Loopworm Secures Fresh Funding to Power Reactor-Free Protein Production

In the heart of India’s biotech awakening, a homegrown startup is spinning a silken thread of innovation that could reshape how the world produces complex proteins. While the rest of the biotech world has long relied on costly lab-grown microbes and industrial-scale bioreactors, Bengaluru-based Loopworm is doing something remarkably unconventional — using silkworms as living, breathing bio-factories.

And this bold idea is catching the attention of global investors.

Loopworm has just announced the closing of its $3.25 million Pre-Series A round, led by existing backer WaterBridge Ventures and ENRISSION INDIA CAPITAL, a Japanese venture capital firm that’s increasingly eyeing India’s deeptech frontier. The fresh capital is aimed at commercializing their breakthrough recombinant protein production platform, a move that could unlock new possibilities in diagnostics, animal health, and beyond.

Loopworm's Funding

At the core of Loopworm’s innovation lies a radical departure from conventional biotech. Recombinant proteins — widely used in everything from diagnostics to therapeutics — are typically produced by inserting genes into hosts like yeast or bacteria. These genetically modified organisms are then nurtured in large, energy-hungry bioreactors to produce the desired proteins.

Loopworm, however, has cut the lab out of the equation.

Using a proprietary method, the startup employs silkworms as live hosts to express complex proteins. These silkworms act as natural incubators, eliminating the need for expensive infrastructure, reducing energy consumption, and dramatically cutting down production costs and timelines.

“Our reactor-free approach changes the economics entirely,” said Ankit Alok Bagaria, Co-founder and CEO of Loopworm. “Having proven the technology, we are now focusing on commercialization — starting with applications that have lower regulatory barriers like diagnostics and animal vaccines.”

A Biotech Platform for the Future

Loopworm’s innovation comes at a time when the global biotech industry is desperately searching for scalable, cost-effective, and sustainable production platforms. Co-founder Abhi Gawri highlights the larger vision: “As biotech evolves, the demand for platforms that combine speed, cost-efficiency, and scalability continues to grow. Our silkworm-based system is built to meet those needs — with unmatched flexibility.”

With the new funding, Loopworm is accelerating its mission to contribute to India’s bioeconomy goals, aligning with national ambitions to lead in sustainable biotech and deeptech innovation.

More Than Just a Lab Innovation

Loopworm already runs a state-of-the-art, 6,000-tonne insect processing facility in Bengaluru. It’s not just an R&D lab anymore — it’s a commercial player.

The company exports protein and oils derived from silkworms and other insects to clients across Europe, South America, and ASEAN nations, primarily catering to the aquaculture and pet food industries. In parallel, its research wing has made significant strides — including successfully expressing complex proteins like antigens and growth factors using silkworm pupae.

And this isn’t just theory. Loopworm’s facility meets global standards with ISO 22000, GMP+, HACCP, and EU TRACES certifications, ensuring compliance as it scales.

Global Backing, Local Innovation

For Loopworm, the investment is more than just capital — it’s validation from some of the sharpest minds in the venture space.

“Loopworm is a testament to the dominant role Indian startups can play in the global biotech industry,” said Ashish Jain, Partner at WaterBridge Ventures. “Their silkworm platform isn’t just novel — it’s a potential leapfrog moment for Indian biotech.”

From Japan, ENRISSION INDIA CAPITAL sees strong alignment with its own goals.

“We see deep synergy between Loopworm’s platform and Japan’s industrial biotech and sustainability objectives,” noted Harsh Deodhar, Principal at the firm. “This investment reflects both strategic alignment and conviction in the startup’s vision.”

Even Omnivore’s Mark Kahn, an early backer of Loopworm, is convinced that this is a world-class deeptech story unfolding from India. “What they’ve built since we first backed them is genuinely cutting-edge,” he said.

Loopworm’s story is also a story of long-term vision and intellectual property. The company has filed multiple patents for its recombinant technology and received regulatory approvals for R&D-scale production. A robust IP and compliance framework is underway as they scale toward full-fledged commercial rollout.

This isn’t just another biotech startup — it’s a full-stack innovation house aiming to make India a serious player in the global industrial biotech race.

India has often been called the “pharmacy of the world,” but with innovations like Loopworm’s, it may soon be known as the bio-factory of the future. By reimagining silkworms — creatures long associated with traditional textiles — as modern-day production engines, this Bengaluru-based startup is giving new meaning to Make in India.

And with global investors, cutting-edge tech, and a planet-friendly production model, Loopworm seems poised to redefine biotech — one silkworm at a time.