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Grodan Plugs Are A Key Factor In The Success of Smart Indoor Gardens
“The recent changes in the world such as urbanization and the COVID-19 pandemic have further spurred the grow-your-own food movement
Lynn Radford
Finland-based Plantui produces smart indoor gardens for sale to consumers. The company has doubled its sales volumes over the past year, driven by a number of macrotrends including sustainability, food safety, local sourcing, healthy eating, and home cooking. Besides the innovative LED technology and closed-loop irrigation system, the Grodan plugs in which the edible plants are grown are a key factor in the success of these miniature ‘vertical farms’ in the home.
Biotech company Plantui Oy is aiming to solve some of today’s and tomorrow’s food challenges by enabling consumers to grow edible plants in their own homes. Founded in 2012 in Turku – a major hub for agriculture, manufacturing, and the high-tech inudstry in the southwest of Finland (which, incidentally, has been ranked the happiest country in the world for the third consecutive year) – it has developed a range of indoor ‘smart gardens’ that combine Nordic design and functionality with cutting-edge technology. The plug-and-play devices come with simple instructions, making it easy for consumers to produce fresh, ready-to-pick herbs, lettuces, tomatoes, chilies, and edible flowers for use in home cooking.
“The recent changes in the world such as urbanization and the COVID-19 pandemic have further spurred the grow-your-own food movement. People are looking for safe and sustainable solutions, and hydroponic growing is a good fit with this because it requires no soil and no pesticides,” says Kari Vuorinen, CTO of Plantui. “We’ve put all our knowledge and research related to plant science, nutrients, light, and technology into creating a patented indoor hydroponic growing method, from seed to plant. Our unique artificial lighting solution is based on a special photon stream that replicates the light of Finnish Lapland and optimizes photosynthesis. This results in more green mass and better quality, meaning the plants are much tastier and more nutritious than the ones you can buy in supermarkets.”
Automatically regulated
The device is sold with everything included: horticultural LED lighting, a water bowl with an integrated pump system, seed capsules, and nutrients, which are adjusted by the integrated microcontroller in line with the growth phase algorithm recipe. “After extensively testing relevant light spectra, we’ve programmed the computer in the device to automatically regulate the wavelength and intensity of the light and the water-pumping rhythms as the seeds progress through the germination, seedling and growth phases,” explains Martina Angeleri, head of plant science at Plantui. “So all the customer needs to do is fit the device together, fill the water bowl, insert the capsules, plug the device in and then keep the water and nutrients topped up roughly once a month. At the end of the harvesting period, they simply clean the device – and everything is dishwasher-proof – and then they can buy new capsules and start all over again. This solution supports local year-round growing, irrespective of the season. An indoor garden can produce three to four harvests a year, depending on which types of plants people choose to grow.”
Besides the automated lighting and irrigation system, the substrate is equally important in ensuring that Plantui can deliver on its 100% guarantee of success. “If the seeds don’t germinate you won’t have any plants, so the growing medium has to be failsafe,” says Kari. “That’s why we tested lots of different solutions when we first started out in 2013, including peat, sphagnum moss, coconut fibre and stone wool. Sphagnum moss was very promising in the growth stage but it’s not easy to get hold of. When we tested it against Grodan’s plugs, we found that they were just as good in the growth stage and actually achieved better performance in the germination stage – plus they are readily available in large quantities, so we’d hit the bullseye!” Plantui initially sourced the plugs through the Grodan distributor in Finland, but later started working directly with the company in the Netherlands. “Grodan has played a big part in our success with the plants and the device. For example, the company has tailored the existing plugs specifically to our needs by creating a slightly bigger hole for the seeds in the capsule.”
