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Little Leaf Farms Raises $90M to Grow Its Greenhouse Network
Massachusetts-based Little Leaf Farms has raised $90 million in a debt and equity financing round to expand its network of hydroponic greenhouses on the East Coast. The round was led by Equilibrium Capital as well as founding investors Bill Helman and Pilot House Associates. Bank of America also participated.
by Jennifer Marston
Image from: Little Leaf Farms
Massachusetts-based Little Leaf Farms has raised $90 million in a debt and equity financing round to expand its network of hydroponic greenhouses on the East Coast. The round was led by Equilibrium Capital as well as founding investors Bill Helman and Pilot House Associates. Bank of America also participated.
Little Leaf Farms says the capital is “earmarked” to build new greenhouse sites along the East Coast, where its lettuce is currently available in about 2,500 stores.
The company already operates one 10-acre greenhouse in Devins, Massachusetts. Its facility grows leafy greens using hydroponics and a mixture of sunlight supplemented by LED-powered grow lights. Rainwater captured from the facility’s roof provides most of the water used on the farm.
According to a press release, Little Leaf Farms has doubled its retail sales to $38 million since 2019. And last year, the company bought180 acres of land in Pennsylvania on which to build an additional facility. Still another greenhouse, slated for North Carolina, will serve the Southeast region of the U.S.
Little Leaf Farms joins the likes of Revol Greens, Gotham Greens, AppHarvest, and others in bringing local(ish) greens to a greater percentage of the population. These facilities generally pack and ship their greens on the day of or day after harvesting, and only supply retailers within a certain radius. Little Leaf Farms, for example, currently servers only parts of Massachusetts, Pennsylvania, New York, and New Jersey.
The list of regions the company serves will no doubt lengthen as the company builds up its greenhouse network in the coming months.
Yasai To Establish First Zürich Vertical Farm, Strategic Partnership Announced
iFarm with Yasai AG (Switzerland) and Logiqs B.V. (Netherlands) are proud to announce the beginning of a long-term cooperation. With the launch of the first vertical farm project in Zurich, Yasai AG announced the signing of a strategic agreement with equipment and tech suppliers
Image from: Urban Ag News
iFarm with Yasai AG (Switzerland) and Logiqs B.V. (Netherlands) are proud to announce the beginning of a long-term cooperation.
With the launch of the first vertical farm project in Zurich, Yasai AG announced the signing of a strategic agreement with equipment and tech suppliers. The company involved Logiqs and iFarm as technology partners in the construction of a pilot facility, with 673 sq. m of growing area and with a design capacity of 20 tons of fresh herbs per year.
The Dutch company Logiqs will act as a supplier of automated shelving systems and grow lights. iFarm will supply the nutrient solution management system, climate control equipment, and the Growtune software platform which enables flow chart implementation and control over production conditions and processes. Going forward, the partners plan to scale up the experience of rapidly constructing an automated, compact, high-performance vertical farm, gained in a Swiss project, across the globe.
Image from: Urban Ag News
Mark Essam Zahran (co-founder Yasai):
The project will not just be limited to the testing and fine-tuning of state-of-the-art innovative solutions. We expect to lay the groundwork for large-scale industrial vertical farming in smart cities and showcase the incredible benefits of a circular economy. A plantation in the largest Swiss city, one of the most expensive cities in the world, will help us assess the economic prospects and give other European cities an example of how to produce an abundant yield without harming the planet, plants, and people.
Gert-Jan van Staalduinen (owner Logiqs):
The Swiss project opens up interesting prospects for us. We expect a fruitful collaboration with Yasai experts and a beneficial exchange of best practices with iFarm. With our vast experience in implementing automation and logistics systems on farms, we will be able to build a technologically advanced farm in the very heart of Europe.
Kirill Zelenski (CEO iFarm Europe):
We appreciate how meticulous and scrupulous Yasai is and are impressed by their passion and drive. We are just as inspired by the prospect of working with seasoned professionals from Logiqs. We hope that our software technologies will perfectly complement their hardware and the project as a whole will become a lasting benchmark for the industry and will serve as the beginning of a long-term cooperation.
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The Future of the Food Supply Chain Lives on a Rooftop in Montreal
The world’s biggest commercial rooftop greenhouse sits atop a former Sears warehouse in a semi-industrial northwestern quarter of Montreal. Early every morning, staff pick fresh vegetables, then bring them downstairs, where they get packed into heavy-duty plastic totes along with the rest of the day’s grocery orders.
Image from: Lufa Farms
The world’s biggest commercial rooftop greenhouse sits atop a former Sears warehouse in a semi-industrial northwestern quarter of Montreal. Early every morning, staff pick fresh vegetables, then bring them downstairs, where they get packed into heavy-duty plastic totes along with the rest of the day’s grocery orders.
