Cracking the code: How Orbem is changing poultry for good

A hard shell to crack 

The poultry sector depends on fast, accurate decisions. Hatcheries handle millions of eggs each week, and they need information that fits the pace of industrial lines. For decades, the industry lacked a practical way to understand what was happening inside each egg early enough to act on it. Without this insight, hatcheries faced both welfare challenges and unnecessary operational losses. 

Male chicks in layer breeds have no commercial use. Industry sources estimate that more than 330 million male chicks are culled in the European Union each year (1). This long-standing practice created economic strain and significant public concern. Early attempts at in ovo sexing could not solve the issue. They were too slow for commercial operations, too invasive, or too costly to run at scale. Manual screening created bottlenecks. Optical and chemical methods risked contamination or damage. None were reliable enough for full industrial adoption. 

The problem sat at the intersection of welfare, regulation, and efficiency. Producers needed a tool that could classify an embryo early in incubation, run at full hatchery speed, and fit into existing equipment without disrupting workflow. Until Orbem, no available solution met all three needs at once. 

Better welfare before the beak even forms 

Orbem’s technology addresses one of the most pressing welfare challenges in modern poultry production. Legislation introduced in Germany and France between 2022 and 2024 requires hatcheries to stop the culling of day-old male chicks. As more markets move in the same direction, the need for scalable, early in ovo sexing continues to increase. 

By classifying eggs early, hatcheries can adjust production planning with greater accuracy, redirect male embryos into alternative value streams, and avoid unnecessary late stage incubation. This reduces waste, lowers energy use, and prevents resources being spent on eggs that would otherwise be discarded. Because Orbem’s system is contactless and chemical free, it reduces contamination risks and avoids the material inputs associated with invasive or manual methods. 

The economic benefits follow directly. Better forecasting strengthens supply chains and reduces losses linked to unwanted hatching. The move toward early sex identification also helps producers stay aligned with regulatory changes and consumer expectations around welfare. As adoption grows, the technology contributes to cleaner hatchery operations with measurable reductions in waste and energy. 

Food for thought, fresh from the hatchery 

Innovation solves problems previously accepted as unavoidable. 
 Orbem shows how a long standing welfare issue can be addressed when research is paired with new technology and clear market insight. 

Impact grows when founders have the right support at the right time. 
 Miguel’s journey through EIT Food’s programmes shows how structured guidance and early validation can speed up progress and build investor confidence. 

Breakthroughs matter most when they work in real production. 
 Orbem’s success with Vencomatic demonstrates how industrial validation turns a promising idea into a practical, scalable solution. 

Welfare improvements can strengthen, not weaken, commercial performance. 
 Cleaner operations, fewer losses, and better forecasting benefit producers as much as they benefit animals. 

Deep tech scales when diverse expertise comes together. 
 Orbem’s growth across AI, engineering, biology, and hardware illustrates how solving complex agricultural problems requires multidisciplinary teams. 

Shelling out serious results 

Orbem sits in a sector with huge global scale. The poultry industry incubates more than 80 billion eggs every year, and layer hatcheries alone handle billions that require early, accurate decisions.(4) Current in ovo sexing solutions only reach a small share of the global market. This leaves room for large operational, economic, and welfare gains as adoption grows. 

Changes in legislation have already triggered a rapid shift toward early sex identification. Other major markets are preparing similar rules. As more regions commit to phasing out the culling of day-old male chicks, demand for fast, non-invasive screening will rise.  

And the technology extends far beyond poultry. Any sector that needs high speed, non-destructive screening could adopt the platform. This includes other livestock, aquaculture, seed optimisation, and industrial quality control. The potential market expands sharply when you account for these applications.  

With the right support, Orbem could scale far faster than the sector has ever seen. Producers looking for efficiency gains are searching for technology that gives them clean data without slowing operations. Orbem is positioned to meet all of these needs. The next phase will involve expanding manufacturing capacity, deepening partnerships with hatcheries, and adapting the platform for other high-value biological products. If these steps move at pace, Orbem’s technology could become a standard across thousands of sites worldwide. That level of adoption would cut waste, improve welfare outcomes, and bring a new generation of AI-enabled screening tools into mainstream food production. 

1. https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/media/68a3317f32d2c63f8693439f/FOI2024_12601_-_Annex_F.pdf  
2. https://www.vencomaticgroup.com/in-ovo-sexing-hatchery 
3. https://tech.eu/2023/10/11/orbem-raises-eur30m-to-expand-ai-powered-imaging-in-food-construction-and-medical-sectors/ 
4. https://innovateanimalag.org/market-penetration-forecast