Enzootic

About Enzootic

Enzootic is a biotechnology company focused on the aquaculture industry, specifically on the production and marketing of its proprietary, all-female freshwater shrimp, the Queen Prawn™ (M. rosenbergii). Founded in 2012 by Assaf Shechter and Amir Sagi, the company operates with a vertically integrated business model, aiming to manage the entire supply chain from genetics to market. The company is headquartered in Singapore, with its genetics and innovation hub located in Israel and commercial production facilities in Thailand.

The core of Enzootic's business is its patented biotechnology for creating all-female shrimp populations. This technology, which utilizes parental cell transplantation and genomic selection tools, harnesses the natural sexual plasticity of crustaceans without employing hormones, chemicals, or genetic modifications. The primary benefit of farming monosex, all-female populations is the elimination of aggressive male shrimp, which leads to more uniform growth, higher survival rates, better feed conversion ratios, and the ability to farm at higher densities. This approach is designed to significantly improve the farming economics for the M. rosenbergii species, which has traditionally struggled to become a major part of the global farmed shrimp industry.

Enzootic serves aquaculture farmers by providing them with its proprietary postlarvae (seed animals). The company was preparing for a commercial launch of its Queen Prawn™ in 2022, selling directly to farmers at prices comparable to what they were already paying. By controlling the entire process, including the development of a proprietary nutritional formula called CRUST™, Enzootic guarantees traceability and quality for its premium product. The business model involves establishing hatcheries, with plans to build ten across Southeast Asia, and partnering with global seafood distributors to bring the Queen Prawn™, a delicacy in Southeast Asia, to new consumer markets. This strategy of promoting inland freshwater farming also aligns with a mission to offer a more sustainable alternative to ocean-based aquaculture, reducing the environmental impact on marine ecosystems.