Tablets loaded with custom pick-and-pack software tell them where to put what: This basket has lettuce, tomatoes, and cucumbers, plus some chicken, eggs, and milk. The next one has eggplant, cashew Parmesan, tomato sauce, fresh pasta, and vegan ground round crumble. Whatever Luca doesn’t grow in its four greenhouses comes from local farms and producers, mostly from within 100 miles.
This is a modern foodie’s dream: a tech-forward online shop full of locally grown, pesticide-free, ethically-sourced products at reasonable price points, delivered once a week to either your doorstep or a local pickup point in your neighborhood.
It’s stunning to think Lufa was founded by two people who’d never even grown a tomato before, let alone sold one. “We said, ‘Instead of learning how the food world works, let’s just come up with what we feel the food world should be,’” says Mohamed Hage, 39, who cofounded Lufa with Lauren Rathmell in 2009.
To them, it looked like this: rooftop greenhouses that bring agriculture into cities. No pesticides, herbicides, or fungicides. Composting their green waste. Selling direct-to-consumer the same day the food is harvested. Capturing and reusing rainwater. Reusable packaging.
That’s exactly what they now have—and they feed a portion of Montreal, the second-biggest city in Canada, with it.
Image from: Lufa Farms
Back in the warehouse, workers poke at their tablets, checking off items as they’re packed into the boxes.
Customers—Lufavores, as the company calls them—typically place their orders a few days before delivery through the online store, dubbed “the Marketplace,” which Lufa built from scratch in 2012. That’s how Lufa’s suppliers know how much product to provide: They get forecasts first, then final order numbers, through their Lufa software. Some items, like frozen meat, can be delivered to the warehouse once a week. Others, like bread, arrive fresh every day.
Artisanal Montreal bakery la Fabrique Arhoma started supplying Lufa with bread and pastries about six years ago, co-owner Ariane Beaumont tells Fortune. Today, they hand-make 6,000 individual items a day for Lufa. Beaumont said Lufa now accounts for between 30% to 40% of her commercial sales; since pandemic shutdowns, a lot of the product destined for restaurants got redirected to Lufa. “They’re an exceptional company. I don’t know how they do it,” Beaumont says. “And they pay the fastest, too.”
Technology is the underpinning of Lufa’s success, and the owners know it.
“We see ourselves as a technology company, in the sense that we solve with software,” Rathmell, 32, says. They didn’t really have any other choice. To fulfill that dream they had back in 2009—years before COVID-19 forced most grocery stores to enable online shopping—they had to do it themselves.
“Nothing off-the-shelf can be applied to what we do, because it’s so complex,” Rathmell notes. “We harvest food ourselves; we gather from farmers and food makers throughout the province; most of it’s arriving just in time throughout the night to be packed in baskets for that day, and every order is fully unique.”
Lufa now has a team of eight programmers working on software and systems that manage e-commerce, warehouse management, routing, customer relationships, supplier fulfillment, pick-and-pack, vendor payments, delivery ETAs, and more.
Those technologies were tested on that fateful Friday the 13th last March, when Quebec and Canada each announced their first waves of COVID-19 lockdowns. People panicked, rushing to the grocery store to stock up on flour and toilet paper.
Online, new sign-ups for Lufa’s weekly grocery baskets exploded, and existing subscribers began ordering more than they’d ever ordered before—all while Lufa’s pickup points were shutting down. “We essentially doubled overnight,” Rathmell recalls. Lufa was forced beyond its operational capacity, and the cracks started showing in the systems and software that had, until that point, done a fine job getting the company by.
Lufa temporarily closed the website and opened a wait list. The staff analyzed the pandemic’s trajectory and how they had to adapt at each step; reconfigured their warehouse floor to station workers further apart; then relaunched at the capacity they could handle, gradually scaling each week until they hit their usual stride. Today, they’re humming along at 25,000 baskets a week.
Leading with tech helped make them nimble and strategic during those hairy early pandemic days, said Hage and Rathmell. After some recalibrations and new developments, their software and processes can now handle more customers, vendors, and processes—critical elements as the company continues to scale its greenhouse operations. In August of 2020, Lufa opened its fourth greenhouse, doubling its square footage. The four greenhouses combined produce 57,000 pounds of food a week. A fifth is planned for this year.
“Our objective at Lufa is to get to the point where we’re feeding everyone in the city,” Hage says.
And after Montreal? They’re planning on a yet to be determined second site in the northeastern pocket of North America, ideally this year. “Our vision is to grow food closer to where people live, and grow it more sustainably,” Rathmell says.
Image from: Lufa Farms
Bringing high-yield crop production into cities is a smart answer to many modern challenges in environmental and human health.
