Insect protein
Highlights:
- Global insect protein patent filings have continued on a downward trend since a record high in 2020.
- South Korea remains the top source of filings, European activity has stabilised, and Japan and India are emerging as growth centres.
- Innovation among leading insect protein companies appears to be slowing as they shift focus from R&D to scaling up production capacity.
- There is a clear drive toward Black Soldier Fly innovation over Mealworms.
One factor behind the post-2020 decline is a drop in investment funding for the sector, which spiked in 2020 and peaked in 2022
Global patent data suggests that the innovation boom in insect-based proteins may be cooling off from its peak. The number of new patent applications for insect protein technologies surged in 2020 but have declined each year since, with annual volumes approaching a return to pre-pandemic levels.
Even so, the last few years still rank among the five most active on record for insect protein patenting, reflecting sustained interest despite recent headwinds.
One factor behind the post-2020 decline is a drop in investment funding for the sector, which spiked in 2020 and peaked in 2022, but dropped significantly in 2021, as well as in 2023.
A further decline is anticipated in 2024. This tightening of capital has likely tempered the pace of new patent filings.
Figure 1: global applications
Regional patent trends reveal a shifting global landscape. South Korea continues to file the most insect protein patents, driven in large part by domestic activity. Europe’s filings have leveled off to a steady rate after a surprise decrease in 2022, indicating a possible plateau in European innovation. In contrast, Japan reached its highest patent count in 15 years, signaling renewed momentum.
India is also on the rise – its 2023 application count jumped markedly, and early 2024 data show India may surpass its 2023 filings, hinting at a coming wave of innovation from the country (by comparison, an isolated spike of 15 filings in Indonesia in 2022 collapsed back to just 1 filing in 2023, suggesting that surge was a one-off event). These regional patterns underscore broader global engagement in insect protein R&D, even as the overall growth in filings has slowed.
To understand these patent trends in context, it is important to consider the state of the insect protein industry itself – both its promising potential and the hurdles it faces.
Insect protein’s promise and challenges
Insects and insect-derived proteins are widely seen as a promising source of sustainable food for humans and animals. Using insects as a food or feed source offers a way to tackle both global food insecurity and the climate crisis. Insect farming requires far less land, energy, and water than traditional livestock farming, resulting in a much lower environmental footprint. Recent studies indicate that producing edible insects emits up to 50 percent less greenhouse gases and ammonia than conventional livestock production. These advantages make insects an attractive alternative protein. However, multiple hurdles must be overcome for the insect-based food market to truly thrive.
One major challenge is consumer acceptance – especially in Western markets. In many parts of Asia, Africa, and Latin America, eating insects (from crickets to caterpillars) has long been part of the traditional diet. By contrast, Western consumers have been reluctant to embrace insects as food, largely due to psychological and cultural barriers. Surveys illustrate this gap: only about 10 percent of Europeans would be willing to replace meat with insects, according to one European Consumer Organisation poll, and a UK survey found just 1 in 7 Britons open to trying foods made with insect ingredients. Such hesitancy in North America and Europe remains a significant obstacle to market growth.
In addition, the regulatory environment for insect-based foods has been stringent. In the European Union, insects for human consumption are classified as “novel foods,” meaning they must undergo extensive safety evaluations and approval processes before reaching the market. These regulations, while important for food safety, add time and cost for companies developing insect protein products. Similar regulatory scrutiny exists in other Western markets, contributing to a slower rollout of insect-based foods.
Efforts are underway to overcome these hurdles. Industry groups like the International Platform of Insects for Food and Feed (IPIFF) are actively promoting insect farming and its benefits across the EU. As part of these efforts, IPIFF conducted a consumer survey that showed when people do try insect-enriched foods, the experience can be positive – 6 in 10 Europeans who sampled such products rated the taste as “very good”. This suggests that exposure and education could gradually chip away at prejudice against entomophagy (insect eating).
Regulators are also beginning to catch up with the trend. The European Commission has approved several insect species for human consumption under the Novel Food Regulation. Most recently, the EU authorised UV-treated mealworm powder as a food ingredient, allowing it to be incorporated into products like bread, pasta, pastries, and even meat substitutes. Each new approval expands the range of insect-based foods that companies can legally produce and sell. As these approvals accumulate, market analysts project rapid growth for the sector. In Europe alone, the edible insect market is forecast to reach nearly USD 3 billion by 2030, driven not only by novel consumer foods but also by rising demand for sustainable protein in animal feed and pet food.
