Loopworm: Creating insect protein for livestock and even pet food

Insects don't need a lot of arable land or portable water that plants need and greenhouse emissions from insect cultivation are much lower than that of composting

By Harichandan Arakali Forbes India Staff

Published: Feb 15, 2023 02:50:49 PM IST

Updated: Feb 15, 2023 02:56:30 PM IST

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Abhi Gawri (left) and Ankit Alok Bagaria, C0-founders, Loopworm Image: Nishant Ratnakar for Forbes India

Ankit Alok Bagaria and his friend Abhi Gawri started Loopworm towards the end of 2019 immediately after graduating from IIT-Roorkee. They saw an opportunity in insect biotechnology, a nascent field in India. They are developing insect-based protein products that can go into animal feeds, including livestock, poultry and aquaculture.

Loopworm aims to use even insect skins and droppings to make a soil supplement rich in minerals that could help restore soil quality. They are also developing a nutritious pet food product based on insect proteins.

“Insects by far cause the least stress on the environment. They don’t need a lot of arable land or potable water that’s needed for many plant-based sources,” Bagaria points out. “And the greenhouse gas emissions from insect cultivation are almost 2,000 times lower than composting, which is the prevalent solution for food waste management.”

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“We want to harness the entire potential of what insects can bring to the table,” says Bagaria. For example, insects can offer natural antimicrobial peptides that can be a safe alternative to the humongous quantities of antibiotics used in the farm sector.

Bagaria and Gawri have raised $3.4 million in seed funding from marquee investors, including Omnivore, WaterBridge and Titan Capital. They’ve set up their research and development in Bengaluru, and expect to partner with a large number of farmers in raising the insects, contributing to the farmers’ livelihood as well.