
Objective
New Investment
Investment stage
Venture Capital
New Business model
Alternative Proteins
Case Study
D’ORNANO + CO. PERFORMED HYBRID GROWTH DILIGENCE FOR AN INVESTOR CONSIDERING A LATE-STAGE VENTURE CAPITAL INVESTMENT IN THE WORLD’S LARGEST FUNDRAISING TO DATE IN THE SPACE OF ALTERNATIVE PROTEINS
The investor wanted to make a late-stage investment in a business that operates large vertical insect farms. The company has developed, through years of research, a proprietary method for breeding mealworms and then processing them to create premium organic alternative proteins. This protein source can be used by customers as the basis for products such as fertilizers, pet food, and human food. This insect-based protein has a positive environmental impact because it is less carbon-intensive to produce than traditional meat-based protein, yet still offers equivalent nutritional value. By leveraging at scale the natural qualities of mealworms, the company has been able to provide farmers and food markets high-quality products while promoting sustainability. The company needed to fund its growth while strategically refocusing to reach profitability faster.