No risk of contaminants
Grodan’s plugs offer other important benefits in the Plantui Smart Gardens, according to Martina. “Stone wool is a homogeneous inert substance. Unlike with an organic material such as peat, we know for sure that the plugs are clean and pure with no risk of contaminants such as insects, bacteria or fungi. Therefore, we can rely on uniform and reproducible support for plants. This allows us to make things as easy as possible for users, as they don’t need to check the pH before adding the nutrients,” she explains. “Additionally, the density of the stone wool helps to prevent light from penetrating into the root zone, thus protecting the roots and avoiding the formation of algae in the substrate. And last but not least, no organic fibres can leach into the water and clog the active pumping system.”
Sustainability
Sustainability is a top priority for Plantui; its devices are energy-efficient, produce 100%-natural food with no pesticides or other additives, and help to reduce the carbon footprint in terms of food miles and food waste. “Stone wool is a good fit with this because basalt is an inexhaustible resource. Additionally, Grodan is the only company of its kind that is EU-certified for environmental excellence. At the end of the harvesting phase, the stone wool plugs can be separated from the plastic holders and both parts can be recycled, which supports our ‘100% recyclable’ message,” states Kari.
Path to sales growth
The company is already selling tens of thousands of devices annually, both to high-end department stores across Europe – including in the UK and Italy – and through its own web shop. It is on track to double its sales this year, having received a major boost from an agreement between Plantui and a leading European producer of home appliances which has recently started marketing and distributing Plantui’s products under its own brand. Additionally, promising negotiations are underway with retailers in countries including Switzerland and the Netherlands.
Exciting future
The future not only looks very exciting for Plantui because of the increasing sales of its devices, but also because it has patented its technology and growing method globally. “We ourselves are focusing on consumer products for now, and there may be opportunities to branch out into other channels such as food service. For example, a couple of hotels and restaurants are already using our devices. We’ve even developed a specific lighting programme exclusively for a chef at a one-star Michelin restaurant who now grows his own unique-tasting dill!” exclaims Kari. “But the technology itself is ready for use on a larger scale and we’re now licensing it to other companies. In fact, we’ve recently sold licences to two small-scale vertical farms. We believe that networking is the key to success nowadays, so we are looking to build a good network of partners around the world – including in the USA and China – who can help us to further expand our market, and we are pleased that Grodan forms a part of that,” he concludes.
Martina Angeleri PhD from Plantui Oy examines a liquorice seedling in a Grodan plug from a Plantui Smart Garden.
Airgarden Uses NASA-Designed Technology To Give Sustainable Produce An Easy Win
Airgarden, Australia’s very first vertical soilless gardening system, is making use of the technology for the benefit of anyone obsessed with sustainable design – or for those who just want access to more home-grown produce, faster
Does Your Home Benefit From The Use
of Astronaut Technology?
No. Let’s Change That, Shall We?
Airgarden, Australia’s very first vertical soilless gardening system, is making use of the technology for the benefit of anyone obsessed with sustainable design – or for those who just want access to more home-grown produce, faster.
The game-changing gardening system is said to sprout 5 times more home-grown produce, 3 times faster, with 95% percent water. What’s more, is that the Airgarden takes up 1sqm of space so your petite inner-city apartment is no excuse to not get your green thumb on.
“The idea stemmed from wanting to grow fresh produce that was good for us, and the environment while living in the inner city,” said co-founder Prue Bauer, who started Airgarden with her brother Tom. “We were sick of throwing out so much of what we bought and wanted quality produce that didn’t cost an arm and a leg. More and more people are thinking about what they are putting in their bodies and the cost of organic food was unsustainable long term, so we knew there has to be a better solution.”
NASA-developed aeroponics technology – which has been approved by horticulturalists – is typically used to grow plants in space. Tom and Prue wisely repurposed that to allow anyone to grow their own urban farms with no digging, weeding, or watering required.
Even if the game-changing potential for giving life to your inner-city apartment doesn’t win you over. The money-saving potential surely will. With Airgarden, budding home-gardeners can sprout up to 150 different types of fruits and vegetables to feed a family of four each week. That is a significant cut to the weekly grocery run, and an easy way to incorporate more lush, leafy greens in your diet.
