Elmentoz Research wins Startup Mahakumbh Grand Challenge Award 2025 for revolutionizing animal feed industry

Bhubaneswar, April 8: In a landmark recognition of innovation and impact, Elmentoz Research, a cutting-edge deeptech biotech startup, has been declared the winner of the prestigious Startup Mahakumbh Grand Challenge Award 2025.

The award was presented by Piyush Goyal, Minister of Industry & Supply, Government of India, for Elmentoz’s pioneering efforts to transform the animal feed industry with antibiotic-free solutions—addressing one of the world’s most pressing health threats: antimicrobial resistance (AMR) transmitted through the food chain.

The award ceremony took place at Bharat Mandapam, New Delhi, during Startup Mahakumbh, held from April 3rd to 5th, 2025. The event witnessed India’s largest gathering of entrepreneurial talent, featuring over 3,000 exhibitors, 10,000 startups, 1,000 investors, incubators, and accelerators, and more than 50,000 business visitors from India and abroad. The showcase included groundbreaking technologies across AgriTech, Climate Tech, BioTech, HealthTech, AI, Cybersecurity, FinTech, and more.

Founded by renowned biotechnologist and technocrat-turned-entrepreneur Dr. Jayashankar Das, Elmentoz is redefining sustainable animal nutrition through insect-based protein solutions. Utilizing Black Soldier Fly (BSF) biotechnology, the company converts organic waste into high-quality protein, oil, and biofertilizer. Elmentoz’s functional proteins, enriched with antimicrobial peptides, offer a cost-effective, eco-friendly alternative to antibiotic-laced animal feeds.

Elmentoz’s innovations serve poultry, aquafeed, and pet food industries with precision smart proteins—custom-designed to enhance nutrition and manage disease at the micro level. These next-generation feed solutions are designed to reduce antibiotic usage, lower production costs, and promote sustainability in animal farming—ushering in a new era for India’s poultry and aquaculture sectors.

The company’s technologies are supported by several patents and have garnered multiple prestigious grants, including BIRAC’s BIG Grant, Startup India Seed Fund, NRDC-DSIR TDVC Grant, I4F Indo-Israel Grant, HDFC Parivartan Eco-Innovate Grant, and MeitY Leap Ahead Cohort, underscoring its strong R&D foundation and global potential.

Now, Elmentoz is poised to set up India’s largest commercial facility for producing precision smart proteins, targeting both domestic and international markets. At full scale, the facility will manage 2.4 million metric tons of organic waste and reduce 300,000 tons of CO₂ emissions annually—positioning Elmentoz as a frontrunner in climate-smart biotechnology.