Virginia Emery is founder and CEO of Beta Hatch, a pioneering insect farming company that is industrializing insects for agriculture. Beta Hatch is fueled by a passion to see insects reach their true potential in our food systems. The company has grown to be internationally recognized for its scientific approach to scaling insect production, earning $4.6M in research contracts through the National Science Foundation and other agencies. The flagship Beta Hatch bug farm is located in Cashmere, WA and includes novel air handling systems to recapture waste heat from a neighboring data center to fuel the growth of its insects.
Virginia is the country’s most innovative insect entrepreneur, recognized as a Visionary Grist 50 Fixer working to solve climate challenges. Virginia has a PhD in entomology from the University of California, Berkeley, has been awarded over 20 grants and honors, and has published on subjects ranging from chemical communication to genetics to insect behavior. Her life’s mission is to breed a bug that tastes like bacon.