Mark Lefsrud, an associate professor of agricultural and environmental sciences at McGill University, points out that embracing technologies like LEDs and automation to grow indoors and in urban greenhouses means shorter supply chains, better nutritional integrity, less food waste, and reduced vulnerability to climate swings. In cities fed primarily by low-carbon energy (hydroelectricity in Montreal’s case), indoor growing versus importation becomes even more of a no-brainer.
“I’ve been working in the controlled environment and greenhouse industry for 20-some years, and having a company like Lufa has brought a lot of attention to not just urban agriculture, but also the need for greenhouse production,” Lefsrud says, adding that Lufa’s success has prompted more government investment in the sector overall.
“The Quebec government now takes this as a serious venture system, which then means that the students that I’m training, and research we’re doing here at the university, now have employment and have the possibility of setting up their own system,” says the McGill professor.
That idea, of developing more vertically integrated food systems, is a passion of Hage’s—not only for the idea of cutting out production and transformation middlemen to improve profit margins, but also to improve quality, traceability, and ultimately the ethics of food production.
“You know, every time we talk to someone about it, we feel like it’s the ’80s, and we’re holding a big solar panel trying to convince the room that this is the future,” Hage says.
As the larger agricultural industry catches on to vertical integration, it seems Hage and Rathmell are no longer mad scientists with a crazy dream. Instead, they are the voice of reason—and a new generation of food.
As the larger agricultural industry catches on to vertical integration, it seems Hage and Rathmell are no longer mad scientists with a crazy dream. Instead, they are the voice of reason—and a new generation of food.
As the larger agricultural industry catches on to vertical integration, it seems Hage and Rathmell are no longer mad scientists with a crazy dream. Instead, they are the voice of reason—and a new generation of food.
Eight Startups Chosen For Indoor AgTech Program
“During the Indoor AgTech program, startups work with the Sente and GrowRay teams using a structured process that better prepares them to attract serious investors and customers and places them in a fast-moving, talented ecosystem of indoor agriculture entrepreneurs,” says spokesperson Jen Peterson
November 19, 2020
By Greenhouse Canada
Sente Foundry LLC, in partnership with GrowRay Lighting Technologies, has selected eight startups to participate in their Indoor AgTech program, which has already begun and will take place virtually through December 2020.
“During the Indoor AgTech program, startups work with the Sente and GrowRay teams using a structured process that better prepares them to attract serious investors and customers and places them in a fast-moving, talented ecosystem of indoor agriculture entrepreneurs,” says spokesperson Jen Peterson. “At the end of the program, at least three startups will be selected to pilot their technologies in a state-of-the-art growing facility and possibly receive additional investment.”
Sente put out a call for applicants this past summer. Eight startups were ultimately selected :
AgEye Technologies (https://ageyetech.com/) – with offices in the US and India, AgEye Technologies develops technology that helps indoor farms become sustainable and scalable through significant reductions in operational costs.
CO2 GRO Inc. (https://www.co2gro.ca/) – uses their patented advanced CO2 Delivery Solutions to accelerate the growth of all value plants safely, economically, and naturally. CO2 GRO Inc. is based in Canada.
FloEnvy (https://www.floenvy.com/) – maker of cannabis cultivation software that captures each decision on the ground in real-time so that growers can manage their cultivation from one place at all times.
Grownetics (https://grownetics.co/) – founded to solve the world’s agricultural inefficiencies, Grownetics’ grow optimization platform leverages the latest sensing and automation tools to make growing the best plants easier than before.
PhenoLogic (https://phenologic.com/) – automates a complex part of plant & crop production, saving money and time while increasing production yields. PhenoLogic is based in Michigan.
iShence AgTech (https://ishence-grow.com/) – an Israeli Agtech company aiming to provide growers with affordable and effective solutions combining agronomic knowledge with cutting edge technology.
R.O.A.B. (https://innovationlabs.harvard.edu/current-team/r-o-a-b/) – Part of Harvard Innovation Labs, R.O.A.B Technologies is building a series of autonomous agriculture devices starting with a solar-powered roving mini laboratory built to provide farmers with analyses that can increase their productive efficiency by more than 50% while at the same time mitigating the ecological damage that farming can create.
Universal Grow Controls (http://universalgrowcontrols.com/) – Denver-based company that helps growers manage their environmental controls, including CO2 enrichment, irrigation, and fertigation from anywhere in the world.
Sente’s Indoor AgTech program features an intense set of activities to analyze and evaluate participating startups, connecting them with indoor and greenhouse customers, and introducing them to indoor AgTech investors and service providers.
