Our Process
We develop infrastructure and technology, co-located with each partner, to valorize organic waste streams by feeding them to Black Soldier Farm Larvae (BSFL). These farms, in-turn, produce premium animal feed (BSFL) and premium frass fertilizer (BSFL poop).
Each project is highly customized based on the waste stream input to maximize the system's conversion efficiency.
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With each new waste stream project partnership opportunity, we follow these general steps:
Pre-Project Planning
Project development overview, budgets, funding and contractor onboarding, de-risking... Assess for what project partners will be needed
*Financial Modeling
*Identify the waste streams (ie the highest-potential feedstock to build an insect farm off of)
Project Feasibility Analysis
*Find creditworthy counterparts to the deal to make it bankable - have a credible broker. [?]
*Land setup assessment (co-location) - site selection, zoning, and code
*Contractors for the buildout (NEXUS) - critical to scaling and incredible at assessing and de-risking projects upfront
Feedstock Analysis
Insects are nature's bio-processors, leveraging entire ecosystems of beneficial microbes contained in their gut biota to break down organic material.
*Collect and process initial feedstock supply data. Identify the key metrics; take the feedstock analysis, feed to statistician, and give the client the story about their feedstock for the next few years.
*Trial phase investigating the insect biology - model it out as a living system.
*Moisture, etc.
*Develop the pre-treatment (FRAUNHOFER TECHNOLOGY)
*They own the largest compound and insect library; developed a chemical cocktail that dramatically can change the mass balance equation
Pilot Design & Buildout
We model and build pilot farms to identify and mitigate critical risk to scale-up.
*Infrastructure Design
Full System Design
Big problems require big solutions. We engineer, procure, and construct industrial scaled farms using the latest insect agriculture systems.
Fulls Systems Integration & Facilities Optimization
The end products for each project are highly customized modular biological units for each client and waste stream - BSFL farm units that transform and upcycle organic waste into BSFL (treated to standardize the larvae to sell as poultry or fish feed) and premium frass biofertilizer.
- Project Engineering & Design Services: Our coordinated design packages ensure the efficient interaction between plants, equipment, and the environment.
- Integration of complex equipment systems: Decades worth of combined commercial cultivation experience to craft fully-integrated systems and technology solutions, including environmental controls, water treatment, climate control and fertigation.
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Facility Optimization: Fine tune and optimize grow environment conditions for high-performance facilities.
Ongoing Operations & Management
*HOW?
*Competition has app - "at a glance control of their systems, inventory management for inputs, etc. Intelligence to guide breeding, etc."
*EPC Management
*Operations & Maintainence
[insert from NEXUS + insect.systems]
Off-Take Product Processing
*Support on how to process and package for the highest margins (if desired)
*Off-take Contracting
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FARM TOUR
Microbe-Insect Interactions
Chapul Farms Pilot Rendering
Chapul Farms Rendering
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* Take more from here: https://urban-gro.com/