TOKYO -- Watching millions of squirming insect larvae devour animal manure is a stomach-churning experience, but Japanese startup Musca and its investors see money in the maggots.
The young company, established in 2016, aims to use "superflies" to turn a profit turning organic waste into fertilizer and animal feed. It is just one of many startups that are developing insect-based materials to address sustainability issues such as global warming, food security and the ever-rising mountains of plastic waste.