By 2050, the world population will be at 9 billion, with a large concentration in the Mekong region. Traditional livestock farming cannot serve the estimated protein shortage of more than 60 million tons in 2025. Land and water resources are shrinking, creating a need for a new, sustainable protein source.  

Enter Cricket One, a Vietnam-based startup that is farming sustainably and drying crickets for protein. Using shipping containers integrated with their technology, crickets are bred in towers and monitored on a cloud-based system. Under these conditions, dried crickets are organic, 70% protein, and contain all essential amino acids.  The finished products are whole crickets and cricket flour.  

In addition, Cricket One is addressing the problem of farmer livelihood. Containers are leased out to farmers, enabling them to use their agricultural by-products. Farmers can improve their income and integrate best practices in agritech.  

Cricket One took first place at the MATCh Demo Day in Hanoi, Viet Nam. MATCh will continue to support this startup through mentorship, investment opportunities, and access to stakeholder networks.  

MATCh is a program of the Mekong Business Initiative, a development partnership sponsored by the Australian Government and the Asian Development Bank.