Loopworm, a biomanufacturing company based in Bengaluru, has secured US$ 3.25 million in a Pre Series A funding round. The funding will be deployed to commercialise the company’s recombinant protein production platform and expand its operations in global and domestic markets. The investment was co led by existing backer WaterBridge Ventures and Japanese venture capital firm Enrission India Capital. This round follows a US$ 3.4 million seed funding raised earlier from Omnivore and other investors.
A Shift in Recombinant Protein Manufacturing
Founded in 2019 by IIT Roorkee graduates Ankit Alok Bagaria and Abhi Gawri, Loopworm has developed a proprietary process to produce recombinant proteins using silkworms. Traditional recombinant protein production involves genetically modifying host organisms such as yeast or bacteria to express proteins, typically in bioreactors that require high capital investment and energy inputs. Loopworm’s method eliminates the need for such infrastructure. Instead, it uses silkworms as living systems to express complex proteins, such as antigens and growth factors. This reactor free platform is intended to reduce costs, improve sustainability, and accelerate scalability.
The company is initially targeting sectors with relatively lower regulatory barriers including diagnostics, animal vaccines, and other industrial applications. According to the founders, the reactor free system changes the economics of recombinant manufacturing and presents a viable alternative for applications where traditional methods are cost prohibitive or logistically complex.
Export Driven Insect Protein Business
Loopworm currently operates a 6,000 tonne per year insect processing facility in Bengaluru. The facility processes silkworms and other farmed insects into proteins and oils, which are exported to Europe, South America and ASEAN countries. These exports serve the aquaculture and pet food industries. The facility is compliant with international quality and food safety certifications, including ISO 22000, GMP+, HACCP and EU Traces. The company has established technical capabilities in expressing complex proteins within silkworm pupae, and its recombinant production platform is already supported by multiple patents and regulatory approval for R&D scale manufacturing.
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Positioning in the Global Bioeconomy
Loopworm’s expansion strategy is closely aligned with India’s bioeconomy roadmap. With the fresh funding, the company aims to accelerate its contribution to national objectives in biotechnology and sustainable manufacturing. Co founder Abhi Gawri emphasised the company’s role in supporting the country’s bioeconomy vision, noting the platform’s adaptability and affordability.
Ashish Jain, Partner at WaterBridge Ventures, highlighted Loopworm’s potential to alter biotech manufacturing through its silkworm based system, framing the company as an example of how Indian startups are competing in global biotech. Harsh Deodhar, Principal at Enrission India Capital, pointed to the platform’s relevance for Japan’s industrial biotech priorities and sustainability agenda. Mark Kahn, Managing Partner at Omnivore, remarked that Loopworm’s development reflects the potential for India to emerge as a key player in the next phase of industrial biotechnology.
Technology, Compliance and IP Readiness
Loopworm has filed multiple patents covering its recombinant protein production technologies and has received approvals for R&D scale production. The company is building a compliance and IP framework to support commercial manufacturing. Its certified plant infrastructure, export grade processing capabilities and established global partnerships collectively support its go to market efforts. By combining an alternative production model with regulatory and commercial readiness, Loopworm is aiming to scale a new model of biomanufacturing built around insect based systems.