Source: Sente
Indoor AgTech Goes Virtual: Over 300 Industry Leaders Sign Up for Online Summit on July 23, 2020
The Indoor AgTech Innovation Summit, a virtual event on Thursday, July 23, will gather the biggest names in the indoor and vertical farming industries to discuss how the sector is rapidly transforming the agri-food landscape, and redesigning food systems to meet consumer demand for fresh produce
Indoor AgTech Goes Virtual: Over 300 Industry Leaders Sign Up for Online Summit on July 23, 2020
The Indoor AgTech Innovation Summit, a virtual event on Thursday, July 23, will gather the biggest names in the indoor and vertical farming industries to discuss how the sector is rapidly transforming the agri-food landscape, and redesigning food systems to meet consumer demand for fresh produce.
Oscar Brennecke, Conference Producer for the Indoor AgTech Innovation Summit, says: “Three years on from our first event we’ve seen a huge shift in the scale, quality and affordability of indoor-grown produce. As a high-end niche market, fresh produce is now available on supermarket shelves and restaurants, providing a clean, safe, nutritious, local, and resilient food source to millions of people.
“Hosting the virtual event provides a meeting point for the sector and we’re looking forward to facilitating new connections, sharing best practice, and accelerating project developments.”
The Indoor AgTech Innovation Summit has taken place in New York annually since 2018, attended by major farm operators, food retailers, seed companies, technology providers and investors from around the world. The new Virtual Summit will host over 300 participants from the US, Canada, Europe, the UAE and Asia to share knowledge and engage in high-level networking via online roundtable groups and 1-1 meetings.
Key discussion topics on the fast-paced program include:
· Finding Growth in Crisis: Responding to a Rapidly Changing Food Landscape
· Why Diversify? Exploring the Costs and Benefits of Indoor Agriculture
· Optimizing Seeds for Indoor Agriculture: Breeding a Competitive Advantage
· Enhancing Nutritional Value and Yield: Perfecting Plant Recipes
· Lighting and Energy: Driving Efficiency and Economic Viability
· Financing Growth: Can Capital Keep Pace with Industry Demand?
· Investing in Food Security: The Abu Dhabi Model
· Adapting to a New Food Culture: Supplying Restaurants Post-COVID
· Optimizing Consumer Awareness: How to Build a “Holistic” Indoor Brand
Over 40 international speakers include:
· David Rosenberg, CEO, AEROFARMS, USA
· Tessa Pocock, Director of Advanced Lighting & Plant Physiology, PLENTY, USA
· Sanjeev Krishnan, CIO & Managing Director, S2G VENTURES, USA
· Elyse Lipman, Director of Strategy, LIPMAN FAMILY FARMS, USA
· Viraj Puri, Co-Founder & CEO, GOTHAM GREENS, USA
· Susan MacIsaac, Head of AgScience, BOWERY, USA
· David Farquhar, CEO, IGS, UK
· Gretchen Raymond, Managing Director, RIJK ZWAAN, USA
· Tobias Peggs, CEO, SQUARE ROOTS, USA
· Delphine Descamps, Managing Director, CREADEV, USA
· Maximillian Vogt, Director Buying, ALDI SÜD, GERMANY
· Sky Kurtz, CEO, PURE HARVEST, UAE
The full agenda, advisory board, confirmed speakers, and delegate registration are available at www.indooragtechnyc.com
Indoor Ag-Con Postponed Until Later This Year
Ensuring the safety of our exhibitors, speakers, attendees and customers is our primary focus
In light of the ongoing COVID-19 impact, the May 18-20, 2020 edition of Indoor Ag-Con has been postponed and will be rescheduled to run later this year. The organizers are actively working to secure new 2020 dates and will announce them as soon as they are finalized.
"Ensuring the safety of our exhibitors, speakers, attendees and customers is our primary focus. We are following the suggestions of the U.S. and state public health guidelines as they are developing", they share in an update.
"As the COVID-19 situation is evolving, we strongly advise that all exhibitors and visitors review the U.S Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) travel health notices related to this outbreak – https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-nCoV/"
"Our team is continuing to monitor the situation and we will follow-up with customers as needed if the advisories change."
For more information:
Indoor Ag-Con
404.991.5186
hello@indoor.ag
indoor.ag
Publication date: Mon 6 Apr 2020
US: New York - 4th Annual Fresh In February by NYC Ag Collective
Wed, February 26, 2020 - 6:30 PM – 9:00 PM EST - Project Farmhouse - 76 East 13th Street - New York, NY 10003
Fresh in February is An Annual Networking Event Showcasing Some of
NYC's Most Innovative Urban Farms and Agtech Startups.
About this Event
Fresh in February is back! Join the NYC Agriculture Collective - the largest consortium of agtech organizations on the East Coast - for this annual networking event at the beautiful Project Farmhouse near Union Square.
You'll get to meet some of New York's leading urban farms & agtech startups and sample fresh produce grown right here in the dead of winter!
