The innovative strides of FreezeM, an Israeli startup, are marking a new era in insect farming. With its groundbreaking "breeding-as-a-service" model, the company has secured a $14.2 million Series A investment to simplify and enhance the scalability of black soldier fly (BSF) farming. This approach offers a turnkey solution for protein production, providing ready-to-use BSF eggs or neonates for rearing facilities globally.
FreezeM stands out with its proprietary technology, including cryopreservation and suspended animation of BSF larvae, paving the way for year-round, stable production. This positions FreezeM alongside other industry leaders such as Nutrition Technologies and Ynsect, who have also made significant inroads in insect farming.
A key part of FreezeM's technological arsenal is CRISPR, which elevates the efficiency and quality of BSF larvae. By editing genes for growth and resilience, FreezeM has developed enhanced strains like the BSF-Titan, which boasts a 50% larger size than its natural counterparts. This not only augments production but also contributes to environmental sustainability by facilitating the recycling of more waste.
The push for insect farming is driven by the high food conversion rate of insects and their low land and energy requirements, presenting a sustainable alternative for meeting the burgeoning protein demand projected to rise 70% by 2050. FreezeM's innovation in this domain mirrors a broader industry shift towards sustainable solutions for animal feed, necessitated by the unsustainable use of arable land for livestock feed production—a practice marked by environmental challenges such as deforestation and biodiversity loss.
FreezeM's funding round reflects the burgeoning interest in and potential of insect farming as a scalable and sustainable alternative for animal feed. As a leader in this sector, FreezeM is at the forefront of developing novel farming systems that promise significant impacts on nutrition and global sustainability. Pursuing alternative animal feed methods is vital against the backdrop of the current system's unsustainability, with insect farming offering a bright avenue for progress.