TechPression

Tag: Biotechnology

  • SA Maltento secures $3.3m for Insect-based feed

    SA Maltento secures $3.3m for Insect-based feed

    Sand River Venture Capital gave $3.3 million in seed funds to Maltento, a biotech startup in Cape Town, South Africa.

    The company’s main goal is to find and use the good chemicals that are in insect-based feed options.

    This funding is a big step towards its goal of making innovative animal feed that is good for the environment. With these funds, the biotech startup hopes to improve its unique approach to bug biotechnology. These funds will be very important for moving forward with the development of Palate+, a new taste enhancer.

    It wants to get into new areas like the US and EU to make Palate+ more widely available around the world. By entering new markets, Maltento will help the world grow, create jobs, and improve the skills of its South African workers.

    Dominic Malan, the marketing director of Maltento, said, “We are thrilled to hear that Sand River is investing in the company because we share the same values and they are committed to funding innovative solutions for a sustainable future.” This investment and team will help us reach our goal of being a world player in functional ingredients.”

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    Maltento: What you need to know

    Maltento is an expert at coming up with solutions for animal feed that are not only clean and regular but also useful. This biotech start-up wants to grow its position in markets around the world. It gets ideas from how smart animals are.

    Their factory in Epping has the amazing ability to send more than 15 tonnes of processed soldier fly larvae to the United States every month. This new product idea not only gives chicken feed more protein, but it also gives people in South Africa jobs.

    It is now in a good place to speed up its growth in the market for insect-based feed options. All of this is because Sand River Venture Capital recently put money into the company. With this money, Maltento will be able to take advantage of new possibilities, improve its business, and grow its market share.

    Greg Robson, a partner at Sand River, said, “Our goal at Sand River is to give money and help to businesses that will restore the natural world and make a lot of money.” Maltento is a really great chance for us. They are easily the best company in their field, and we trusted them right away because they were run by an entrepreneur. They have sustainability qualities that change the game. “We’re looking forward to the trip,” he said.

    Maltento’s Innovation opportunities

    Maltento always takes a regenerative approach to making new products, with a focus on sustainability and caring about the environment. Maltento uses co-products from agro-processing industries that can be tracked. This reduces the effect on limited natural resources and helps the company be more sustainable.

    When it comes to using natural resources, a kilogramme of insect-based protein uses 95 times less energy than a kilogramme of animal-based protein. This shows that Maltento’s answers are good for the environment.

    There are no antibiotics or growth hormones in Maltento’s feed additives made from insects. This new kind of vitamin can help with allergies, inflammation, and gut health. With its focus on sustainability, innovation, and job growth, the company makes it possible for animal feed to have a bright future.

    The company’s unfailing commitment to using insect biotechnology is what drives the development of better, more sustainable products that are better than other options on the market. Maltento’s goal is to come up with ways to feed animals that are good for the soil and the world as a whole.

  • Nigeria To Use Genome Editing Technology

    Nigeria To Use Genome Editing Technology

    Nigeria is ready for genome editing technology, according to the National Biotechnology Development Agency (NABDA) of Nigeria. This information was provided in a media interview with the News Agency of Nigeria on Monday by Prof. Abdullahi Mustapha, the director general of NABDA.

    Speaking in Abuja, Mustapha asserted that due to the country’s current biosafety regulations, Nigeria might adopt genome editing technology, which would increase the country’s agricultural productivity.

    Nigeria became automatically qualified to join the League of Nations that is maximising genetic engineering (GE) to increase food supply after the Biosafety Bill was brought into law in 2015.

    The goal of the biosafety law is to control the use of modern biotechnology, as well as the management and management of its products (genetically modified organisms), which have the potential to impact biodiversity conservation and sustainable use negatively.

    The DG of NABDA outlined how genome editing technology aids precision agriculture by allowing genetic flaws in crops to be targeted and rectified, allowing the crop to produce its maximum yield.

    Read also: 54gene Completes First Research Publication on Nigerians

    Benefits of Genome Editing Biotechnology 

    On the advantages of Biotechnology, Mustapha said there are numerous benefits, including a reduction in the time frame between planting and harvesting, mitigating climate change and reduced application of pesticides, among others.

    The DG added that the technology does not endanger nor harm the crop, adding that it only repairs what was responsible for the crop’s impaired growth through its DNA.

    Mustapha said that as a target specific science, Nigeria has put in place regulations that would ensure the use of genome editing in the country.

    “When used in agriculture, all the diseases bedevilling crops in the country, most especially crops of interest used as food and industrial raw materials, are the ones being targeted.

    “When this has been achieved, the country is going to gain quite a lot in terms of food supply and agricultural raw materials for industrial development.

    “With that, there would be wealth creation as employment opportunities shall be available for our teeming population of youths,’’ the NABDA boss said.

    He stressed that Nigeria’s agricultural focus was to be self-sufficient with enough food for all, with an ample supply of industrial raw materials by industries to agricultural companies in the country.

    “So, this technology is going to help in the area of providing the huge amount of crops that are going to be sufficient for these two purposes,’’ Mustapha said.

    He said the technology was an initiative of the African Union Development Agency-New Partnership for Africa’s Development (AUDA-NEPAD) Centre of Excellence in Science, Technology and Innovation (STI).

    He said the mission of the Centre was to make use of modern technology to foster development across the African continent with a focus on agricultural productivity.

    Mustapha said about seven selected African countries including Nigeria were involved in the AUDA-NEPAD initiative, whereby collaboration would be formed to actualise this initiative within a specified timeframe.

    He said this collaboration would enable the exchange of ideas and strengths in order to foster scientific development and bring the political will to bear on facilitating STI through the use of genome editing technology.

    How Technology Improves Healthcare in Africa

    He explained that on the recent visit of the AUDA-NEPAD team, led by NABDA, the host agency and custodian of the technology, they had visited the Ministers of STI, Agriculture and Rural Development to solicit support.

    Mustapha said the genome editing initiative of the AUDA-NEPAD was a policy issue, and both ministers had pledged to enlighten the presidency on the prospects of using the technology to fast-track development.

    “Presently, policy and working documents are being drafted for the technology to be applied on the African continent,’’ he said.

    The NABDA D-G added that on the AUDA-NEPAD team’s return to Nigeria, part of their consortium would see how some of the laboratories would be upgraded in order to achieve the aim.

    “The goal of Africa that can feed itself in terms of agricultural produce is why genome editing technology was conceived and why they came here,’’ Mustapha said.