GoldenHarvest Selected for SBIR in Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries; Develops Automated Oviposition Device for Feed Black Soldier Fly with University of Tokyo

With feed prices remaining at record highs and instability in import routes becoming a real risk, efforts to secure domestic feed for livestock and farmed fish are accelerating. Life industry R&D venture GoldenHarvest Inc. (Headquarters: Tokyo, Representative Director: Yusuke Kuwa) has been selected for Phase 1 of the 'Startup Comprehensive Support Program (SBIR Support)' (contract amount approx. 20 million yen / FY2026-2027) publicly solicited by the Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries. In collaboration with the laboratory of Professor Masami Shimoda at the University of Tokyo, the company will full-scale develop the 'SOU', an automated oviposition unit for the Black Soldier Fly that converts food residue into high-quality feed protein. Aiming for a 7-fold increase in oviposition efficiency and a 92% reduction in labor costs, the project seeks to build a domestic, circular alternative protein supply infrastructure.

[Key Points]: 7x oviposition efficiency, 2x hatching rate, 92% labor reduction – achieved with data-driven automated oviposition unit 'SOU'

[Background: Japan's Feed Crisis] Japan's feed import dependency is 74%, and fishmeal dependency is 84%. Due to international tensions, yen depreciation, and high grain prices, compound feed prices remain at record highs, making the annual procurement of 300,000 tons of fishmeal a food security risk. Establishing domestic, circular protein to replace imported fishmeal is an urgent issue directly linked to production cost structures. As a solution, the Black Soldier Fly (BSF) is gaining international attention. By utilizing the 5 million tons of food residue generated annually in Japan, it is possible to produce the equivalent of 100,000 tons of alternative protein per year in fishmeal terms. However, a major bottleneck for industrialization has been the lack of a domestic business capable of stably supplying the upstream 'seedlings' (fertilized eggs, first-instar larvae).

[What This Research Will Address] In this research, led by the representative organization GoldenHarvest and in joint research with the Shimoda Laboratory at the University of Tokyo, we will develop a 'data-driven environmental control and automated oviposition unit (SOU: Smart Oviposition Unit)' that fully automates everything from adult mating to egg collection. Since its founding in 2024, GoldenHarvest has succeeded in complete indoor continuous breeding in its own laboratory and has quantitatively accumulated data on oviposition and hatching. This research builds on that track record by introducing environmental control based on mathematical models, achieving full automation and continuous operation that surpass manual work, and attaining target productivity improvements (7x oviposition efficiency, 92% labor reduction). The Shimoda Laboratory will scientifically elucidate the effects of light environment, temperature, humidity, adult density, attractants, etc., on mating rate, number of eggs, and hatching rate from the perspectives of insect physiology and behavior, and will optimize the breeding environment control algorithm. During the period, we will conduct two financial verification FS and two technical verification PoCs in parallel, aiming to launch the business in 2030.

[Comments] ■ Yusuke Kuwa, Representative Director, GoldenHarvest Inc. 'The Black Soldier Fly is a voracious and resilient insect distributed throughout Japan. It feeds on leftovers from food factories and farms, accumulating abundant protein in its body, and has attracted attention from research institutions worldwide as a new protein source. In Japan, the Fisheries Research and Education Agency has begun feed trials for farmed red sea bream, and its use as feed ingredient for poultry farming has also begun. In 2024, deliberations are underway to add Black Soldier Fly powder to the official feed standards of the Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries, steadily building momentum toward practical application. We are strongly attracted to this simple, powerful cycle: the fly eats leftover materials that would otherwise be discarded, and its body becomes fresh feed for livestock and fish. We view this SBIR selection as an important step toward establishing the Black Soldier Fly as an industry, and we will work consistently from basic research through the commercialization phase to promote social implementation.' ■ Professor Masami Shimoda, Laboratory of Applied Entomology, Graduate School of Agricultural and Life Sciences, The University of Tokyo 'In the industrialization of any crop, stable seedling production and supply are essential foundations. This is equally true for establishing the new domestic industry of insect-derived protein. To popularize the Black Soldier Fly business, overwhelming cost reduction of seed eggs and construction of stable supply infrastructure are indispensable. Since its founding in 2024, GoldenHarvest has succeeded in complete indoor continuous breeding and accumulated breeding data for the entire cycle. In this joint research project, we will build on this track record to introduce 'data-driven environmental control' based on mathematical models, and develop a fully automated oviposition unit (SOU) that surpasses manual operation. This will achieve overwhelming productivity improvements: 7x oviposition efficiency and 92% labor reduction. This project will establish a seedling supply infrastructure that becomes a strong backbone for the domestic Black Soldier Fly industry, contributing to the construction of a new industry base that leads the world. We look forward to inquiries for collaboration and partnerships from local governments, food and feed manufacturers, and research institutions interested in utilizing this infrastructure and joint development for the social implementation of insect-derived protein and the realization of a sustainable circular society.'

[Commercialization Roadmap: To Become a World-Leading Seedling Provider] ■ Step 1: FY2026-2027 (SBIR Phase 1) SOU prototype development, KPI achievement (7x egg count, 92% labor reduction, 2x hatching rate), IP filings, PoC implementation ■ Step 2: FY2028-2029 (Model Plant Phase) Detailed design and completion of a model plant processing 4 tons per day, completion of SOU, technological development of product processing lines ■ Step 3: FY2030 onward (Commercialization Phase) Start seedling sales, fundraising. Large-scale plant operation, start overseas technology license negotiations. With 800 cages in operation, envision processing 1.2 million tons of food residue annually, supplying alternative protein equivalent to 100,000 tons of fishmeal per year. Through this R&D, GoldenHarvest aims to build a business specializing in 'seedling supply' at the very upstream of the BSF industry supply chain. The supplied seedlings will be grown and processed by midstream BSF farming businesses, and supplied as feed raw materials to downstream aquaculture and livestock industries. This entire supply chain, supporting Japan's food self-sufficiency with domestic, low-cost, stable supply, is viewed as a future critical infrastructure for Japan.

[Social Impact Created by This Project] • Strengthening food security: Breaking away from imported feed dependence, building a resilient domestic feed self-sufficiency system • Reducing environmental burden and resource circulation: A decentralized production model that converts food residue into high-quality animal protein. Aligned with the Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries' 'Green Food System Strategy' • Improving agricultural profitability and regional revitalization: Stable seedling supply facilitates entry into insect farming business, contributing to sublimation from waste treatment to a highly profitable industry.

[Selection Overview] • Program name: FY2026 Startups Comprehensive Support Program (SBIR Support) • Jurisdiction: Cabinet Office / Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries sector executing agency: Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries • Selection phase: Phase 1 (Concept stage) • Research title: Development of a Data-Driven Environmental Control Automated Oviposition Unit (SOU) for Black Soldier Fly and Construction of a Domestic Alternative Protein Supply Infrastructure • Principal investigator: Yusuke Kuwa