Using data and AI to define the future of insect farming

Artificial intelligence is transforming insect farming from an emerging sustainability solution into a precision-controlled production powerhouse. Soldier Fly Technologies is pioneering this shift—merging data science, automation, and decades of farming expertise to redefine how the Black Soldier Fly is farmed at scale.

HARNESSING AI TO FEED THE FUTURE
When my family started Fluker Farms in 1956, the world of insect farming was driven by hands-on experience, intuition, and a deep respect for biology. Today, nearly seven decades later, we’re seeing a remarkable evolution in this field—one fueled by automation, analytics, and artificial intelligence.

At Soldier Fly Technologies (SFT), we are bringing data-driven precision and scalable automation to one of agriculture’s most promising frontiers: insect-based protein. Our focus on AI-powered production monitoring and process optimization is enabling us to unlock levels of efficiency and consistency once thought impossible in insect rearing.

WHY AI MATTERS TO THE INSECT INDUSTRY
The global insect industry is scaling rapidly to meet a pressing challenge—feeding a growing world population with finite resources. According to the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO), the world’s population is projected to reach nearly 10 billion by 2050. Yet two-thirds of agricultural land is already dedicated to feeding livestock, and studies by the United Nations and the World Wide Fund for Nature (WWF) warn that as much as 95% of the world’s soil could be degraded or unfit for farming within the same timeframe.

Insect farming, particularly Black Soldier Fly (BSF) production, offers a sustainable solution: converting agricultural by-products and waste streams into valuable protein and soil nutrients using minimal land and water. However, reaching industrial scale demands precision, traceability, and reliability—areas where AI excels.

Unlike traditional livestock farming, insect production involves countless micro-environments that can shift rapidly—temperature, humidity, feed composition, and biological variation all play roles in performance outcomes. Human operators simply cannot monitor or respond to all of these fluctuations in real time. That’s where AI-enabled production intelligence becomes indispensable.

THE SOLDIER FLY TECHNOLOGIES APPROACH
At Soldier Fly Technologies, we see insect farming not just as a biological process, but as a data-rich manufacturing system. We’ve built our entire model around measurable performance indicators—yield per tray, feed conversion efficiency, reproductive success, and nutritional quality.

To manage this complexity, we developed Entoware—our proprietary software designed specifically for insect farming operations. Entoware provides advanced data collection, workforce management, and traceability across every stage of production, from egg to harvest. It offers real-time visibility into colony performance, resource utilization, and process efficiency.

Entoware is a rule-based platform, meaning it operates on structured logic and predefined parameters rather than self-learning algorithms. However, it’s designed to connect seamlessly with cloud-based AI databases, allowing production data to be exported for external AI analysis and for results to be reintegrated into the operational framework. This ensures that farms of any size can benefit from advanced analytics without requiring fully autonomous systems.

DATA-DRIVEN NUTRITION: WHERE AI MEETS BIOLOGY
At Soldier Fly Technologies, the integration of artificial intelligence goes far beyond automation—it shapes how we design and adapt rearing conditions. By analyzing years of data from multiple production cycles, Entoware enables our team to correlate feed performance, environmental conditions, and colony outcomes.

This data-driven approach creates a powerful feedback loop between biology and engineering, giving us the tools to make measurable, science-based adjustments that directly enhance quality, consistency, and efficiency across every phase of production.

In practical terms, this means greater production reliability, faster decision-making, and better use of agricultural by-products and waste streams as feedstock for larvae growth—all key to a more circular and sustainable food system.

A PLATFORM FOR EVERY FACILITY
Our Entoware system stands as one of the most comprehensive data platforms in the insect production industry. Developed by our in-house team of engineers—drawing on deep professional experience in Research and Development (R&D), Production and Manufacturing, Advanced Programming, Food Safety, and Quality Management—Entoware integrates:

• Lifecycle tracking: Every egg, larvae batch, and production cycle is logged with full lineage data.
• Workforce optimization: Intelligent task scheduling, performance tracking, and productivity metrics.
• Predictive resource management: Data models that forecast feed, material needs, and labor requirements to prevent bottlenecks.

What makes Entoware particularly valuable is its adaptability. It can be deployed in both automated and non-automated facilities, scaling intelligently to match the level of mechanization, workforce, and production capacity. Whether a facility uses robotic tray systems or manual feeding operations, Entoware’s advanced data collection and control tools provide the same level of precision and traceability.
This versatility makes it an ideal solution for insect producers at any stage of growth—from small startups to full-scale industrial operations.

