Indian private equity firm Menterra has invested in feed ingredient startup UltraNutri as part of a pre-series A funding round. The investment will enable UltraNutri the scale up of the production of black soldier fly (BSF) and its functional shrimp feed ingredients.
UltraNutri, founded by Ramaswamy Subramanian, Robert Deschenes, Nitish Sathyanarayanan, and Matheen Sait. The startup has developed a proprietary method to breed BSF using agricultural byproducts. Under the right conditions, these insects develop natural immunity, which can then be transferred to farmed shrimp through the feed chain.
The company addresses several urgent challenges in agriculture and aquaculture: converting agricultural waste into high-quality protein, replacing expensive fishmeal with functional feed that enhances disease resistance, and reducing antibiotic use by naturally improving animal health.
Menterra Ventures expressed on LinkedIN. “UltraNutri’s approach combines proprietary feedstock processes, deep insect biology expertise, and genome-level expertise. Building on this foundation, the startup is exploring engineering BSF to express specific proteins, opening pathways to low-cost veterinary biopharmaceuticals in partnership with a global animal health major.”
Menterra highlighted UltraNutri as a portfolio company exemplifying its mission of reimagining how insects can transform agriculture and animal health.
