In the startup ecosystem, sustainability model has many takers. Many startups upcycle industry by-products into valuable materials. Bengaluru-based startup ‘Loopworm’ is an instance. Started by IIT friends Abhi and Ankit Alok Bagaria, the startup turns food waste into valuable raw materials.
Both Abhi and Ankit wanted to be social entrepreneurs working on the growing issue of food/agri-based waste. The idea was to upcycle the waste and make it a part of the food chain once again. After research, they realised that insects are the way for it. It was a UN report that stated ‘insects are the future of food and feed’ inspired the duo start Loopworm. Insects are natural converters of these wastes. They grown on the waste and later become food for birds and fishes. Loopworm brings back food rejects into the loop with the help of worms.
When 15 kg of food waste with 70 per cent moisture is combined with salts, bacteria, supplements and water, it can produce 20 kg of feedstock with 70 per cent moisture.
At Loopworm, using an in-house technology, they vertically farm Black Soldier Fly (BLF) larvae on agri byproducts or pre-processed food. The larve feed on rejected food. They also convert foodwaste to a plant-immunity-enhancing soil additive. They also sell products to the pet food industry.
At Loopworm, they clean, degut and euthanize insects and extract them with the help of an expeller. BSF larvae grows 3000 times on food rejects . That too within 10 days. They are rich in protein, amino acid and, omega 3, 6 and 9 fatty acids. They will not affect humans, animals and plants.
Loopworm aims to produce 300,000 tonnes of sustainable insect-based protein per annum. Thus, it can utilize more than 7.5 million tonnes of food/agri waste byproducts sustainably.