Airgarden is already being picked up in some sustainably-minded restaurants across Australia, including Halcyon House’s Paper Daisy restaurant, Manly Boathouse, and Wild Canary. Undoubtedly that list is going to be growing in no time, especially given as it’s a way for a restaurant to grow their own on-site garden without actually having the space (or rooftop) to do so.
USA - INDIANA: Planning A $1.7 Million Expansion Spread Over Four Years
GroPod, a Heliponix LLC brand, announced plans to grow its operations in southern Indiana, with plans to create up to 30 new, high-wage jobs in Vanderburgh County by the end of 2025
GroPod, a Heliponix LLC brand, announced plans to grow its operations in southern Indiana, with plans to create up to 30 new, high-wage jobs in Vanderburgh County by the end of 2025.
GroPod will invest more than $1.7 million over the next four years to expand its operations in downtown Evansville in order to support the production of its primary product, the GroPod system, which is a smart garden appliance that allows consumers the ability to grow vegetables, herbs and specialty plants in their homes.
“With our strong agricultural tradition and booming tech sector, Indiana offers an ideal environment for companies like GroPod that are at the intersection of ag and technology to flourish,” said Interim Indiana Secretary of Commerce Jim Staton. “Choosing to plant its roots in Evansville, GroPod will not only create high-skilled, high-wage jobs, but it will also bolster a growing industry that is developing innovative solutions, improving agricultural products consumed around the world, and providing consumers with a sustainable food source.”
Massey co-founded GroPod in 2016 with Ivan Ball, and the pair initially funded the business through pitch competition awards, including Gold and Black Awards totaling $100,000 from the Elevate Purdue Foundry Fund in 2018. Since then, the company has raised more than $1 million from investors. GroPod’s parent company, Heliponix, was recently awarded a National Science Foundation Small Business Innovation Research grant for $256,000 with a $50,000 Elevate match to research an LED lighting system to maximize the production of leafy vegetables.
“The city of Evansville is honored to be the home of GroPod,” said Evansville Mayor Lloyd Winnecke. “I’m grateful to the commitment of Scott and his team for their innovation and entrepreneurial spirit.”
For more information:
GroPod
www.gropod.io
Publication date: Wed 26 May 2021
This Weeks Episode - Season 3 Episode 33
Join Harry Duran, host of Vertical Farming Podcast, as he welcomes to the show serial entrepreneur, Dave Dinesen
Join Harry Duran, host of Vertical Farming Podcast, as he welcomes to the show serial entrepreneur, Dave Dinesen. Dave is the CEO of CubicFarm Systems, a local chain agtech company that provides unique automated onsite commercial-scale food and livestock feed technologies. Dave is committed to applying technology to address global challenges like food security and climate change.
In this episode, Harry and Dave discuss the impact the pandemic has had on the vertical farming industry, why Dave places such a high value on equity in the workplace, and the critical tipping point we’ve arrived at for the future of our food supply.
Listen & Subscribe
VIDEO: Ottawa Startup Plantaform Hopes To Harvest Profits From Indoor Gardening Technology
Ottawa biotech startup Plantaform's system, dubbed Rejuvenate, uses a concept called fogponics to grow herbs and leafy vegetables indoors
Ottawa biotech startup Plantaform's system, dubbed Rejuvenate, uses a concept called fogponics to grow herbs and leafy vegetables indoors.
A Carleton University business grad says his new startup is planting the seeds of a flourishing global horticulture enterprise with a soil-free system that grows herbs and leafy vegetables in a container small enough to sit on a kitchen countertop.
Alberto Aguilar launched fledgeling biotech startup Plantaform last spring with longtime friend Kiwa Lang, an industrial designer who attended high school with Aguilar in Dubai and now lives in Australia.
