Insectta developed a proprietary two-step process and trade-secret purification to extract chitosan and water-soluble melanin from black soldier fly cocoon shells and other biomass. The company produces five outputs—chitosan, melanin, proteins, probiotics and minerals—with chitosan and melanin positioned as its core, higher-value products. Its melanin is nanoparticle-sized, water-soluble and produced at pilot scale (about 210 grams per month), which the team says is orders of magnitude larger than current industry bulk quantities; they target personal wellness and emerging applications in organic electronics and biomedicine. Chitosan is marketed for personal wellness, cosmetics and pharma uses, with target pricing around S$100/kg (mid-range of a cited S$50–200/kg market). Insectta stopped farming in Singapore and sources black soldier fly feedstock from Southeast Asian farms while keeping IP focused on extraction so it can work with contract manufacturers and remain asset-light. The company also highlights a novel wastewater-treatment step that recovers additional products and reduces discharge costs.

Total raised

$1M

Funding rounds

1

Latest round

Equity

Latest activity

May 2023