Key Takeaways
- Circa Biotech addresses food waste by converting it into animal feed, organic fertilizer, and biofuel using black soldier fly insects at an industrial scale.
- The company operates a B2B model, working with food retailers and processors to divert organic waste from landfills.
- Circa Biotech has developed a proprietary process to convert insect fat into sustainable aviation fuel (SAF) feedstock.
- Regulatory navigation and commercialization have been as critical as technological development in scaling the business.
- By 2035, Circa Biotech aims to operate as a global bioeconomy platform with replicated hubs across multiple regions.
Haythem Riahi on the Scale of Global Food Waste
Food waste remains one of the most persistent and costly challenges in global food systems. According to Dr. Haythem Riahi, CEO and Co-Founder of Circa Biotech, roughly one-third of all food produced for human consumption is lost or wasted each year.
“One third of the food produced globally for human consumption is lost or wasted,” he said, calling the issue not only an economic inefficiency but also an ethical and environmental concern.
Dr. Riahi founded Circa Biotech in 2019 after more than two decades working for biotechnology and pharmaceutical multinational companies. Originally from France, he relocated to the UAE in 2014 and began exploring business ideas with global relevance.