Lang was looking for sustainable alternatives to traditional horticulture and discovered a concept called fogponics, a technique pioneered by NASA that nourishes plants with nutrient-enriched water vapour rather than soil. He immediately reached out to his old pal, and a truly international startup was born.
“It’s extremely efficient,” Aguilar says of the technology, explaining that it uses 95 per cent less water than traditional soil-based horticulture operations.
Unlike more well-established hydroponics systems, Plantaform’s product – dubbed Rejuvenate – doesn’t submerge plant roots in water. Rather, it circulates a fine mist loaded with nutrients throughout an egg-shaped device roughly 60 centimetres high by 60 centimetres wide.
The high-tech indoor garden can grow up to 15 plants at a time, ranging from herbs such as basil and oregano to leafy greens including lettuce and kale.
35-day growing cycle
Customers set the proper lighting and nutrient mix on a smartphone app. Aguilar says the system can effectively run itself for up to three weeks before the water supply needs to be replenished, and it takes roughly 35 days to harvest a crop from the time seeds are “planted” in the device.
Plantaform’s own growth path has been a little rockier.
Backed by about $100,000 in funding from the founders’ family and friends as well as investors in Aguilar’s previous startups, the company stumbled out of the gate early last year.
The initial design for Rejuvenate failed, and it’s taken about half a dozen iterations to get the concept just right. In addition, Aguilar notes ruefully, the firm’s original team “collapsed” after several employees quit last summer because the founders couldn’t afford to pay them full-time salaries.
Supply-chain disruptions
Meanwhile, the pandemic wreaked havoc with the startup’s supply chain, forcing Aguilar and Co. to abandon foreign suppliers in China and elsewhere and manufacture the bulk of the components for the prototypes in their own homes on 3D printers.
But the plucky grow-op persevered, overhauling its development staff and bringing on veteran Ottawa-based engineer Georges Hamoush as chief operating officer. Plantaform eventually signed a Chinese contractor to manufacture most of the components, which will be assembled locally at Stittsville’s L-D Tool & Die.
If all goes according to plan, the first units will be shipped to customers this fall – and Aguilar plans to personally deliver as many as he can.
“We’ve made a lot of mistakes, but you know what? We’re not giving up,” says the budding biotech magnate, who grew up in Barcelona, spent some of his teenage years in Dubai and moved to Ottawa in 2014 to finish high school at Lisgar Collegiate before studying international business at Carleton.
"I’m really trying to put Ottawa on the map."
Alberto Aguilar - CEO and co-founder of biotech startup Plantaform
“We’re confident that if we keep trying, it’ll eventually work out.”
The 24-year-old Aguilar boasts an accomplished entrepreneurial resume. Plantaform is already his third startup, and he earned spots in Invest Ottawa’s pre-accelerator and Ottaw’’s Startup Garage with his previous ventures.
He’s hoping to secure additional seed funding for Plantaform later this year, with an eye to landing a series-A round early in 2022. The company also has its sights set on even bigger markets – it’s currently working with the Vineland Research and Innovation Centre, a non-profit organization based near Niagara Falls, on a system to grow cannabis using fogponics technology.
The worldly Aguilar says he’s hoping his venture can elevate his adopted hometown on the international biotech stage.
“I’m really trying to put Ottawa on the map,” he says. “We want to go global.”
HECTAR Offers Free Design Plans For Open Source Hydroponics Unit
Felix Wieberneit from the Royal College of Art and Imperial College London imagined a way for U.K. citizens with a limited amount of indoor space to build their own vertical garden and is now making the design free for anyone to download
Among all of the new hobbies picked up during the COVID-19 lockdowns, gardening has to be one of the most popular. Felix Wieberneit from the Royal College of Art and Imperial College London imagined a way for U.K. citizens with a limited amount of indoor space to build their own vertical garden and is now making the design free for anyone to download.
