldier Fly Technologies: U.S. live insect producer (crickets, mealworms, BSF) historically focused on pet food; CEIF member with IAB Co-Chair representation. Comparable as a CEIF-aligned BSF player but smaller commercial scale than Ynsect or Innovafeed.

Others

• Wageningen University & Research (Insect Research Group): Premier Dutch agricultural research institution with a globally influential insect farming and entomophagy research program. Comparable as a research-driven organization advancing insect agriculture science, but an academic institution rather than a commercial peer.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/@ceifrecordings
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/insectcenter

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles6 records

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 CEIF (Center for Environmental Sustainability through Insect Farming)