NovFeed

Diana Orembe has been selected as part of UNICEF Innovation30: Young Innovators Shaping the Future.

Countries of Solution Deployment: Tanzania

Innovation Accelerator: Climate-KIC, European Union

Diana Orembe developed the technology to transform the aquaculture industry in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania's largest city. At 27, she's the co-founder and CEO of NovFeed, a groundbreaking biotech startup on the cusp of redefining fish farming.    

Using advanced bacterial techniques, NovFeed transforms discarded fruits and vegetables collected primarily from schools, universities, and markets into a valuable protein source for fish feed. Diana likens the process to brewing beer. To make NovFeed protein, the main ingredients used are agri-waste and bacteria cells. The protein replaces traditional fishmeal and soybean with a promising 80 per cent reduction in greenhouse gas emissions.    

Globally aquaculture faces significant challenges, especially in Tanzania, where there's an annual fish demand deficit of over 480,000 metric tons. The current feed used in aquaculture, comprising primarily of small fish like sardines and anchovies, is neither economically nor environmentally viable.        

NovFeed is affordable and sustainable, and the innovative protein makes the fish reach maturity and be sold in the market 40 per cent earlier than traditional feed methods. Farmers report a 25 per cent increase in profits. Where a considerable percentage of traditional feeds are lost through sinking to the bottom, Diana’s protein feed floats resulting in no feed loss at all. The solution was recently awarded the $1 million Grand Prize for winning the Milken-Motsepe Prize in AgriTech.    

Diana cannot wait to show her newborn daughter the powerful world of invisible microorganisms that will help address the climate crisis. She advises persistence, hard work, and faith. "Let's scale research out of... universities. Innovation is not supposed to end up on paper."