
Bug Mars is a Canadian agtech startup that provides an AI-powered insect farm management platform called Hexapod. Hexapod uses machine learning and computer vision to monitor insect farms 24/7, tracking pests, hatch cycles, environmental conditions, and insect counts in real time. The platform automates farm management tasks, issues alerts for potential problems, supports A/B testing, and generates export-ready compliance reports. Hexapod continuously improves its predictive accuracy by learning from farm data, helping insect farmers reduce mortality, increase productivity, and streamline operations. Bug Mars positions itself as an Entomologist-as-a-Service (EaaS) provider, targeting the growing sustainable protein market with scalable, data-driven insect farming solutions. The company has gained recognition through accelerator programs, industry awards, and partnerships with organizations like NVIDIA and MassChallenge, reflecting traction and market validation in the agtech and alternative protein sectors.

Bug Mars is a Canadian agtech startup that provides an AI-powered insect farm management platform called Hexapod. Hexapod uses machine learning and computer vision to monitor insect farms 24/7, tracking pests, hatch cycles, environmental conditions, and insect counts in real time. The platform automates farm management tasks, issues alerts for potential problems, supports A/B testing, and generates export-ready compliance reports. Hexapod continuously improves its predictive accuracy by learning from farm data, helping insect farmers reduce mortality, increase productivity, and streamline operations. Bug Mars positions itself as an Entomologist-as-a-Service (EaaS) provider, targeting the growing sustainable protein market with scalable, data-driven insect farming solutions. The company has gained recognition through accelerator programs, industry awards, and partnerships with organizations like NVIDIA and MassChallenge, reflecting traction and market validation in the agtech and alternative protein sectors.
Product: Hexapod — AI-powered insect farm management platform using machine learning and computer vision
Founded / HQ: 2021; Ontario, Canada
Founders / Leadership: Natalie (Nat) Duncan, Co‑founder & CEO; Seth Hardy, Co‑founder & CTO
Funding signals: Early rounds in 2023; grant Feb 13, 2024; Dealroom lists a $1.5M Seed (May 2025)
Team size (reported): 4 employees
Operational inefficiencies, mortality and scaling challenges in insect-based protein production (insect farming operations and compliance).
2021
Agritech / Biotechnology
Listed on Crunchbase as Pre-Seed; Forum Ventures shown as lead.
Listed on Crunchbase as Non-Equity Assistance with MassChallenge.
100000.00 USD
Crunchbase lists a Grant on this date with Cultivator; total funding reported as 100000.00 USD with last funding date 2024-02-13 in provided snapshot.
1.5M USD
Dealroom lists a Seed round of $1.5M (May 2025).
“Forum Ventures; Right Side Capital Management; MassChallenge; Cultivator”