Described as an open-source hydroponics unit, the HECTAR vertical farm is designed especially for interiors to help more people grow healthy food from home. Sponsored by multinational technology company Huawei, the unit is inspired by open-source electronic and 3D printing companies. Open-source describes a type of computer software that’’s released under a special license made to be accessible to the public. HECTAR has since been selected as one of 25 companies in the Imperial College Venture Catalyst Accelerator, a competition for local entrepreneurs.
It looks like a simple shelf, but the innovative hydroponics unit can grow a whopping 120 plants confined to a space the size of a cupboard. Even better, the design is fully modular and can be built using standard parts found in almost any hardware store. Wieberneit hopes the free plans will educate and empower regular people to grow their own food at home, without relying on pricey smart growing systems or seed subscription services. In theory, the unit can save users money in the long run as they cultivate their own edible plants like arugula, lettuce or herbs.
Plans include an instructional video, a bill of materials, and suggestions on where to find the parts. There is also a dedicated forum where users can ask questions if they get stuck or connect with others. The plans officially launched on March 16, and the company is still looking for U.K.-based beta testers to try the designs out for themselves. Those who are interested can download the plans from the HECTAR website, linked below.
“When You Start Growing Upwards, There’s More To Consider Than Verticality”
The Massachusetts-based company manufactures the Agrify Vertical Farming Unit (VFU), a stackable, multi-tiered cultivation chamber designed to increase yields while improving harvest consistency and quality
“Vertical farming technology has really focused on the utilization of the vertical space," says David Kessler, Chief Science Officer at Agrify. "To that end, the environmental management is left to the operator who needs to choose a system and integrate it cohesively; this is a major undertaking. Agrify has a systems-engineered solution to enable vertical growing without needing to figure out all the other obstacles."
The Massachusetts-based company manufactures the Agrify Vertical Farming Unit (VFU), a stackable, multi-tiered cultivation chamber designed to increase yields while improving harvest consistency and quality. Also delivering on improved biosecurity and environmental control over the crop, a single unit has two tiers, and three units can be stacked for six total levels of canopy.
According to David, the transition towards taller vertical farms has made environmental control difficult as the high planting density increases total transpiration and the height of the building results in air temperature stratification. The Agrify VFU is an enclosed cultivation chamber and is monitored and controlled remotely using Agrify’s software. This enclosed climate-controlled design affords operators enhanced environmental management, and is one of the key features distinguishing the Agrify VFU from other vertical racking systems, according to David.
While the VFU was specifically designed for cannabis and hemp production, Agrify first began by producing leafy greens, which David says allowed the company to accrue significant experience in optimizing the environment to increase production.
“When you’re growing leafy greens as opposed to high-value medicinal herbs, the profit margins are quite slim. This form of economics sharpened our swords and forced us to become experts at controlling cultivation environments, with a keen eye towards production costs,” says David.
Smart design for grower safety
Occupational safety is an increasingly important subject in vertical farming, specifically in tall installations relying on manual labor. Scissor lifts are common in the horticultural industry but can be precarious when used in tight spaces at full extension. With vertical farming pushing the boundaries on height, it is important that employees’ safety be prioritized. According to David, Agrify has designed its farming units with employees in mind by incorporating an integrated catwalk into the system’s design and ensuring that its units can be solidly connected.
“When you start growing upwards, moving all of that biomass is cumbersome and can reduce workflow efficiency while increasing risk to employees. Our cultivation chambers are roughly 4’ by 8’ by 9.5’ tall and can be stacked side-by-side with a catwalk in between. This gives employees more safety and flexibility to work standing or sitting,” says David.
Automation in the Agrify VFU
According to David, the Agrify VFU is automated to control irrigation, fertigation, sanitation processes, lighting, humidity control, etc. The VFU control system also allows growers to collect roughly 100 data points per chamber per hour and a minimum of 850,000 data points per year. Features in the software then allow the grower to run daily analyses both within and between chambers. David explains that having enclosed chambers also facilitate this data collection and use as growers can implement different growing conditions in different chambers then compare the resulting outcomes to determine the best production conditions.
