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Ynsect SAS
Ynsect SA- insect protein producer founded by Antoine Hubert, raised over $625M.
Ynsect SAS
Ynsect was founded in 2011 by Antoine Hubert, Jean-Gabriel Levon, and a team of five others who shared a vision of using insect farming to solve protein scarcity. The company's origins trace to research on mealworm physiology and automated breeding systems, which later became the core of its proprietary technology. Hubert, a biologist by training, has led the firm from a startup incubator in Paris to operating the largest vertical insect farm in Europe. Ynsect focuses on producing high-protein insect meal and oil from mealworms for use in premium pet food, aquaculture feed, and plant fertilizers. Its automated, vertical farms recycle heat and use AI-driven climate control, yielding a fraction of the land and water footprint of soy or fishmeal production. The firm raised $372M in a Series D round in 2022 (per deal announcements, 2022), with participation from Astanor Ventures, Bpifrance, and Frontier Agriculture. Prior rounds included investors like Finasucre and Compagnie d'Investissements. The company operates across Europe and markets products globally, targeting Asia and North America for expansion. Ynsect has raised over $625M in total equity financing. The firm employs roughly 500 people worldwide (per public reports). It operates one commercial-scale facility in Amiens, France, a pilot plant in Dole, and has announced plans for a second commercial site in Aix-en-Provence. Expansion to a U.S. facility has been discussed by management (2023 investor calls). The company also benefits from strategic partnerships with feed manufacturers and pet food brands. Its subsidiary partnerships include venture arms of agri-majors. In 2023, Ynsect secured regulatory approval to sell mealworm protein in the EU as a novel food (per EU Commission, 2023). Ynsect's structural differentiator is its ownership of the full production chain — from mealworm genetics and automated farming to refining into feed ingredients — giving it an integrated cost advantage over insect-protein peers. Governance follows a startup capitalization table with multiple institutional investors; the founders retain board seats and operational control. The company is not a family office but an operating company with capital from family offices and impact funds.
General information
Firm type
other
Year founded
2011
AUM
Undisclosed
Location
Region
Europe
Country
France
City
Paris
Corporate office
Paris, France
Additional offices
Amiens, France
Principals
Antoine Hubert
CEO and Co-Founder
Jean-Gabriel Levon
Co-Founder and President
Fabrice Berro
CFO
Sector focus
Frequently asked questions
Who runs investment decisions at Ynsect?
Antoine Hubert, CEO and co-founder, leads overall company strategy. Investment and capital allocation decisions are overseen by the board, which includes representatives from major investors such as Astanor Ventures and Bpifrance. The CFO, Fabrice Berro, manages financial operations.
Does Ynsect operate as a family office or an operating company?
Ynsect is an operating company — specifically a biotechnology and agri-food manufacturer — not a family office. It is funded by a consortium of venture capital, impact, and corporate investors. Several family offices have participated in its funding rounds, but the firm itself does not manage external capital.
How does Ynsect generate revenue?
Ynsect sells insect meal and oil to manufacturers of premium pet food (dogs and cats plus exotic animals), aquaculture feed (salmon, shrimp), and specialty plant fertilizers. Its mealworms are processed into high-protein content (over 60% protein) ingredients that replace fishmeal or soy. The firm operates on a B2B model.
What investment stages does Ynsect target?
As a company rather than a fund, Ynsect raises equity at institutional stages: Series A through D rounds. Its latest Series D of $372M (2022) included multiple growth-stage investors. The company does not target specific investment stages, but its cap table includes both early-stage VCs and later-stage impact funds.
Which sectors does Ynsect explicitly avoid?
Ynsect focuses exclusively on insect-based protein. The company does not participate in other forms of alternative protein (plant-based, cell-based) or broader agri-tech beyond insect farming. It does not invest in unrelated sectors.
Is Ynsect related to any family offices or wealth holders?
Not directly. Its investor base includes family offices such as Astanor Ventures (an agri-food impact fund backed by European family offices) and Finasucre, a family-owned sugar company. The underlying wealth is not disclosed at a principal level.
What is Ynsect's known posture on co-investments alongside external GPs?
Ynsect does not serve as a co-investor; it is the recipient of capital from institutional and impact investors. It has not been disclosed as a co-investor alongside GPs in other companies.
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