Ecofly GmbH

Ecofly GmbH is an Austrian agritech company based in the village of Antiesenhofen that farms the Black Soldier Fly (Hermetia illucens) to produce sustainable protein, fat and fertiliser products. The company began as a small garage start-up in 2016 and was formally founded in 2017 together with Bernhard Protiwensky, a fertiliser expert and seasoned entrepreneur. Its mission is to develop efficient and affordable technology for breeding and growing Black Soldier Fly larvae at industrial scale, addressing the environmental pressures of conventional livestock and aquaculture feed. Ecofly's product range includes BSF-protein, a high-digestibility protein for aquaculture, pet food and demanding feed formulations; BSF-oil, a sustainable fat source for animal feed and an alternative to palm oil-based raw materials in cosmetics and soaps; Fertifly, an organic multi-nutrient fertiliser for field vegetables, root crops and specialty crops; and BSF-neonates, freshly hatched larvae supplied to customers across Europe. The company works with processing partner PUREA Austria GmbH, a cooperation started in early 2020 to industrialise the breeding, growing and processing of BSF larvae. Positioned at the intersection of circular economy and agriculture, Ecofly promotes insects as a natural food source for livestock and pets, arguing that insect protein can substitute fish meal in aquaculture and reduce overfishing. The company operates in Austria and serves European markets, remaining a privately held enterprise.

Ecofly's story began in 2016, when its founders started farming insects in a small garage. In 2017 the team joined forces with Bernhard Protiwensky, a fertiliser expert and seasoned entrepreneur, to formally found Ecofly. From its base in the Austrian village of Antiesenhofen, the company set out to develop an efficient and low-cost technology for breeding and growing Black Soldier Fly (BSF) larvae. At the time, insect farming in Europe was still in its infancy. Unlike pigs, cattle and chicken, insect rearing was not established in European agriculture, and accessible knowledge was scarce. Ecofly therefore decided to develop its own production process and all the equipment needed for large-scale insect production. A major step came in early 2020, when Ecofly began a cooperation with PUREA Austria GmbH. The partnership combined the knowledge of both parties to create an industrial process for breeding, growing and processing BSF larvae. This collaboration underpins Ecofly's current product lines: BSF-protein and BSF-oil are marketed together with PUREA Austria, while Fertifly fertiliser and BSF-neonates are offered directly. Today Ecofly presents itself as a contributor to a regional and sustainable transformation of agriculture, using the Black Soldier Fly's fast growth and efficient biomass conversion to turn waste streams into valuable feed and fertiliser products.

• 2020

  Cooperation with PUREA Austria GmbH begins to industrialise BSF breeding and processing.

• 2017

  Ecofly is formally founded with Bernhard Protiwensky in Antiesenhofen, Austria.

• 2016

  Founders begin insect farming in a small garage.

Sustainable insect-based feed and fertiliser producer for aquaculture, pet food and organic farming.

• BSF-protein

  High-digestibility insect protein for aquaculture, pet food and demanding feed formulations, produced with PUREA Austria.

• BSF-oil

  Sustainable fat source for animal feed and an alternative to palm oil-based raw materials in cosmetics and soaps.

• Fertifly

  Natural organic multi-nutrient fertiliser for field vegetables, root crops and specialty crops in organic farming.

• BSF-neonates

  Freshly hatched Black Soldier Fly larvae supplied to any destination in Europe, with an instruction manual.

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