2024 ReFED Food Waste Solutions Summit

Ian Banks manages external relations, regulatory and compliance, quality assurance, R&D, and intellectual property for PreZero’s Organics division. PreZero’s Organics business is focused on finding closed loop solutions for food loss and waste from producers, manufacturers, distributors, restaurants, and retail outlets. Ian is passionate about scaling up insect agriculture as a solution to various environmental and sustainability challenges.

Ian has worked on using black soldier fly technology to valorize various waste streams for twelve years, in both academia and industry. He has a PhD in Entomology and Sanitation, an MSc in Medical Entomology, and a BSc in Parasitology. Ian worked for the company AgriProtein, an innovator in upcycling food waste into insect-derived products, between 2014 and 2021. He helped commercialize large-scale black soldier fly technology by working on foundational research, product development, project management, fundraising, PR and media relations, and business development. Ian joined PreZero in 2021 and currently holds the position of Organics Recycling Manager.