Achieving this growth will depend on continued technological innovation. Efficient, scalable insect farming at an industrial level requires advances in automation (for breeding, feeding, and harvesting insects), high-quality feed inputs (often utilising organic waste streams), and processing technologies that can turn insects into palatable, safe food ingredients. Innovators must ensure that insect protein products meet strict food safety standards while also appealing to consumers in taste and texture. These needs are driving research and development in the field – as reflected in the global patent activity discussed below.
Despite the recent slowdown, it’s worth noting that patenting activity remains historically high. The 2021–2023 filing counts are three of the five largest ever in this sector.
Global patent filing trends
Looking at patent filings over the past decade, the insect protein sector experienced a clear inflection point around 2020. Patent activity climbed steadily in the late 2010s and then spiked to a record high in 2020, coinciding with a peak in investment and public attention on alternative proteins. Since that high-water mark, however, yearly filings have fallen sharply. 2021, 2022, and 2023 each saw fewer new patent applications than the previous year. This three-year decline has introduced some uncertainty into the patent landscape.
Several factors help explain this post-2020 decline. A primary one is the pullback in funding for insect protein ventures. Investment data compiled by think-tank Rethink Priorities shows that after a surge of capital in 2020, sector funding peaked in 2022 (around USD 539 million) and then dropped significantly in 2023 (to about USD 306 million). The 2021 dip in funding can be partly attributed to pandemic-related disruptions, and the continued decline by 2023 reflects broader economic challenges (e.g. investors becoming more cautious amid inflation and recession fears). With less money flowing into startups and R&D, the pace of patentable innovations naturally slowed. A further drop in investment is anticipated in 2024, suggesting the patent filing rate may remain subdued in the immediate future.
Another factor is the industry’s shift from exploration to execution. During the late 2010s up to 2020, many companies were refining core technologies – breeding systems, feed formulations, processing methods – driving high levels of patent filings. By the mid-2020s, several of the leading players began focusing on scaling up operations and commercial production, rather than foundational core technologies. We noted in previous years Inside Green Innovation reports that companies like Ÿnsect and Protix had pivoted to building huge production facilities (vertical insect farms) to mass-produce insect protein products. That trend is ongoing: for instance, Spanish firm Tebrio broke ground on a new facility touted as the “world’s largest” insect farm at the start of 2023. In short, some firms are busy scaling technology they’ve already patented, which can result in fewer new filings in the short term, even though scale-up often drives its own wave of innovation.
Despite the recent slowdown, it’s worth noting that patenting activity remains historically high. The 2021–2023 filing counts are three of the five largest ever in this sector. This suggests that while growth has cooled, the underlying innovation ecosystem for insect protein is still far more robust than it was a decade ago. The sector may be transitioning from an explosive growth phase into a more steady, mature phase of innovation.
Regional innovation patterns
By geography, Asia and Europe dominate insect protein innovation, but there are interesting shifts across regions. South Korea has consistently led the world in patent filings for insect protein technologies. In 2023 it once again produced the highest volume of applications, thanks in part to substantial domestic research efforts. Notably, many Korean filings are local applications within Korea only, reflecting a strong homegrown industry possibly bolstered by government support and policy initiatives. Korea’s output now seems to have settled at a high but steady annual level, rather than growing explosively year-on-year.
Figure 2: Year by jurisdiction
Europe, which includes the EU countries and UK, is the second-largest hub of insect protein patents. European filings surged through 2020 but then declined in 2022, an unexpected dip possibly linked to economic slowdowns or shifting investor priorities. Since that dip, Europe’s patent activity has stabilised. 2023 saw a comparable number of filings to 2022, indicating a potential new baseline level of innovation. This plateau might suggest that Europe’s insect protein sector is consolidating – the major players continue to file patents at a moderate pace, but the rapid expansion of a few years prior has tapered off.