Moving forward, Agrify is looking to integrate cameras, artificial intelligence and machine learning into its systems to enable the consistent recreation of precise environmental conditions and proactive crop management.
“We believe that the future will not necessarily be in autonomous production but in computer-aided production. Machine vision will allow 24/7 crop monitoring rather than the typical weekly pest scouting, as an example. With our software, we’re capturing the data as well as providing the tools to analyze it and act on it.
For more information:
David Kessler, CSO
Agrify Corp.
David.kessler@agrify.com
www.agrify.com
23 Apr 2021
Author: Rebekka Boekhout
© VerticalFarmDaily.com
Urban Crop Solutions Appoints New Global Sales Director
Having spent over 25 years in horticulture equipment, Filip brings invaluable experience in the international sale of turnkey projects
Urban Crop Solutions is pleased to announce the appointment of Filip Meeuws as their new Global Sales Director. Having spent over 25 years in horticulture equipment, Filip brings invaluable experience in the international sale of turnkey projects.
Establishing the feasibility of a vertical farming project that may be the first of its kind in a location is no easy feat. That is why Urban Crop Solutions has built a free feasibility calculator into its sales strategy. Filip remarks that “I truly like Urban Crop Solutions’ transparent approach, focused on hard facts and figures. There is alignment across the entire team in that we do not want to make a sale and wash our hands. We want to set our customers up for success and be with them, long after their first harvest. That is very different from traditional sales, but also fulfilling to achieve”.
Filip Meeuws
With a background in the export and installation of tree nurseries, automated greenhouses, and horticulture projects across Europe, the Middle East, Asia, Australia, New Zealand, and North America – Filip is well accustomed to dealing with multiple markets and their specific needs. He moreover possesses technical knowledge of a diverse range of solutions.
Onto the question of why vertical farming, Filip responds “because it’s forward-thinking and innovative – and a challenge. There is a huge difference between selling a system that is already established, and that of something so brand new. In that respect, vertical farming is a whole different ball game, and the role comes with a lot of responsibility”. Referring in particular to Urban Crop Solutions’ new ModuleX Plant Factory – their scalable modular system with a labor efficient BenchCarousel – Filip adds “this technology has the potential to totally change the game for the indoor vertical farming industry, and I’m excited to be a part of its global roll-out”.
For more information:
Urban Crop Solutions
Grote Heerweg 67, 8791 Beveren-Leie (Waregem), Belgium
800 Brickell Avenue 1100 Suite, Miami (FL 33131), USA
+32 56 96 03 06
info@urbancropsolutions.com
sales@urbancropsolutions.com
urbancropsolutions.com
23 Apr 2021
A Number of Pain Points Drive Middle East (Growth) Intensification
An international consulting company says New Zealand has a real opportunity to be a partner of choice with the Middle East in providing agritech solutions to a growing agriculture sector
And NZ Suppliers Are Ready To Help Them
An international consulting company says New Zealand has a real opportunity to be a partner of choice with the Middle East in providing agritech solutions to a growing agriculture sector. Alpha Kennedy, from Prime Consulting International, told delegates at the MobileTECH Ag event in Rotorua that the United Arab Emirates and Gulf Countries are just about to begin major expansion, especially in horticulture.
"Whether it's precision agriculture, remote sensors, irrigation systems, soil regeneration and fertility, farm management, software training, robotic harvesting, pricing information or market access applications," Mr. Kennedy said. "If you have a product that fits into those focus areas there is a place for you to (partner) a customer who is willing to listen, and willing to pay. The UAE and the wider Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) areas have a very distinct set of challenges, such as the higher cost of food imports, the high cost of production, environmental barriers, skilled workers - they all require technological solutions to overcome them. But this opportunity will not be around forever. New Zealand has a very good name as an agriculture innovator, so they will give NZ companies the time and listen, but ultimately they are moving forward quickly and will go with those who are there. There are Dutch, Irish or Israeli companies, for example, that are also keenly aware of opportunities."
