Dentsu Inc. Ventures, the venture fund operated by Dentsu Inc., has invested in Exo, a U.S. company developing health foods using cricket flour (protein extracted from crickets).

On April 25, Dentsu Ventures 1 Global Fund (Dentsu Ventures), a corporate venture capital fund managed by Dentsu Inc., announced an investment in Exo Inc., a U.S. company developing health foods using Cricket Flower, a protein powder extracted from crickets.

Dentsu Ventures, established in April last year, is a fund designed to realize open innovation within the Dentsu Group. It achieves this through investing in ambitious startups creating unseen futures and collaborating with portfolio companies. Beyond funding, it supports businesses and entrepreneurs by providing solutions and resources unique to the Dentsu Group for tackling challenges. Exo Inc. became its sixth investment.

Founded in 2014, Exo Inc. develops Cricket Flower—a high-purity protein extracted, purified, and powdered from crickets using proprietary technology—and uses this material to create highly nutritious, sustainable health foods and food ingredients, such as the protein bar "exo." Currently, it sells eight varieties of protein bars in the U.S.: Coconut, Banana Bread, Apple Cinnamon, Blueberry Vanilla, Peanut Butter & Jelly, Barbecue, Mango Curry, and Olive. Under the supervision of a Michelin three-star chef, the company plans to further expand the range of applications for cricket flour as a food ingredient.

Dentsu Inc. Ventures believes the value of sustainable foods with low environmental impact will continue to grow as a solution to food issues becoming more apparent due to global population growth.

Going forward, the Dentsu Group will support the promotion and expansion of exo's innovative, future-oriented health foods, as well as the development of new business opportunities by the company.

Product images of "exo" and an overview of exo and Dentsu Inc. Ventures are as follows.

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