Japan has re-emerged as a notable contributor. Patent filings originating from Japan reached a 15-year high recently. Early 2000s aside, Japan had been relatively quiet in this space for years; the new peak indicates a revival of interest. This could be driven by a mix of corporate initiatives (e.g. large Japanese companies exploring insect-based foods) and government-backed research into alternative proteins as Japan seeks sustainable food solutions. The data shows Japan is closing the gap on European rivals, reversing the recent trend.
Further notable growth is also occurring in India. Though starting from a low base, India’s patent filings for insect protein technologies have climbed in the past couple of years. In 2023, Indian applicants filed significantly more patents than prior years, and the momentum appears to be continuing: Q1 2024 filings already match all of 2023. This surge suggests that Indian startups and research institutions may be increasing investment in entomology and insect agriculture – potentially spurred by the country’s needs for sustainable animal feed and interest in emerging agri-food technologies. If this trend holds, it will be interesting to see whether India can become a major innovation center for insect protein in the coming years.
Leading innovators and top filers
The group of top patent filers in 2023 reflects both continuity and new entrants in the insect protein field. The Republic of Korea’s Rural Development Administration (RDA) – a government research agency – was the single most prolific filer, with 8 new priority applications in 2023. Close behind was the Korea Food Research Institute with 7 filings. These two Korean institutions have been long-standing leaders, underscoring Korea’s strong institutional support and focus on insect protein technology.
Figure 3: top filers (2012-2023)
The next tier of top filers included Farmecha Co. Ltd. (5 filings in 2023) and Panasonic (4 filings), both new entrants to the top-five ranks. Panasonic’s appearance is especially notable given that the Japanese electronics giant had no prior patent activity in this sector before 2023. Panasonic’s sudden interest in insect protein appears to have been catalysed by its internal “Game Changer Catapult” programme, which encourages employees to propose sustainable business ideas.
As a result of this initiative, Panasonic filed several patents related to insect-based food compositions and novel insect rearing and egg-collection systems. The company’s debut in the insect protein arena – tying for the fourth-largest filer globally – signals a potential broadening of the field to include large multinational players.
Rounding out the 2023 top five is Foodyworm Inc., a start-up (based in South Korea) that has shown steady growth in filings over the past few years. Foodyworm filed 4 new patents in 2023, up from 3 in 2022 and 2 in 2021. Its recent patent applications suggest the company’s focus areas: for instance, Foodyworm has developed an automated conveyor system for insect farming and an animal feed composition using black soldier fly protein designed to reduce allergic reactions in livestock. Such inventions highlight how top innovators are tackling both production efficiency (through automation) and product quality (enhancing the nutritional profile of insect-based feed).
While the top-filer list saw new names in 2023, it also reflected a slowdown among some established leaders. Industry pioneers like Ÿnsect (France) and Protix Biosciences (Netherlands), which in prior years were among the leading patent filers, were absent from the 2023 charts. This absence aligns with their recent strategic shifts. Ÿnsect, for example, has been dealing with financial challenges and delays in constructing its large-scale mealworm production farm in France, which likely curtailed its short-term R&D and patenting efforts. Protix, after securing a strong patent portfolio and opening a flagship insect farm in 2019, has turned its focus to expansion and partnerships – notably striking a deal with US agribusiness giant Tyson Foods to build a new insect protein facility in the United States.
The Tyson partnership aims to help replace soy protein in animal feed (reducing reliance on a crop linked to deforestation) by using insect meal, illustrating Protix’s pivot toward commercial implementation of its technology. These cases exemplify a broader shift from R&D to scale-up among top companies: after years of intensive innovation and patenting, they are now channelling resources into building production capacity, forming joint ventures, and bringing their products to market.
Black soldier flies vs. mealworms
Within insect protein production, black soldier fly (BSF) larvae and mealworm larvae (typically of the mealworm beetle, e.g. Tenebrio molitor) have emerged as the two key species farmed at scale. Each comes with its own advantages, and the industry has been watching closely to see which might dominate.
Both BSF and mealworms are used in animal feed and have potential for human food, and both have been consumed in traditional cultures. However, human consumption of black soldier flies (or their larvae) has historically been far less common than that of mealworms, which perhaps slowed early adoption of BSF for food. On the farming side, mealworm-rearing technology has a head start – methods for farming mealworms (for use in pet food, animal feed, etc.) are relatively well developed and have been scaled up in facilities in Europe and Asia. Black soldier flies, on the other hand, offer distinct environmental and practical advantages.
