Elmentoz secures seed funding for next-gen biofeed solutions

Hyderabad: Elmentoz Research Pvt. Ltd., a deep-tech biotechnology company focused on precision animal health nutrition and smart feed solutions, has secured its first seed funding round from angel investors in India and Norway. The funding marks a significant step in the company’s efforts to build next-generation, sustainable biofeed solutions for poultry, aquaculture, and pet food sectors.

With the fresh capital, Elmentoz is setting up India’s largest Black Soldier Fly (BSF)-based smart protein manufacturing facility, designed to process 2,000 metric tonnes of industrial byproducts every month using proprietary advanced automation technologies. The facility is expected to commence market operations in January 2026, positioning India at the forefront of sustainable feed and smart protein innovation.

The investment will enable Elmentoz to reduce India’s dependence on imported functional feed additives, address biosecurity challenges such as the growing threat of antimicrobial resistance, and enhance farm-level profitability. The company’s research-led insect protein platform is engineered to significantly lower land use, water consumption, and carbon emissions compared to conventional feed solutions.

Elmentoz’s intellectual property-driven innovation platform integrates genomics, proteomics, advanced automation, and cGMP manufacturing. Its flagship product lines—ELGROW and ELTIDE—include AMP-fortified immune-smart premixes, smart protein formulations, and functional oil ingredients. These solutions improve gut health, boost feed conversion efficiency, and enhance disease resilience, offering a viable alternative to antibiotic growth promoters (AGPs).

The seed funding will be deployed to scale India’s first fully automated cGMP smart protein facility, expand the ELGROW and ELTIDE product portfolios, advance antimicrobial peptide (AMP) technology, strengthen global strategic partnerships, and build research, manufacturing, and commercial teams to support rapid growth.

Commenting on the development, Dr. Jayashankar Das, Founder and CEO of Elmentoz Research, said India must prioritise nutritional security alongside food security. “Our research-driven insect protein and antimicrobial peptide platforms deliver consistent amino acid profiles, improved gut health, and antibiotic-free performance across poultry, aquaculture, and pet food segments. Through rigorous genomics, proteomics, and advanced cGMP manufacturing, we aim to replace AGPs with safer, smarter, and more resilient functional feeds,” he said.

Dr. Padmaja Mohanty, Co-founder and CTO, said insects represent nature’s most efficient bio-converters and form the foundation of sustainable protein systems. “This funding allows us to deepen our research into animal health mechanisms and translate scientific insights into precision nutrition solutions. Sustainability is not an add-on—it is the operating system for the future of animal nutrition,” she noted.

Christen Hveem, a Norway-based angel investor, highlighted the global relevance of the initiative. “Nutritional security is emerging as one of the world’s most critical priorities. With innovators like Elmentoz, India has the potential to lead the global transition to next-generation smart proteins and precision nutrition. What Elmentoz is building is not just a company, but a transformative platform for sustainable food systems,” he said.

Elmentoz aims to establish India’s first large-scale, research-driven insect protein ecosystem—an untapped opportunity with the potential to shape the global insect-enabled feed industry.