The Success Story of Najeeb Bin Haneef and his startup Zaara Biotech

Najeeb Bin Haneef is the founder and CEO of Zaara Biotech, a Thrissur-based firm that is working to develop microalgae-based food items to combat hunger. It contains Spirulina-based B-lite cookies, which are sold commercially in India.
Haneef founded Zaara Biotech when he was a biotechnology engineering student at the Sahrdaya College of Engineering and Technology, he founded the company.
He began working on an academic initiative to study and produce microalgae-based food items. The team initiated advanced research and development of the food products in collaboration with the Indian Council of Agriculture and Research’s Central Institute of Fisheries Technology (ICAR CIFT).

It was nurtured through the Kerala Startup Mission’s (KSUM) Innovation and Entrepreneurship Development Centre (IEDC) scheme and has received a $10 million investment from the UAE-based TCN International Commerce LLC for its idea dubbed “Algae-Seaweed Technology,” under the brand B-lite Cookies.
Collagen-based peptide cookies targeting Arthritis patients for long-term results, mobile applications, and other FMCG products with specialised qualities for targeted customers are among the upcoming projects they are currently working on. Global Goals Mun and SRM University have given Blite special recognition, with the latter naming it one of the greatest innovative food items.

Najeeb’s goal with Zaara is to develop food products that are specific to regional tastes and demands, as well as to cater to people of all ages and pregnant women so that they obtain all the nutrients they need.