INNOVATION Alternative Proteins Magazine April 2025 53 Emphasizing that 25% FCR in insect farming is not just about hitting a number, it means they can start entering real markets, Marc Bolard, Co-founder and CEO of Nasekomo, explains for our readers why the Automated Insect Rearing Beds and Bots platform is different, why 25% FCR is a great achievement and the details of their collaboration with Siemens in developing this platform. Mr. Bolard, first of all, why insects? Insects are a missed opportunity—often misunderstood and underutilized. But when you really look at their role in ecosystems, it’s clear they’re essential. They clean, they recycle, they regenerate. They’re nature’s original problem-solvers. At Nasekomo, insects give us a unique chance to build something from scratch. No legacy systems. No outdated processes. Just a clean slate where we can bring together the four things we believe matter most: biology and genetics, standardized industrial operations, AI-driven systems, and network effects. And while we’re starting with insects, this model can apply far beyond— greenhouses, mushrooms, poultry... you name it. But insects? They’re the perfect place to start. Why is 25% FCR a breakthrough for insect farming? Simply put, it’s the efficiency we need to make insect farming competitive. And we’ve hit it. To give you context—broiler chickens are considered the gold standard in terms of feed conversion in terrestrial farming. They’ve been optimized over decades. And here we are, in an industry that’s barely eight years old, already three times more efficient. That’s massive. It means we can start entering real markets—pet food, aquaculture, even poultry feed—with a product that’s not just sustainable, but economically viable. It’s not just about hitting a number. It’s about opening doors. What makes Nasekomo’s Automated Insect Rearing Beds & Bots platform different from crate systems? Our zero-crate rearing platform was never a retrofit. We didn’t take tech from another industry and try to force-fit it. We built it from the ground up for insect bioconversion. That changes everything. Because we could think holistically—what do insects need? What do the operators need? How can Marc Bolard, Co-founder and CEO of Nasekomo: “Broiler chickens are considered the gold standard in terms of feed conversion in terrestrial farming. They’ve been optimized over decades. And here we are, in an industry that’s barely eight years old, already three times more efficient. That’s massive. It means we can start entering real markets—pet food, aquaculture, even poultry feed— with a product that’s not just sustainable, but economically viable.” WE ARE ALREADY THREE TIMES MORE EFFICIENT
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