Date And Time
Wed, February 26, 2020
6:30 PM – 9:00 PM EST
Location
Project Farmhouse
76 East 13th Street
New York, NY 10003
United States
Register Now to Save: $25 online / $35 at the door.
Local food bites and drink tickets are included
Confirmed exhibitors include:
Tags: United States Events New York Events Things To Do In New York, NY New York Networking New York Food & Drink Networking
US (NY): Farm Tours, Panels, Workshops And Networking Events During AgTech Week
The NYC Ag Collective - a consortium of 15+ commercial urban farms, tech companies, and non-profits - announces the 4th annual NYC AgTech Week, the only AgTech conference on the East Coast run by the leaders of the industry themselves
September 21-26, New York City
The NYC Ag Collective - a consortium of 15+ commercial urban farms, tech companies, and non-profits - announces the 4th annual NYC AgTech Week, the only AgTech conference on the East Coast run by the leaders of the industry themselves. This six-day conference features exclusive farm tours, panels, workshops, and networking events all focused on the innovative AgTech sector, promising unprecedented access to industry founders, investors, startups, and thought leaders.
Other events that are being held in conjunction with AgTech Week, such as the “Vineyard in the City Networking Finale”, “Chef x Farmer Mixer + Grazing Table”, as well as the “AgTech x UrbanTech Mixer”, will also provide a chance to network and mingle with these industry leaders.
Publication date: 8/26/2019
International Indoor & Controlled Environment Agriculture Set For September Summit In Durban, South Africa
The 2019 edition will tackle the agricultural concerns many countries have about weather and pests problems, food security, climate change and environmental preservation challenges. Commercialization of vertical farming and urban agriculture is catching on in Asia, Europe, USA, Russia, and now Africa
The 2019 edition will tackle the agricultural concerns many countries have about weather and pests problems, food security, climate change and environmental preservation challenges. Commercialization of vertical farming and urban agriculture is catching on in Asia, Europe, USA, Russia, and now Africa. Many private companies are interested in growing crops in hydroponic, aquaponic and aeroponic systems in warehouses, greenhouses, containers and skyscrapers.
In addition, this year’s Summit will also address the burgeoning interest in the production of medicinal plants in vertical farms following the new rulings on cannabis production for medicinal use.
To View The Urban Ag Brochure, Please Click Here
CLICK HERE FOR REGISTRATION
Dube AgriZone will be hosting a field visit for participants. Dube AgriZone is Africa's first integrated perishables supply chain and the most technologically-advanced future farming platform on the continent.
International participants will also want to take advantage of the City Tour sponsored by the Summit's Destination Partners - the Durban Convention Bureau - which will showcase some of Durban's memorable experiences and attractions.
Conference Organiser Magenta Global's CEO, Maggie Tan commented: “This is an important knowledge-sharing and networking platform for the indoor agriculture industry. Since the previous Summit in Johannesburg last year, we have seen promising developments in Africa of indoor urban agriculture initiatives. Innovating how we produce food to feed the growing urban centres is crucial to food security and sustainability. Much needs to be done to transform the agriculture sector”.
Contact us below for more Summit information and follow / like the event's Facebook page (https://www.facebook.com/events/384938988754324/)
and Twitter channel (https://twitter.com/josemaglobal).
Media Contact:
Mr Jose Carpio
International Marketing Manager DID: +65 6846 2366
Email: jose@magenta-global.com.sg
About Magenta Global – Owner & Organizer
Magenta Global Pte Ltd is a premier independent business media company that provides pragmatic and relevant information to government & business executives and professionals worldwide. The organization provides the opportunity to share thought-provoking insights, exchange ideas on the latest industry trends and technological developments with thought leaders and business peers. With a strong focus in emerging economies especially in Africa, Middle East & Central Asia, Magenta Global works in partnership with both the public and private sectors. www.magenta-global.com.sg.
Singapore, 26 August 2019 - Urban Agri World 2019 Summit, the third edition of the conference series highlighting progressive farming developments for the indoor agriculture industry, will be held next month on 17-18 September 2019 at the Durban International Convention Centre (Durban ICC), South Africa.
This is the region's leading urban agriculture event focused on hydroponics, aeroponics and aquaponics techniques in farming. It will bring together agriculture officers, growers, investors, produce buyers, academics, policy makers, technology and system integrators, and CEA business owners. The Summit will feature practical sessions on the hottest topics, exhibits, lunch table discussions and unlimited networking opportunities, connecting services and solution providers.
Delivering the Summit Keynote Address will be MEC Bongiwe Sithole-Moloi of the Department of Agriculture and Rural Development, Province of KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa.
