Project summary

EntoMetrics Africa is an offline-first, telemetry-driven research initiative establishing thermal management standards and an evidence base for humane processing in commercial Black Soldier Fly (BSF) production in East Africa. BSF farming is expanding rapidly across the Global South to replace expensive protein feeds like soy and fishmeal, but deep rearing bins frequently hit lethal temperature spikes (38°C+). Because larvae cannot escape the heat inside crowded bins, millions die from thermal asphyxiation before harvest.

EntoMetrics Africa deploys ruggedized IoT probes directly into substrate bins, linked to an offline 2G SMS alert system. When heat spikes occur, farm staff get an automated text instantly so they can mix, vent, or turn the bins before losing a batch.

Over 12 months, our multi-disciplinary team—combining local hardware engineering, agricultural data systems, and independent biostatistical oversight—will deploy these sensor units across 25 commercial BSF facilities in the Greater Nairobi area handling roughly 3 billion larvae annually. By triggering active SMS interventions at the 38°C threshold, we target a 15% reduction in pre-harvest larval thermal mortality across our partner network.

Beyond protecting farmer yields on the ground, we are gathering the continuous, multi-site microclimate dataset needed to submit formal insect welfare and thermal management guidelines to the Kenya Bureau of Standards (KEBS) for code KS 2924, establishing a high-leverage policy blueprint for the broader region.

What are this project's goals? How will you achieve them?

Our main goal is to reduce pre-harvest larval mortality by 15% across our pilot network and translate our field telemetry into Kenya's national agricultural standard.

Phase 1: Research, Product Foundation & Field Preparation (Months 1–3): Review BSF thermal-tolerance literature to confirm the 38°C alert threshold and stocking density decision rules. Assemble and calibrate 316 stainless-steel SHT31-D substrate probes with PTFE membranes and 2G SMS gateway modules. Recruit 25 commercial facilities in Nairobi, Kiambu, and Machakos, signing partnership agreements and auditing historical mortality baselines.

Phase 2: Pilot, Measurement & Validation (Months 4–6): Install sensors to log baseline temperature and mortality before alerts are activated. Fernán Gizzi signs off cluster sample size and power calculations before alerts go live. Audit operator response to alerts and run a mid-pilot mortality review as a decision point for KEBS.

Phase 3: Evidence Generation & Expansion Preparation (Months 7–9): Execute the comparative processing assay across randomized cohorts with blinded video scoring. Model cost per larva spared and prepare the secondary-facility onboarding pipeline.

Phase 4: Year-End Impact & Policy Submission (Months 10–12): Finalize endline mortality measurements against baseline, complete final scientific review, and publish the First-Year Impact Report. Submit micro-climate and assay datasets to KEBS to inform code KS 2924.

How will this funding be used?

We are requesting $100,000 for full 12-month pilot execution and multi-disciplinary team deployment:

• Core Team Salaries (12 Months) ($45,000): 3.0 FTE-equivalent (~$15,000 per FTE-year) covering Clinton Adoga (Executive Director & Lead Founder), Mary Wairimu (Operations & Field Data Lead), and Paul Murani (IoT & Systems Engineer)

• Hardware & IoT Telemetry Deployment ($28,000): 25 primary sites plus spares (~$1,120 per primary site all-in) covering SHT31-D sensors with PTFE membranes, grade-316 stainless-steel sleeves, and 2G SMS gateway modules.

• Scientific Advisory — Fernán Gizzi ($18,000): Deliverable-based (~60 hours) line covering protocol design, assay setup, statistical analysis plan, and final scientific review.

• Assay Execution & Lab Audits ($6,000): Comparative slaughter trials, blinded video scoring infrastructure, site transport, and facility audit logistics.

• Administrative & Regulatory Contingency ($3,000): KEBS stakeholder roundtables, legal partnership frameworks, and operational buffers.

Who is on your team? What's your track record on similar projects?

1. Clinton Adoga (Executive Director & Lead Founder): Agritech entrepreneur and former Co-Founder and CEO of AgriGlow (acquired by KALRO). Leads field mapping, high-level commercial facility partnerships, stakeholder relationships, and KEBS engagement.

2. Fernán Gizzi (Independent Scientific & Data Advisor — Part-time, remote from Argentina): PhD candidate in Biological Sciences (IBR-CONICET / Universidad Nacional de Rosario), Assistant Professor of Physical Chemistry (UNR), and Co-founder & CTO of Agrosintex. Designs the statistical analysis plan, determines power calculations, defines welfare endpoints, and provides final scientific review.

3. Paul Murani (IoT & Systems Engineer — On the ground, Kenya): Systems and specialized embedded electronics engineer focusing on low-power microcontrollers, cellular telemetry modules, and ruggedized agricultural sensors in off-grid East African environments. Manages hardware assembly, probe calibration, SMS gateway firmware, and telemetry uptime.

4. Mary Wairimu (Operations & Field Data Lead — On the ground, Kenya): Agricultural data systems and field operations specialist managing on-farm trial administration, enumerator management, daily data collection, and quantitative monitoring in Kenya.

What are the most likely causes and outcomes if this project fails?

Risk 1: Operators ignore automated SMS alerts. Fix: SMS delivery and operator response latencies are monitored from Month 4; if engagement lags, alert wording is reframed around direct financial biomass loss per batch.

Risk 2: Corrosive bin conditions destroy sensors. Fix: We use ruggedized grade-316 stainless-steel sleeves and SHT31-D sensors equipped with PTFE membranes, logging drift and failure rates continuously from Month 2.

Risk 3: KEBS adoption takes longer than 12 months. Outcome: Even if formal policy approval moves slowly, the 25 partner farms keep using the telemetry system as a commercial yield-protection tool, yielding a robust real-world dataset to anchor regional expansion.

How much money have you raised in the last 12 months, and from where?

$0, purely a new Organisation