Project description
Turning farm waste into Europe’s next sustainable protein source
Europe’s food security and sustainability goals rely on reducing dependence on imported protein. The EIC-funded PROTEINBOOST project addresses this by transforming agricultural by-products into high-quality insect protein with over 80 % purity. Using automated rearing and multispectral analysis, the team produces a sustainable, cost-effective alternative to beef for pet food. The circular process turns insect frass into fertiliser, benefitting farmers and the environment. The next step is a fully autonomous pilot insect farm. By converting mushroom by-products into EntoPro™ (a hypoallergenic, prebiotic pet food ingredient that replaces common allergens and supports gut health), the project creates a unique partnership with mushroom growers, providing a negative-cost feedstock and enabling efficient, capital-light scaling.
Objective
Increasing local protein production in the EU is essential to reduce dependence on imported protein sources, improve food security, and support the EU’s sustainability goals under the Green Deal. At Proteine Resources, we developed an efficient method to handle yet unprocessed agricultural byproducts, formally considered waste (a stable side-stream available 365/7) into valuable insect-based products. When properly catered for, the deliberately selected insect species feed on a side-stream, retaining their exceptional nutritional value and delivering protein exceeding 80% of the defatted content. Our solution can be used 1:1 to replace beef in pet food products while being cheaper in production and more sustainable. The high-quality outputs can be used in feeding pets, positively impacting their health and welfare. Also, we tested frass (insect excrement) to be used as fertilizer by side-stream suppliers, demonstrating true circularity. We introduced innovations in insect feed composition and rearing process control with advanced multispectral analysis to autonomize and optimise production resulting in patentable know-how. Our prototype low-capacity working station and results of laboratory tests garnered interest from side-stream suppliers and potential buyers of insect-based products.
We intend to enhance our technological solution by refining enabling technologies and developing a first-in-the-world pilot autonomous insect farm module with unparalleled efficiency and sustainability of the production process. The decentralized approach will boost our insect-based production capabilities, positioning us to tap into the €1.29B global market. We are confident that our solution will enhance the EU's strategic autonomy, boost sustainability, and cut CO2 emissions, making a substantial impact. Aiming to acquire grant and equity funding, we seek a lead investor to join an already formed group of entities interested in investing over EUR 2.7M upon derisking the project.
Fields of science (EuroSciVoc)
CORDIS classifies projects with EuroSciVoc, a multilingual taxonomy of fields of science, through a semi-automatic process based on NLP techniques. See: The European Science Vocabulary.
CORDIS classifies projects with EuroSciVoc, a multilingual taxonomy of fields of science, through a semi-automatic process based on NLP techniques. See: The European Science Vocabulary.
- natural sciences biological sciences biochemistry biomolecules proteins
- medical and health sciences health sciences nutrition
- natural sciences biological sciences zoology entomology
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Keywords
Project’s keywords as indicated by the project coordinator. Not to be confused with the EuroSciVoc taxonomy (Fields of science)
Project’s keywords as indicated by the project coordinator. Not to be confused with the EuroSciVoc taxonomy (Fields of science)
Programme(s)
Multi-annual funding programmes that define the EU’s priorities for research and innovation.
Multi-annual funding programmes that define the EU’s priorities for research and innovation.
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HORIZON.3.1 - The European Innovation Council (EIC)
MAIN PROGRAMME
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Topic(s)
Calls for proposals are divided into topics. A topic defines a specific subject or area for which applicants can submit proposals. The description of a topic comprises its specific scope and the expected impact of the funded project.
Calls for proposals are divided into topics. A topic defines a specific subject or area for which applicants can submit proposals. The description of a topic comprises its specific scope and the expected impact of the funded project.
Funding Scheme
Funding scheme (or “Type of Action”) inside a programme with common features. It specifies: the scope of what is funded; the reimbursement rate; specific evaluation criteria to qualify for funding; and the use of simplified forms of costs like lump sums.
Funding scheme (or “Type of Action”) inside a programme with common features. It specifies: the scope of what is funded; the reimbursement rate; specific evaluation criteria to qualify for funding; and the use of simplified forms of costs like lump sums.
HORIZON-EIC-ACC - HORIZON EIC Accelerator
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Call for proposal
Procedure for inviting applicants to submit project proposals, with the aim of receiving EU funding.
Procedure for inviting applicants to submit project proposals, with the aim of receiving EU funding.
(opens in new window) HORIZON-EIC-2025-ACCELERATOR-02
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Net EU financial contribution. The sum of money that the participant receives, deducted by the EU contribution to its linked third party. It considers the distribution of the EU financial contribution between direct beneficiaries of the project and other types of participants, like third-party participants.
32-091 MASLOMIACA
Poland
The organization defined itself as SME (small and medium-sized enterprise) at the time the Grant Agreement was signed.
The total costs incurred by this organisation to participate in the project, including direct and indirect costs. This amount is a subset of the overall project budget.