Some of the exciting presentations and their expert speakers include: "Vertical Farms & PFAL (Plant Factories with Artificial Lighting)" by Graeme Smith, Managing Director, Graeme Smith Consulting (Australia); "Future Technologies Driving Indoor Urban Agriculture" by Maartin Vandecruys, Founder & Managing Director, Urban Crop Solutions (Belgium); and "Marrying Proven Western Technologies with Localised Business Models to Create Pioneering Indoor
Farming Businesses" by Michelle Adelman, Managing Director, Accite Holdings (Botswana).
International experts from Australia, Belgium, Botswana, Canada, Kenya, Lesotho, Nigeria, the USA, South Africa amongst others, will be sharing their project experiences and best practices.
Welcome To The 4th Annual NYC AgTech Week, Organized By The Members And Partner Organizations of The NYC Ag Collective
The NYC Ag Collective - a consortium of 15+ commercial urban farms, tech companies, and non-profits - is pleased to announce the 4th annual NYC AgTech Week, the only AgTech conference on the East Coast run by the leaders of the industry themselves
The NYC Ag Collective - a consortium of 15+ commercial urban farms, tech companies, and non-profits - is pleased to announce the 4th annual NYC AgTech Week, the only AgTech conference on the East Coast run by the leaders of the industry themselves.
This six-day conference features exclusive farm tours, panels, workshops, and networking events focused on the fast growing and innovative AgTech sector, and promises unprecedented access to industry founders, investors, startups, and thought leaders.
About this Event
The NYC Ag Collective - a consortium of 15+ commercial urban farms, tech companies, and non-profits - is pleased to announce the 4th annual NYC AgTech Week, the only AgTech conference on the East Coast run by the leaders of the industry themselves.
For The Readers of iGrow News there is a 10% discount code
"NYCAGVIP10"
This six-day conference features exclusive farm tours, panels,workshops, and networking events focused on the fast growing and innovative AgTech sector, and promises unprecedented access to industry founders, investors, startups, and thought leaders.
FEATURED SPEAKERS
Alexander Olesen | Co-Founder & CEO, Bablyon Micro-Farms
Alina Zolotareva | Marketing Director, AeroFarms
Andrew Carter | Co-Founder & CEO, Smallhold
Christine Rico | Board Co-Chair, Slow Money NYC
Dermot O'Regan | Co-Founder & Managing Director, Grow Bristol
Henry Gordon-Smith | Founder & Managing Director, Agritecture
Jenny Osman | Senior Project Manager, NYC Economic Development Corporation
Jonas Günther | Co-Founder & CEO, We Are The New Farmers
Louisa Burwood-Taylor | Head of Media & Research, AgFunder
Montique Willis | Head of Software, GrowComputer
Rachel Klepner | Director of Farming and Operations, Edenworks
Rob Laing | Founder & CEO, Farm.One
Tessa Price | Labs Manager, WeWork Food Labs
Tinia Pina | Founder & CEO, Re-Nuble
Tobias Peggs | Co-Founder & CEO, Square Roots
...plus many more
CONFERENCE SCHEDULE
SATURDAY 9/21
5-8pm: Welcome Happy Hour [All Access Pass Holders Only]
Start the Conference with an intimate happy hour to network with fellow attendees, conference speakers and industry representatives. Sample drinks and bites made from hyper local produce and get to know your hosts at the NYC Ag Collective.
SUNDAY 9/22
8:30-11:30 am: Manhattan Urban Farm Tours (limited availability)
Contrary to what it may seem, the steel beams and girders of Manhattan are home to small but thriving pockets or urban agriculture. Choose one of three tours to see a unique perspective on farming in the city.
Option 1: Farm One
Option 2: East Village community gardens
Option 3: Governors Island
3-5 pm: Deepening Skills to Successfully Manage an Urban Farm: A Workshop with Cornell | @ Prime Produce
Join a special workshop led by Cornell on urban farm management to learn about new research in farm management skills related to the controlled environment agriculture industry. Then, enjoy one-on-one conversation and mentorship with urban farm managers.
*This event will be free of charge for all farm managers!* A separate registration form will be linked to from here before the end of August.
6-9 pm: Restaurant Partner Night
Discounts to restaurants committed to local & sustainable sourcing, including: Lighthouse (Williamsburg, Brooklyn), Maison Yaki (Prospect Heights, Brooklyn), Bunker Vietnamese (Bowery, Manhattan)
MONDAY 9/23
8:30-10:30 am: North Brooklyn Urban Agriculture Tour
Gain a wide perspective for the various forms of urban agriculture on this walking tour of farming-related sites in Williamsburg & Bushwick.
3-5pm: Show Me The (non-VC) Money: Alternative Capital Sources for Urban Agriculture
AgTech founders and funders discuss the various resources within the funding landscape for AgTech ventures.
