Nathaniel Phua, founder and CEO of Ento Industries / Photo credit: Ento Industries

Food waste accounts for 12% of all waste generated in Singapore, but only 18% of the 813,000 tonnes of food waste produced in 2022 were recycled, according to the country’s National Environment Agency.

This is where Ento Industries, a yellow biotech company based in the city-state, comes in. The startup uses black soldier flies to upcycle food waste and produce sustainable, high-quality protein for animal feed.

Additionally, the process generates a nutrient-rich organic fertilizer known as insect frass, which can be used in gardening and crop farming.

Recently, Ento Industries raised fresh funding from private investors focused on ESG initiatives. The company plans to move to a larger facility and expand its production capabilities with the new capital.

Founded in June 2020, Ento Industries said it has gained financial grants, such as the DBS Foundation Social Enterprise Grant and the Enterprise Singapore Enterprise Development Grant.

It has also formed strategic partnerships with various institutions and organizations, including the National University of Singapore and Singapore Agrotechnologies, to develop new products and streamline operations.

See also: After pandemic growth, Indonesian biotech startup tests post-Covid waters

More details

The company was founded in 2020 by Nathaniel Phua.