Notably, BSF larvae can be reared on a wide variety of organic waste streams (from food scraps to manure), converting low-value waste into high-protein biomass. They also have a rapid growth cycle and high feed conversion efficiency.
These traits make BSF an attractive option for sustainable protein production and waste reduction, even if the consumer food applications for BSF (e.g. in protein bars or powders) will require overcoming some “yuck factor” hurdles.
Figure 4a: priority (patent) filings (2002 - 2023) - black soldier fly
Figure 4b: priority (patent) filings (2002 - 2023) - mealworm
Investment patterns in the insect sector have recently tilted in favor of black soldier flies, reflecting these perceived advantages. According to analysis by Rethink Priorities, total investment in BSF-focused companies has now overtaken that for mealworm-focused companies, and a higher proportion of BSF ventures are still operational (suggesting stronger viability). This influx of capital to BSF startups has likely accelerated innovation in that area.
The patent data mirrors the investment trend. Around 2018–2019, patent filings related to black soldier fly technologies surged, and in subsequent years they have stayed well above the volume of mealworm-related patent filings. In fact, the rise and fall of BSF patent filings closely track the overall global pattern: a big jump leading up to 2020, then a leveling off at a high plateau. Mealworm filings have grown more slowly and remain at a lower baseline. This suggests that while both insects are important, BSF is currently the hotter area for innovation – likely due to its broad applicability in waste management and animal feed, and the strong interest from investors in scaling BSF farming. That said, mealworms continue to be developed for specialised uses (including human food products, where they have an edge in consumer acceptance so far), so we can expect both species to remain central to the insect protein sector.
Outlook and implications for a maturing industry
The patent and investment trends in insect protein signal that the field may be entering a new phase of maturity. The cooldown in patent filings after 2020 suggests that the initial frenzy of innovation is stabilising. In many ways, this is a natural progression: as core technologies (breeding systems, processing methods, etc.) become established, companies file fewer broad foundational patents and instead focus on incremental improvements and commercial deployment. The data “boom and bust” is (hopefully) not a sign of decline so much as a sign that the industry is working to translate innovation into practice.
Indeed, there are clear signs of industry maturation. Several of the early leaders are now operating or constructing large-scale production facilities and moving into commercialisation mode. For example, Ÿnsect and Protix – after years of R&D – have shifted to building out capacity (with Protix’s new partnership to supply Tyson Foods showing how insect protein is entering mainstream supply chains). Such moves suggest that insect protein is evolving from a niche R&D endeavor into a viable business on the cusp of scaling. We are also seeing cross-industry partnerships being forged (e.g. insect farming companies teaming up with big agrifood corporations), which can accelerate market adoption and infrastructure development.
At the same time, the entrance of a major multinational like Panasonic into insect protein R&D is an encouraging sign for the sector’s future. It indicates that interest in insect protein is broadening beyond dedicated startups and agricultural firms to include large technology-driven companies. Panasonic’s involvement, born from an internal sustainability initiative, could inspire other conglomerates to consider insect protein as part of their innovation and sustainability agendas. Such diversification of players bodes well for cross-pollination of ideas and could bring fresh technical approaches (for instance, automation and electronics expertise applied to insect farming).
In conclusion, the insect protein innovation landscape in 2025 is characterised by a slight downturn in new patent activity compared to its 2020 peak, but also by signs of consolidation and progress toward market viability. The post-2020 dip in filings appears linked to external factors like investment flows and an internal shift toward scaling up proven technologies. Regionally, innovation is spreading, with sustained strength in East Asia and notable growth in South Asia. Technologically, focus is converging on optimising a few key insect species (especially black soldier flies) and tackling practical challenges of mass production. The sector’s leading companies may be entering a scale-up phase, and new players are coming aboard, indicating that the field is moving beyond experimental stages into a period of implementation and growth. If current trends continue, we can hope to see insect protein to become an increasingly mainstream component of the global food and feed system.
The next few years may determine how quickly this promising industry can overcome its remaining challenges and realise its full potential.
Oliver Manners Trainee Patent Attorney
James Myatt Partner and Patent Attorney