6:30-8:30 pm: Chef x Farmer Mixer + Grazing Table | @ Project Farmhouse
Enjoy an evening connecting with New York's urban and local farmers, chefs and entrepreneurs while partaking in drinks and eats made from a diverse range of hyper-local produce. Sponsored by Urban Farm Academy. Partner farms and distributors will include the likes of Farm.One, Smallhold, Brooklyn Grange, Local Roots NYC.
> You can also purchase tickets to this event separately.
TUESDAY 9/24
8:30-10:30 am: Alternative Urban Farming Products: Algae, Insects, Mushrooms, Fish, Plant Proteins
Urban and indoor farming can support many different agricultural products. Leaders in aquaculture, aquaponics, fungiculture, and alternative proteins will discuss the obstacles and opportunities in meeting the growing demand for sustainable seafood, produce and plant-based proteins.
3:00-5:30pm: Brooklyn Navy Yard Corridor Innovation Tour
In and around what was once the hub of Brooklyn's maritime operations and industrial past are some of the most innovative and fast-growing Urban Ag companies in New York. You'll tour hydroponic container farms at Square Roots, plus visit the largest soil rooftop farm in the world at Brooklyn Grange.
6:30-8:30 pm: AgTech x UrbanTech Mixer
Networking event bridging the AgTech and UrbanTech innovation worlds, co-organized with NYC EDC and CIV:LAB’s The Grid. As cities become “smarter” through new technology in mobility, co-working/co-living, clean energy, and more, this event seeks to bring local food & agriculture into the conversation.
> You can also purchase tickets to this event separately.
For The Readers of iGrow News there is a 10% discount code
"NYCAGVIP10"
WEDNESDAY 9/25
8:30-10:30 am: The Future of Green Urban Development: Opportunity Zones, Green Roofs, & Creative Mixed Use Projects
Hear from industry experts in real estate, urban agriculture policy, green energy, and city planning on the new policies, pathways, and opportunities currently under development and available to various Urban Ag stakeholders to promote the scaling of this movement.
3-5 pm: Food Safety & Transparent Sourcing Enabled by Controlled Environment Agriculture
Discussion on CEA's ability to mitigate and prevent common food safety hazards inherent in traditional agriculture through rigorous testing and safety control. Will the rise of controlled forms of agriculture contribute to a more secure and resilient food system in the face of increasing environmental shifts?
6-8 pm: Make It In Brooklyn: Future of Farming Pitch Competition
Hear some of the most innovative and rising startups in the AgTech industry pitch their company to a room of industry leaders, mentors, investors, and entrepreneurs. Refreshments and networking will follow. Co-hosted with Downtown Brooklyn Partnership. Sponsored by OCP North America.
Applications to pitch are now open through August 30th! Five startups will be selected and informed by Sept 4th. Apply here.
THURSDAY 9/26
8:30-10:30 am: Global View: Opportunities & Challenges Accelerating AgTech around the World | @ Company (Grand Central Tech)
The AgTech industry is expanding on a global scale - but unique challenges exist in each region of the world. AgTech founders and experts will weigh in on the factors influencing the global market for sustainable food production as well as discuss the projected growth path of the AgTech industry around the world.
2-4 pm: AgTech as Consumer Education | @ WeWork Food Labs
Marketers, Founders and Industry Leaders discuss the role that marketing and consumer education play in creating, developing and retaining market demand for AgTech products.
6-8 pm: Vineyard in the City: Networking Finale | @ Rooftop Reds
Our final event! Enjoy a glass of wine overlooking the NYC skyline, made from grapes grown on the Rooftop Reds urban vineyard. Share takeaways from the week with your fellow conference-goers (and by this point, BFFs).
You can also purchase tickets to this event separately.
PARTNER EVENTS
The Ag Collective is also promoting a select number of partner events that coincide with NYC AgTech Week. Those include:
Climate Week NYC (Sept 23-29). More information can be found here.
Women in AgTech Roundtable with Amy Wu (Sept 21). More information can be found here.
--Events, speakers and locations subject to change. Some farm tours require registration post ticket purchase, on a first come first served basis--
Tags: United States Events New York Events Things To Do In New York, NYNew York Conferences New York Business Conferences
Africa: Progressive Farming Developments For The Indoor and Vertical Farming Industry
Urban Agri World 2019 will be taking place in 6 weeks! Don’t miss this international industry event incorporating Vertical Farming, Greenhouses and Controlled Environment Agriculture.
Get your conference ticket now.
Registration details can be found at the link below:
http://www.magentaglobalevents.com/urban-agriculture-verticalfarming-cea-africa-summit/Registration
Featured Speakers of the Week:
5 Key Reasons to Attend UAW 2019
1. Updates on the various forms of Indoor Vertical farming as an innovative methodology for vertical cultivation of agricultural products, which can also realize true zero-mile city food supply.
