Feedectis a startup that provides high quality nutrients with minimum environmental impact. We are experts in the breeding and processing of insects. From these insects they obtain alternative and sustainable food and feed ingredients. The company, whos name proceed from the combination of two words that define our mission: Feeding with insects, was founded by Juan Cañamero, Bruno Fasce, Olallo Villoldo and Julio Just. Them all, engineers pr health professionals with complementary skills, are the ones in charge of this project.
His commitment to changing the world through small projects and his ability to attract investment has led him to become part of the EIT Climate-KIC accelerator. This is a knowledge and innovation community promoted by the European Institute of Innovation and Technology (EIT) with a programme focused on boosting initiatives to combat climate change. It currently operates in 24 countries with 28 offices across Europe, including the continent’s main capitals, such as Brussels, London, Paris and Berlin. José Luis Muñoz heads the Spanish office.
On the one side, Juan is the Chief Production Officer, he’s in charge of the production process control and improvement. Bruno is the Chief Technical Officer, the lab guy. He’s always measuring the biological process of the insects and trying t improve their behavior. Meanwhile, Olallo is the Chief Strategy Officer, he develops the company strategy and next steps for the following years. And finally Julio, the CEO, he’s in charge of the correct operation of the company customer relations and global progression of the company.
AWARDED FIRSTLY BY CLIMATEKIC
The startup has been awarded firstly by ClimateKIC. Thanks to this prize they’ve been able to access to their Accelerator programme that have gave us mentoring, visibility and financial support (20k€). In addition, past December the founders were selected as one of the winners of the Young Entrepreneurs Prize from the INJUVE (Ministry of Health, Consume and Social wellbeing) with a 20k€ prize.
What distinguishes Feedect from other biotech startups is that it is based in sustainability, industrialization, scalability and animal well-being. Edible insects are a serious alternative for conventional production or other animal-based protein sources, either for direct human consumption, or indirectly as feedstock. Thanks to their qualities, insects have the ability to transform low-nutritive substrates (by-products and wastes from the agri-food sector) into high-quality nutrients. They do this consuming less feed, water and surface than any other traditional livestock species, and emitting, at the same time, less GHGs.
“Always focused in profitability, we look for the best partners, like universities and technological institutes to continuously develop a unique know-how while generating revenue in every step”, said the foubnders.
BUSINESS MODEL
Feedect business model is based on the principles of circular economy. Therefore, ” our business model is the production and sale of insect meal and oils to feed and food producers, as well as the by-products of the process”, said the four of them.
According to them, on the following years, they will be increasing their production capacities, so as they actually doing right now, in order to reach more than 1Tn/month of insect’s production capacity. Moreover, “we’re validating, sizing and constructing our postprocessing process and preparing for the new regulations in the food market that will allow us to sell insect ingredients as food in the European Union”, concluded.