Bengaluru-based biotechnology startup Loopworm has successfully raised $3.25 million in a pre-Series A funding round, co-led by WaterBridge Ventures and Japanese venture capital firm ENRISSION INDIA CAPITAL. This fresh capital injection follows an earlier seed round of $3.4 million from investors including Omnivore, positioning Loopworm to accelerate commercialization of its innovative protein manufacturing platform.
Pioneering Sustainable Protein Production with Silkworms
Founded in 2019 by IIT Roorkee alumni Ankit Alok Bagaria and Abhi Gawri, Loopworm is disrupting traditional recombinant protein manufacturing by leveraging silkworms as living bioreactors. Unlike conventional methods that rely on costly stainless-steel fermenters and genetically modified microorganisms, Loopworm’s approach uses farmed silkworm pupae to produce complex proteins efficiently and sustainably.
This novel “reactor-free” biomanufacturing technique significantly reduces infrastructure costs and enhances scalability, offering a faster route to market for applications in diagnostics, animal vaccines, and other biotech sectors.
“Recombinant protein manufacturing has long been constrained by expensive infrastructure and slow scalability. Our reactor-free approach using silkworms changes the economics entirely. Having proven the technology, we are now focusing on commercialization,” said Ankit Bagaria, CEO of Loopworm.
Expanding Production Capacity and R&D Collaborations
With the new funding, Loopworm plans to scale up production capabilities and deepen research partnerships to broaden its recombinant protein portfolio. The startup’s platform has already demonstrated successful expression of antigens, growth factors, and other complex proteins within silkworm pupae, paving the way for industrial-grade applications.
Loopworm currently operates a 6,000-tonne-per-year insect processing facility in Bengaluru, touted as one of Asia’s largest. From here, it supplies insect-derived proteins and lipids used in aquafeed and pet nutrition across markets in Europe, South America, and Southeast Asia. Its product range includes insect-based soluble proteins, collagen, enzymes, and lipids.
Addressing Global Challenges with Sustainable Biotechnology
Loopworm’s innovation arrives at a critical time when the biotech industry seeks greener, cost-effective alternatives to traditional protein manufacturing. The startup’s insect-based platform aligns with global sustainability goals by reducing reliance on resource-intensive fermentation infrastructure and minimizing environmental impact.
Ashish Jain of WaterBridge Ventures praised Loopworm’s potential:
“Loopworm is testament to the dominant role Indian startups can play in the global biotech industry. Their silkworm-based platform is uniquely positioned to meet the growing demand for sustainable and scalable protein production.”
Why Loopworm’s Technology Matters for India and Beyond
Cost Efficiency: Eliminates the need for expensive fermenters, lowering production costs.
Faster Scalability: Silkworm bioreactors enable quicker scale-up compared to traditional methods.
Sustainability: Reduces environmental footprint by using farmed insects instead of chemical-intensive processes.
Versatility: Produces a wide array of recombinant proteins for healthcare, veterinary, and industrial applications.
Global Reach: Supplies insect-derived proteins to international markets, showcasing India’s biotech innovation.
The Road Ahead: Commercialization and Market Expansion
Loopworm is now focused on transitioning from technology validation to full-scale commercialization. The startup aims to expand its product offerings, enhance manufacturing capacity, and forge strategic partnerships to capture growing demand in diagnostics, animal health, and other biotech verticals.
As India emerges as a global biotech hub, Loopworm’s breakthrough platform highlights the country’s capability to innovate sustainably and compete on the world stage. With its unique use of silkworms as bioreactors, Loopworm is set to redefine protein manufacturing economics and contribute meaningfully to the future of biotechnology.
In summary, Loopworm’s recent $3.25 million funding round underscores investor confidence in its disruptive silkworm-based protein production technology. The startup’s scalable, eco-friendly approach is poised to transform recombinant protein manufacturing, benefiting healthcare, animal vaccines, and beyond — all while putting Indian biotech innovation on the global map.