Photo: some of the agritech projects underway in UAE, including vertical farming and vegetable production. Source: Alpha Kennedy's presentation at MobileTECH Ag.
New Zealand's Trade Commissioner and Consul-General to the United Arab Emirates (UAE), Kevin McKenna says the UAE is New Zealand's 10th largest trading partner.
"It is a crucial gateway for New Zealand goods and services to Africa, the rest of the Middle East and parts of Europe," he said. "The UAE and its neighbor Saudi Arabia are two of our fastest-growing export markets. The paradox in the UAE is that just two kilometres away (from Dubai's busy city centre) lies desert land that flows into rocky mountains and then more desert beyond. So, while the people will need more of our fruits and other food, they hunger for smarts to sustainably feed themselves and the populations around them. That's the challenge, but it also provides an enormous opportunity for New Zealand - we are highly respected for our agritech."
Mr. Kennedy adds that the United Arab Emirates' agriculture industry is worth more than US$3billion annually and growing by 4 percent overall, and the horticulture sector is growing by 6 percent. In 2019, horticulture produced 1.25million tonnes of field crops, fruit, and vegetables, mostly in the country's north, while vertical farms are being created in Dubai, Abu Dhabi, and Sharjah.
"There are a number of 'pain-points driving the (growth) intensification; firstly, it is hard to grow food in the UAE," he said. "It's not impossibly hard, but very hard. Summer can be above 50 degrees Celsius, and winter can be balmy in the 20s. There is also very little rainfall and the country is dependent on desalinization, which is expensive to produce and of the water that is produced, 66 percent is used for agriculture purposes. The cost of water is also subsidized and the government is looking to end those subsidies in coming years. This means that they are constantly on the lookout for tech and emerging technologies that can address these challenges."
As a result, the UAE currently imports around 90 percent of its food. Mr. Kennedy says this figure has been increasing, as has the dollar cost of importing, and with the country's population set to increase to 15 million over the next 20 years, it is imperative to increase domestic production for food security and quality of life.
"They have set some very ambitious targets and they are aiming to be the most food-secure nation by 2050," he said. "That will require a mix of domestic production, trade agreements, and the like. But these pain points are not just being experienced in the UAE but are widely experienced across the Gulf states and they all have transformation plans in place to improve food security. So, the opportunities are not just in the UAE but much broader and agriculture in the GCC is already valued at $20billion. For (NZ) companies with products, solutions, and developments, I encourage you to take advantage of these technology incubators, accelerators, and financing programs. There is a range of financial support available."
He says the future of agritech is already taking place with vertical farms coming into production in the past 18 months, and in 2020 Abu Dhabi invested US$200million in vertical farms.
Mr. McKenna is encouraging interested companies and agencies to attend and make connections at the World Expo in Dubai, which was postponed from last year, and will run for six months from October 2021.
"We have designed a discover agritech program for exporters working across all aspects of the sector," he said. "The program is going to include online learning, webinars, advisor meetings in New Zealand. Followed by a week here to look at what is going on. We are going to have project visits, we are going to meet with government departments, advisors, and partners, we will look at some of the accelerators and a specialized visit to the Agra Middle East trade show."
For more information
Alpha Kennedy
Prime Consulting International
Phone: +971 56 362 8956
mena@primeconsultants.net
www.primeconsultants.net
Publication date: Tue 6 Apr 2021
Author: Matt Russell
© HortiDaily.com
Technology Capital Markets Veteran Tom Liston Appointed VP of Corporate Development For CubicFarm Systems Corp
Liston is a technology investor, advisor, and a Chartered Financial Analyst® with over 20 years of experience in capital markets
Strong Track Record of Shareholder
Value Creation With
Disruptive Technologies
VANCOUVER, B.C., April 6, 2021 – CubicFarm® Systems Corp. (TSXV: CUB) (“CubicFarms” or the “Company”), a local chain agricultural technology company, today announced the appointment of Thomas Liston as Vice President (VP) of Corporate Development.
