The Shift
The Old Way: Trucking Waste to Distant Landfills
Organic waste is collected and trucked long distances to centralized facilities or landfills, generating emissions while wasting nutrients.
- Organic waste generates methane in landfills (25x worse than CO2)
- Trucking waste long distances burns fossil fuels
- Nutrients in food waste are lost rather than cycled
- Centralized composting requires large land areas
The New Way: On-Site Insect Processing
Goterra deploys modular, automated insect farming units directly where waste is generated. Black soldier fly larvae consume the waste and become protein-rich feed.
- Robotic, modular units fit in parking spaces
- Process waste within 10km of generation
- Larvae convert waste to protein in 14 days
- Outputs: animal feed protein + organic fertilizer
The Story
Founded in 2016 by Olympia Yarger, who saw black soldier flies as the missing link in closing the loop on food waste.
Goterra operates modular insect farms that process organic waste using black soldier fly larvae.
Proof Points
Volume reduction of organic waste processed
From waste input to protein output
Total investment including Series A
Modular units operating across Australia
Deep Dive
Innovation
Goterra's innovation is making insect farming automated and distributed. Each unit is a self-contained, robotic system that requires minimal human intervention.
Circular Model
The system creates two valuable outputs: protein-rich larvae for animal feed (replacing soy and fishmeal) and frass (insect excrement) as organic fertilizer.
Community Impact
By processing waste locally, Goterra reduces truck movements and enables businesses to handle their own waste streams sustainably.
Business Results
Goterra has deployed units across Australia including at IKEA, and is expanding internationally. The company has raised over A$30M in funding.
Key Takeaway
The future of waste management might be decentralized, biological, and hungry. Goterra shows that the best recycling facility could fit in a shipping container.
Founder Pathway
Each unit costs significant capital; need 5-10 units to prove model
Best for technical founders with waste management or agriculture background
Novel food regulations around insect protein vary by country; evolving