2. Find out how Vertical farming and Urban Agriculture, when designed and implemented appropriately, could offer sustainable and innovative solutions for improving food security.
3. Get the latest updates on initiatives countries are taking to incorporate Urban Agriculture, Indoor and Vertical Farming as part of a Local, Regional and National Food System.
4. Find out how Urban Agriculture and its various forms are encouraging youth to take-up farming.
5. This year we will also explore Future Markets Opportunities Beyond Produce, with burgeoning interest in the production of medicinal plants in controlled environment farms following the new rulings on cannabis production for medicinal use in several African countries.
PLUS: Farm Visit to Dube AgriZone
Africa’s first integrated perishables supply chain and the most technologically-advanced
future farming platform on the continent. It is host to the largest climate-controlled,
glass-covered growing area in Africa.
Now into its third successful year, Urban Agri World is the region's leading agriculture event focused on Agritech, Controlled Environment Agriculture and Indoor Farming. It brings together Growers, Investors, Produce Buyers, Academics, Policy Makers, Technology & System Integrators and CEA Business Owners.
Featuring practical sessions on the hottest topics, exhibits, lunch table discussions and unlimited networking opportunities, it connects services and solution providers from all over the world to serious local buyers and partners.
About Urban Agri World (UAW 2019)
Many countries and companies are expressing strong interest in vertical farming business & urban agriculture. It is a solution to the weather and pests problems, food security, climate change and environmental preservation challenges. Commercialization of vertical farming is catching on in Asia, Europe, USA, Russia & now Africa. Many private companies are interested in growing crops in hydroponic, aquaponics & aeroponics systems in warehouses, greenhouses, containers & high skyscrapers.
There is also a burgeoning interest in the production of medicinal plants in vertical farms following the new rulings on cannabis production for medicinal use. UAW 2019 will touch on the pressing issues pertaining to progressive farming developments for the Indoor and vertical farming industry.
Join Us At UAW 2019 As We Deliberate On Emerging Technologies
To Unlock The Potential For Agriculture
Progressive Farming Developments For The Indoor And Vertical Farming Industry
Now into its third successful year, Urban Agri World
is the region's leading agriculture event focused on Agritech,
Controlled Environment Agriculture and Indoor Farming
It brings together Growers, Investors, Produce Buyers, Academics, Policy Makers, Technology & System Integrators and CEA Business Owners.
Featuring practical sessions on the hottest topics, exhibits, lunch table discussions and unlimited networking opportunities, it connects services and solution providers from all over the world to serious local buyers and partners.
About Urban Agri World (UAW 2019)
Many countries and companies are expressing strong interest in vertical farming business & urban agriculture. It is a solution to the weather and pests problems, food security, climate change and environmental preservation challenges.
Commercialization of vertical farming is catching on in Asia, Europe, USA, Russia & now Africa. Many private companies are interested in growing crops in hydroponic, aquaponics & aeroponics systems in warehouses, greenhouses, containers & high skyscrapers.
There is also a burgeoning interest in the production of medicinal plants in vertical farms following the new rulings on cannabis production for medicinal use. UAW 2019 will touch on the pressing issues pertaining to progressive farming developments for the Indoor and vertical farming industry.
Strengthen Your Crop Protection Tool Box Through Development, Formulation, And Regulations Insights
In 2019, We Are Bringing The Crop Protection
Community Together
10 - 12 September 2019
Crowne Plaza Barcelona - Fira Center,
Barcelona, Spain
Jump into the world of Synthetic and Biocontrol Crop Protection with updates from the European Commission, Member States, EFSA and leading Industry Case Studies.
With 4 focused tracks on regulations of Crop Protection Products, Agrochemical formulation, biocontrol and new technologies, plus three pre-conference workshops, CIR in Barcelona is the place to be this September.
BOOK NOW
After a full day of insightful debates and
discussions, all attendees
are invited to join the networking reception
On day 1 of the conference. Mix and mingle with colleagues, meet your fellow crop protection peers and network with leading industry experts and decision makers in a more informal setting at our evening drinks reception.
This is the ultimate opportunity to swap top tips and business cards, as well as catch up with your peers.
STRENGTHEN YOUR CROP PROTECTION TOOL BOX THROUGH
DEVELOPMENT, FORMULATION, AND REGULATION INSIGHTS
NETWORKING DRINKS WITH THE CROP PROTECTION COMMUNITY
THE CROP INNOVATIONS AND REGULATIONS MOBILE APP
By booking early, you don’t just secure the best pricing but also access our Networking App, 3 weeks before the conference!
Log in to the event app to:
Browse the attendee list
Access speaker presentations
Set up one-to-one meetings
Send messages to fellow participants
View the latest agenda
Navigate around the venue with maps & floor plans and more!