Project description DEENESFRITPL High-performance insect genetics to ensure Black Soldier Fly animal feed takes off Edible insects are nutritious and could be the best solution for animal feed, whose demand has been increasing globally. To answer the call, the UK company Beta Bugs is creating high performance Black Soldier Fly genetics for the 'insects as feed' market, which is estimated to be worth more than EUR 2 billion by 2030. The EU-funded CHiPInB project will ensure that the Beta Bugs solution is commercialised within Europe and that the company captures a significant market share. Based on the proposed technology, diverse strains will be maintained in parallel and phenotyped at high-throughput, increasing performance across multiple quantity traits including growth rate, size and protein quantity. Show the project objective Hide the project objective Objective "Beta Bugs is the first insect breeding company focussed on creating high performance Black Soldier Fly (BSF) genetics for the rapidly emerging ""insects as feed"" market. This global market has received more than €480M in investment from private and public sector funders, and will be worth €2.15Bn by 2030. It also enables valorization of low-value food and agricultural waste streams into localized protein sources suitable for animal feed, making it of strategic importance to the EU's future food security since it will strengthen regional agri-food supply chains.The company proposes a solution which combines proprietary trait generation methods, quantitative genetics and selective breeding, and high throughput phenotyping (trait measurement) using proprietary technologies. The company has developed a proprietary PLATform for TYPing of Insect Strains (PLATYPIS), which combines modular rearing technologies that enable parallel maintenance of diverse strains, and high-throughput phenotyping of the insects. This provides an opportunity for targeted genetic improvement efforts in BSF that can significantly improve BSF producer productivity (e.g. faster growth rate) and BSF protein quality (e.g. nutritional profiles tailored to different livestock). As the first company focusing solely on genetics and catering to the whole market rather than in-house applications for one producer, this solution is uniquely placed to benefit from EIC Accelerator Funding. This will enable the skilled, specialized and committed Beta Bugs team to commercialize this solution, transforming the company into a highly impactful and profitable venture, capture significant market share and accelerate the development of the entire ""insects as feed"" industry. " Fields of science natural sciencesbiological sciencesgeneticsnatural sciencesbiological sciencesbiochemistrybiomoleculesproteinsmedical and health scienceshealth sciencesnutritionnatural sciencesbiological scienceszoologyentomologyagricultural sciencesanimal and dairy sciencedomestic animalsanimal husbandryanimal feed Keywords Insect breeding Programme(s) H2020-EU.2.3. - INDUSTRIAL LEADERSHIP - Innovation In SMEs Main Programme H2020-EU.3. - PRIORITY 'Societal challenges H2020-EU.2.1. - INDUSTRIAL LEADERSHIP - Leadership in enabling and industrial technologies Topic(s) EIC-SMEInst-2018-2020 - SME instrument Call for proposal H2020-EIC-SMEInst-2018-2020 See other projects for this call Sub call H2020-EIC-SMEInst-2018-2020-3 Funding Scheme SME-2 - SME instrument phase 2 Coordinator BETA BUGS LIMITED Net EU contribution € 688 229,50 Address 46-54 high street CM4 9DW Ingatestone essex United Kingdom See on map Region East of England Essex Heart of Essex Activity type Private for-profit entities (excluding Higher or Secondary Education Establishments) Links Contact the organisation Opens in new window Participation in EU R&I programmes Opens in new window HORIZON collaboration network Opens in new window Other funding € 294 955,50
