Biotechnology company launch

Why are there so few biotechnology startups in Latvia?

Because it is a knowledge-intensive industry, and the creation and development of new projects to a significant level requires significant research and engineering capacity. And enormous patience, willpower, and indefatigable creativity.
Environmental engineer Kārlis from Biomund began working on the topic of insects 7 years ago, when he realized that our attitude towards organic waste was wrong and there had to be ways to use it more meaningfully.
Our cooperation with Kārlis began in 2019, when we embarked on a joint path to attracting external funding for the development of an innovation project, and since 2022, with the support of the Rural Support Service, we have been implementing the most significant project in the company’s history – the creation of a pilot plant for growing insects in automated conditions, because who would want to reload 1,000 boxes from one pile to another every day, and so on day after day.
A lot has already been done and a lot of work has been done, and it is time to properly celebrate it and say thank you to everyone who has been involved.
Yesterday we celebrated an important milestone in the project “Recovery of proteins from agricultural residues using insects and the creation of a new cycle of circulation”.
Together with the Ministry of Agriculture of Latvia, the Ministry of Climate and Energy, the Rural Support Service, the State Scientific Institute BIOR, LBTU – Latvian University of Biosciences and Technologies, the Cooperation Council of Agricultural Organizations, as well as our many cooperation partners, we inspected the already completed production line and observed the first insects in their growth process.
At present, it is important to prove that such processing of plant waste into resources can also be economically and technologically justified, and can become part of the circular economy in Latvia.
The supply of grown insects to chickens in their regular meal will also be important. We will know very soon what the chickens will say about it, because 100 lucky beauties will receive a dose of insects with their daily meal. The other 100, which are used to compare the results, will certainly envy the first ones, because what could be better for a chicken than a worm it found itself. Experts say that worms have a good effect on the well-being of chickens, they become calmer, do not peck each other, lay more valuable eggs and generally feel better physically. Will it be so? We will report. Already this year!
This project was supported by the Latvian Rural Development Programme 16.2. sub-programme “Support for the implementation of the EIP Agricultural Productivity and Sustainability Working Group project” and a great partnership – CLEANTECH LATVIA as the lead partner, knowledge-intensive start-up Biomund, knowledge and research organisation LBTU – Latvian University of Biosciences and Technology, company SIA Kabiņsala, and Latvian Young Farmers Club
The publication was prepared with the support of the project LAD No. 22.2-00A01120-000017.
Photo Vilnis Pļaviņš