Re-engineering the
African Bioeconomy
Awtside was founded to eliminate agricultural supply chain dependency and landfill emissions in West Africa. We believe the local feed crisis is a logistics and bio-engineering problem that can be solved elegantly using native insect bioconversion vectors.
Zero Waste, Low Imports
Diverting every kg of organic waste from Lagos landfills and transforming it into local feed resources to insulate poultry farmers from currency shocks.
Closing the Nutrient Loop
Farming yields depend on active soil and high-quality feeds. However, traditional feeds in Nigeria rely heavily on imported fishmeal and soy, exposing farmers to severe currency swings.
By collecting market rejects and waste directly before they decompose in landfills, we eliminate toxic leachate and methane emissions while creating high-protein insect feeds. It's a localized, self-sustaining loop.
- ✓YALI Regional Leadership CenterSelected Regional Leadership fellow (2024).
- ✓Green StartupsClimate-tech startup scale mentoring (2025).
- ✓Agriinnovation ChallengeTop 10 Finalists in the challenge by NCIC and GAIN (2025).
- ✓Zuri Circle CohortUnion Bank and Alpher sponsored growth acceleration program (2026).
Our Timeline
Inception & Fellowship
Awtside was established, immediately selected for the Young African Leaders Initiative (YALI) Regional Leadership Center.
Ajah Pilot Facility
Sourced and launched the operational pilot site in Ajah, Lagos State, actively processing organic waste.
Green Startups Selection
Inducted into the Climate & Sustainability Green Startups, aligning our carbon calculations.
Agriinnovation Challenge
Recognized as a Top 10 finalist in the challenge organized by NCIC and GAIN.
Union Bank Zuri Circle
Selected for the Alpher-sponsored Fearless Female Founders cohort, accelerating our capital strategies.
Epe Scaling
Acquired land in Epe for commercial bioconversion, targetting 2,000 kg/day capacity scalability.
Larvae Metabolism
Black Soldier Fly (Hermetia illucens) larvae are unmatched bioconverters. In their 14-day feeding cycle, they increase their weight by 5,000 times, reducing organic waste volume by up to 80%.
Pathogen Elimination
BSF larvae possess high-pH digestive enzymes and antimicrobial peptides that actively suppress pathogens. Testing confirms 99.9% reductions in Salmonella and E. coli.
Lagos Market Logistics
We coordinate directly with local market unions and food processors in Lagos to secure clean, non-contaminated organic vegetable and grain rejects.