Entoware is already being used by facilities across the world—not only for BSF but also for crickets and mealworms. This scalability helps standardize best practices globally, allowing insect producers to leapfrog early-stage challenges and operate with industrial precision.

SCALABLE, MODULAR, AND BUILT FOR ANY FACILITY MODEL
Soldier Fly Technologies’ approach to insect farming is inherently scalable and modular. Our facility designs are built around repeatable process modules—each containing the necessary systems for rearing, breeding, and processing Black Soldier Flies.

Each module functions independently but integrates seamlessly into larger systems as capacity grows. This modular architecture allows our clients and partners to start small and expand without re-engineering their entire operation. It also provides built-in redundancy, ensuring that even in the event of a system disruption, production continuity is maintained.

Because our systems are designed using off-the-shelf components, they can be rapidly deployed, easily maintained, and cost-efficient. Combined with Entoware’s adaptable software backbone, these physical and digital systems provide unmatched control and insight at any scale.

This design philosophy—scalable, modular, and data-driven—allows Soldier Fly Technologies to bring the benefits of intelligent insect production to a wide range of facility models, from local upcycling plants to full-scale protein manufacturing hubs.

PRECISION COUNTING WITH SCIOTEX TECHNOLOGY
To ensure accuracy and consistency in early-stage production, Soldier Fly Technologies employs the Perfect Count Counter / Packager, powered by Sciotex. This high-speed counting system automates the process of counting and batching live neonates (newly hatched larvae) into desired quantities for rearing bins as well as for live insect sales—an essential step in maintaining uniform density and traceable production data.

FROM WASTE TO VALUE: CLOSING THE LOOP
The environmental implications of BSF farming are profound. Each ton of organic waste upcycled through our process has the potential to generate high-value outputs:
• Protein meal for aquaculture, livestock, and pet food.
• Natural oils rich in lauric acid with antimicrobial benefits.
• Frass, a nutrient-dense soil amendment that supports regenerative agriculture.

Through automation and precise data tracking, we’re able to ensure that each of these outputs meets strict quality standards. Our traceability systems verify that every batch can be tracked back through its full lifecycle—an essential feature as the global feed and food sectors move toward transparency and sustainability.

LEAN SIX SIGMA AND CONTINUOUS IMPROVEMENT IN ACTION
Our engineering team operates with a Lean Six Sigma mindset—constantly analyzing data to identify inefficiencies and opportunities for improvement. The combination of structured process control and continuous improvement methodologies means that our systems don’t just get more consistent; they get more efficient with every cycle.

Where traditional agricultural systems often plateau in performance, our integrated model continues to evolve. This ensures that as we expand production capacity, we’re not simply scaling up—we’re scaling smarter.

BUILDING A SMARTER INSECT INDUSTRY
Soldier Fly Technologies doesn’t exist in isolation. We actively collaborate with academic institutions, including Louisiana State University, and industry organizations like the North American Coalition for Insect Agriculture (NACIA) and the Center for Insect Biomanufacturing and Innovation (CIBI).

Through these partnerships, we contribute to collective innovation and share insights that strengthen the entire insect industry. Data frameworks like those in Entoware are helping to create standardization—an essential step for scaling insect agriculture globally.

We view data as the connective tissue that links research, production, and market development. As datasets grow, so too will our ability to forecast yields, optimize breeding cycles, and model economic performance across multiple facility types using our proprietary Business Modeling Tool.

LOOKING AHEAD: AI AND THE NEXT FRONTIER OF INSECT FARMING
The next stage of our journey is about expansion—deploying our proven technology in new markets, building partnerships, and continuing to refine our models. The integration of AI, robotics, and biological innovation will enable us to transform how the world produces protein and manages waste.

For the insect industry at large, the shift toward intelligent automation is inevitable. As systems like Entoware mature, we’ll see a move from artisanal production toward a truly industrial, data-centric sector—capable of providing consistent, traceable, and sustainable protein at global scale.

At Soldier Fly Technologies, we’re proud to be leading this transformation. What began as a joint venture between Louisiana-based Fluker Farms and California-based HermetiaPro in 2020 has evolved into a cutting-edge agricultural technology company with a clear mission: to harness the power of the Black Soldier Fly through the precision of data.

Reference
1. United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO); United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP); World Wide Fund for Nature (WWF)