Venture Funding Supports Urban Farming Start-Up

 23 May 2018  Yorkshire  Business

Growing Better, a Leeds-based social enterprise that provides urban farming for better mental health, has secured up to £10,000 in AD:VENTURE start-up and growth grants.

The business was founded by Rob Moores in 2016 and initially used polytunnels to grow baby leaf salads leaves and herbs.

When it was decided that this model would not provide a commercially sustainable year-round supply to local restaurants and food outlets, crowdfunding was secured for an indoor hydroponic vertical farm.

Growing Better received advice, guidance and support through the AD:VENTURE programme to put in place a plan that would focus on future growth.

Since the funding was awarded, the company has taken on a new full-time member of staff, expanded its offering to provide growing kits for consumers and has also extended its engagement with schools.

Rob Moores said: "Accessing practical support from AD:VENTURE allowed us to build up our business plan and in turn to consider other options. We realised that we had the potential, with funding support, to commit to appointing three new members to the team over 2018.This in turn would allow us to support more people and to grow the business using the contributions made by AD:VENTURE as cash flow.

"Knowing that we have a business model in place that we could scale up was great. As well as working with an increasing number of people that have mental health illnesses, we have also started to supply several restaurants, which in turn gives us the funds to put back into the business."