New Sources of Novel
Bioactive Ingredients
for Food & Feed
Our Mission
To develop new biotech-centric, high-value products based on Black Soldier Fly (BSF) derived ingredients that generate a growing impact on global food and feed security.
Through novel BSF strains with unique properties tailored to specific high-value products/applications, NeoManna develops premium, BSF derived products for livestock, aquaculture and for future human use.
Core purpose
To integrate an array of biotech, AI, entomology and agricultural proficiencies, that create premium agro-technological solutions such as feed additives, BSF colony management, BSF genetics and modular SME (Small Medium Entity) solutions that will revolutionize the global livestock and aquaculture value chains.
The Problem
Constant Demand for Protein
The average human must consume 10% to 35% protein in their daily calorie intake. Humans depend heavily on meat as their protein of choice, as seen in 2018 stats. Annual meat consumption is 346.14 million tons globally.
High Environmental Cost
Current animal protein sources for nutrition and feed come at a high environmental cost to water, land resources, and carbon emissions. This is neither sustainable nor viable for the future.
Our Solution
By enhancing global food security through novel feed additives, BSF colony management, BSF genetics and modular SME solutions, we will generate valuable strategic collaborations with both industrial and commercial players and with leading academic institutions in the BSF space.
We believe that our collaboration in BSF genetics for the purpose of developing application-specific BSF strains, will be key in turning BSF into the next valuable “farm animal”, with a powerful impact on the next-generation of food and feed products.
Our Applications
Premium-Value Feed Additives
BSF Colony Management
BSF Genetics
Modular SME (Small/Medium Entity) solutions
Our Collaborations
The BSF consortium recently formed by the Israeli Government, aims to grow and connect the different BSF industry players with forward-thinking and progressive infrastructures required to establish a more impactful BSF industry in Israel. NeoManna has taken its place as a key member in this BSF consortium, and is spearheading the development and progress of the BSF industry in Israel while collaborating with other companies.
The Israeli ecosystem is comprised from an array of young, impactful companies operating in different areas within the BSF research, development and production spaces.
The BSF consortium recently formed by the Israeli Government aims to grow and connect the different BSF industry players with forward-thinking and progressive infrastructures required to establish a more impactful BSF industry in Israel. NeoManna has taken its place as a key member in this BSF consortium, and is spearheading the development and progress of the BSF industry in Israel while collaborating with other companies.
NeoManna aims to create strong partnerships with industry leaders and academic research centers to create a future circular economy platform for a variety of high-value food, feed, crop protection, cosmetics and pharmaceutical applications. This is why NeoManna stepped in as the successor of BioBee in the BSF arena. We are building on the pioneering intellectual property and novel know-how generated by BioBee in the BSF space.
BioBee Ltd. (www.biobee.com) is an Israeli company focused on the production of beneficial insects for the benefit of agriculture and mankind. BioBee was amongst the first to launch BSF- centric operations back in 2014.
NeoManna recognizes the impact and unique value of Biobee’s work. Our combined vision focuses on new biotech-centric, premium-value products based on BSF by-products that will generate a growing impact on global food and feed security.
The Team
Amir Barzilay
CEO
Amir Barzilay brings over 35 years of entrepreneurial and executive management experience in the life science arena. During the past 20 years, Amir spent most of his professional time in CEO positions in an array of Agtech and Foodtech companies, including Evogene (NASDAQ: EVGN), Nutrinia, Novofeed and Vital Technologies. Amir was also the co-founding Chairman of Applisonix, a medical device company, which went public in the Tel Aviv Stock Exchange in 2006 (TASE: APLX). Amir Barzilay studied Computer Science in the Hadassah Community College in Jerusalem, and is a graduate of Economics from the Hebrew University in Jerusalem.
Gal Yarden, PhD
CSO
Dr. Gal Yarden brings over 30 years of entrepreneurial, scientific and executive management experience in the Agbiotech arena. In 2007, Gal was a co-founder and VP Business Development of Beeologics, an RNAi pioneering company, which was acquired by Monsanto in 2011. Gal then spent the following 8 years in senior scouting and business development operations within Monsanto, retiring when Monsanto merged with Bayer Crop Sceince. Dr. Gal Yarden is an investor in over 20 companies in the Agbiotech and Foodtech arenas, and serves as a Board Member in a number of them. Dr. Yarden is also amongst the 5 co-founders of the AgChimedes group, the holding company of NeoManna. Gal Yarden holds a Ph.D. in Chemistry from the Ben Gurion University in the Negev.
Nissim Konforty
Co Founder
Nissim Konforty is an experienced business executive in the field of fertilizers and plant protection. Nissim held senior management positions at executive corporate level and in their subsidiaries at Makhteshim Agan (since named Adama) and ICL – Israel Chemicals, both global leading companies in the agrochemical market. He is a lecturer at the Tel Aviv University on the globalization of the Israeli industry. Nissim Konforty has been involved in BSF R&D since 2014 as a consultant to BioBee (Kibbutz Sdeh Eliahu]. Nissim Konforty is a co-founder of the NGO ISMK “Insects in the Service of Man Kind”
Yuval Bar on
COO
Yuval Bar On is an experienced Chief Operations Officer with a 20 year track record of leadership in various industries within large corporations.
He is highly skilled in supply chain optimization, plant operations, and implementing new technologies and equipment.
He possesses a strong background in environmental and sustainability projects and has consistently led innovative teams to enhance performance in R&D projects. Moreover, he has a wealth of expertise in scaling up products and processes from lab-scale to full industrial production.
Over the past seven years, Yuval has developed unique expertise in the agricultural company BioBee Biological Systems Ltd,
which stands as one of the leading international companies in the field of biological pest control.
Yuval led the establishment of a facility dedicated to mass breeding of the Black Soldier Fly, positioning himself as an industry pioneer in developing alternative protein and oil derived from this fly to address future shortages.
He also established a revolutionary indoor facility for the mass rearing of Phytoseiulus persimilis, a predatory mite known for its incredible effectiveness against spider mites. The breakthrough was achieved by implementing a new alternative food system.
As a result of his unwavering commitment to operational excellence and strategic thinking, he has developed a solid reputation within his industry.
Gal Vitenberg, phD
VP R&D
Dr. Wittenberg is an experienced researcher in both industry and academia. His extensive industry experience in natural product R&D spans from active ingredients for the cosmetics industry to pioneering advances in crop protection. Dr. Wittenberg holds a BSc in Food Engineering from the Technion and a PhD in Protein Biochemistry from the Weizmann Institute of Science. His academic foundation was further broadened as a post-doctoral fellow at the Max-Planck institute, working on protein complexes in plants.
