Harnessing the Power of Insect Senses
Unravelling the mystery of how insects smell led to a ground-breaking discovery - a panel of synthesized insect receptors could be used to create a device to smell and taste chemical compounds. Scentian Bio was formed to create a novel technology for commercial use in medical, food or industrial settings.
Dr Andrew Králíček, spent the past 19 years at Plant & Food Research determining how smell receptors in insects work. These receptors are the result of 400 million years of evolution and enable insects to easily find mates, detect predators, find food, or where to lay eggs with their receptors. Kralicek’s team investigated whether insect smell receptors could be combined with electronics to create an “insect nose/tongue”. A new technology developed from this research is the basis of new company Scentian Bio.
“We know this technology detects volatile organic chemicals which is the basis of a completely new sensor technology. We discovered that no one else can do this,” explains Andrew. “This is deep tech, hard-core science that will have a massive impact as we have developed a tool to detect and analyse complex aroma and taste profiles. That means that we could use the technology to detect variation in water, wine or food quality for example, or even detect the presence of disease in humans.”
Real-world applications
“We are starting with the flavour industry because that seems to be the simplest place to start and this has the potential to be a game changer there. There is a real need there for a matching tool, to look at quality control of raw materials coming into flavour houses, and the products going out to customers.”
The Scentian Bio device can match flavour profiles refined by human tasting panels, and create a ‘fingerprint’ for the profile so it can be assessed and recreated precisely.
“Once we’ve demonstrated it works, we can go in all sorts of directions, which is what makes this sort of platform technology so exciting,” Králíček says. “There are medical diagnostic applications, such as detecting cancer on your breath. It could be used to detect environmental hazards such as gases, or biosecurity hazards such as disease. It could be used to tell when cattle are in heat, or to test water quality.”
There is also a speed advantage, with the device able to provide results in minutes, instead of waiting for results from centralised labs.
While other methods of mimicking nature have been tried before, Scentian Bio has gone a step further by synthesising the real thing. “We are bringing a whole new way of looking at the world to the market that has the ability to keep learning and getting better.”
The business has partnered, and undertaken a pilot programme, with San Diego based company Cardea Bio, makers of graphene transistor nano chips, to host the receptor technology.
“The next 18 months is all about proving the technology; demonstrating that it works. Then it’s productising it for industry. First in the flavour industry, but then hopefully well beyond that.”
Turning research into a business
Scentian Bio spun out as a commercial venture from Plant & Research, with backing from Sprout Agritech, a Technology Incubator. The business went through Sprout’s accelerator first to determine how best to commercialise its discovery and is now partnered with Sprout as part of Callaghan Innovation’s Tech Incubator programme to ensure it is well supported in its grand vision for the future.
As part of the Tech Incubator partnership, Sprout Agritech has two seats on the Scentian Bio board, and Scentian Bio has access to entrepreneurial expertise, access to international markets and experts, as well as crucial capital networks.
Sprout Agritech investment manager Warren Bebb says the appeal of Scentian Bio for the Technology Incubator is that it is world-leading deep tech that, crucially, has real-world applications.
“It is a platform technology that can be applied in so many ways and have so much benefit,” Bebb says.
Like so many young, innovative companies, one of the challenges Scentian Bio will face is raising capital and an understanding of commercialisation strategies for scaling globally, which is where Sprout Agritech can be particularly helpful as a Tech Incubator partner.
“A company with the goals that Scentian has, is going to require a lot of capital. With a young company there is so much to do and capital raising can take so much time.
“We can facilitate the best way to raise capital for the business through our own connections and experience, without it being a huge drain on their time. They can get on with the things they’re good at. We can get alongside those founders and design a capital raise process that is really going to work for them, taking advantage of the great network we have.”
For Andrew Králíček the Tech Incubator relationship also helps him develop as an entrepreneur.
“I want to keep growing and step out of the lab and this helps me do that. Not that many people do make the jump over from the technical side. But scientists can do this kind of thing - we’re not just lab boffins!”
New Zealand’s Technology Incubator programme supports deep tech innovators to turn their complex products and technologies into high growth ventures. Under the new programme, and through official incubators, deep tech startups can access funding of at least $1,000,000, strong breadth and depth of commercialisation support, and international and local connections.
New Zealand’s Technology Incubator Programme and core venture funding, is powered by Callaghan Innovation, New Zealand’s innovation agency.
Notes to the Editor about Sprout and its Partners:-
Sprout
Sprout is a seed-stage investor and accelerator that exclusively focuses on agtech and foodtech. Sprout backs agtech and foodtech businesses and entrepreneurs who are committed to building solutions for global problems affecting the ag and food production systems. Sprout has $1 million of funding for seed-stage companies that have unique vision of how to solve ag and foods’ big problems and want investment partners to make their vision a reality. sproutagritech.com Sprout’s investor group, Finistere Ventures, Our Crowd and Fonterra, with the support of Callaghan Innovation has sufficient resources to complete 40 investments.
Callaghan Innovation
New Zealand’s Technology Incubator programme supports deep tech innovators to turn their complex products and technologies into high growth ventures. Under the new programme, and through official incubators, deep-tech start-ups can access funding of up to $1,000,000, strong breadth and depth of commercialisation support, international and local connections. New Zealand’s Technology Incubator Programme and core venture funding, is powered by Callaghan Innovation, New Zealand’s innovation agency.
Plant & Food Research
At Plant & Food Research, we believe science can create a better future. By finding smarter, greener options today, we’re helping secure the world we want to live in tomorrow.
With our partners, we use world-leading science to improve the way they grow, fish, harvest and share food. Every day, we have 1000 people working across Aotearoa New Zealand and the world to help deliver healthy foods from the world’s most sustainable systems.
New fruits, better grains, smarter use of chemicals, stronger biosecurity, higher yields, exciting foods, great nutrition, reduced waste.
We answer complex biological questions; we design innovative products and technologies; and we look over the horizon for new ways to grow a smart green future.
Source: Callaghan Innovation
Read original article here: https://www.callaghaninnovation.govt.nz/harnessing-power-insect-senses