Thomas (Tom) Liston will provide CubicFarms with strategic business development and capital markets advisory services in his role as VP of Corporate Development. Liston is a technology investor, advisor, and a Chartered Financial Analyst® with over 20 years of experience in capital markets. He’s the founder of Water Street Corp and currently serves on several boards of directors for public and private technology companies, and he has a strong track record of shareholder value creation in that capacity. He has served on the Board of Directors of WELL Health Technologies (TSX: WELL) since April 2018 and Tantalus Systems Holding Inc. (TSX.V: GRID) since January 2021.
Prior to his current role, he was the Chief Investment Officer of a leading technology-focused venture capital firm and was responsible for leading the firm’s investments in Software-as-a-Service (SaaS), FinTech, and Healthcare Information Technology (IT) sectors. Two of these investments were among the top exits in Canadian technology in recent years.
“My focus is working with disruptive technology companies in sectors with compelling macro tailwinds, which has resulted in the delivery of strong returns for shareholders. I was drawn to CubicFarms because the Company’s best-in-class indoor growing technologies uniquely fit this theme,” said Tom Liston.
Liston began his career with Yorkton Securities as a Research Analyst covering public Software and IT Services companies. In 2003, he joined Versant Partners in the same role and was quickly promoted to Director of Research while maintaining his coverage of technology companies. In 2012, Versant Partners’ team was acquired by Cantor Fitzgerald, where he served as Director of Canadian Research and covered the technology sector. Liston has been consistently ranked among the top technology analysts in several surveys, including StarMine, Brendan Wood, Greenwich Associates, and Reuters. During his tenure as a Research Analyst, he had received more StarMine stock-picking awards than any other technology analyst.
“Tom is a capital markets veteran in technology with proven experience identifying underrecognized companies and assisting in unlocking value for shareholders. He’s uniquely experienced to work with a disruptive technology company of our size on the journey to achieve industry leadership,” said Dave Dinesen, CEO, CubicFarm Systems Corp.
A respected member of both the technology community and his alumni organizations, Liston completed a Bachelor of Business Administration degree in Finance from the University of New Brunswick (UNB) and a Master of Arts in Economics and Finance from Queen’s University. In 2017, he was the recipient of the UNB Faculty of Management’s Certificate of Achievement and UNB also recognized Liston with the Proudly UNB Alumni Award of Distinction in 2020.
About CubicFarms
CubicFarms is a local chain, agricultural technology company developing and deploying technology to feed a changing world. Its proprietary ag-tech solutions enable growers to produce high quality, predictable produce and fresh livestock feed with HydroGreen Nutrition Technology, a division of CubicFarm Systems Corp. The CubicFarms™ system contains patented technology for growing leafy greens and other crops onsite, indoors, all year round. CubicFarms provides an efficient, localized food supply solution that benefits our people, planet, and economy.
For more information, please visit www.cubicfarms.com.
On behalf of the Board of Directors
“Dave Dinesen”
Dave Dinesen, Chief Executive Officer
Neither the TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the TSX Venture Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release. This news release may contain forward-looking statements which include, but are not limited to, comments that involve future events and conditions, which are subject to various risks and uncertainties. Forward-looking statements are not guarantees of future performance and actual results may vary materially from those statements. General business conditions are factors that could cause actual results to vary materially from forward-looking statements.
Media Contact:
Andrea Magee
T: 236.885.7608
E: andrea.magee@cubicfarms.com
Investor Contact:
Adam Peeler
T: 416.427.1235
E: adam.peeler@cubicfarms.com
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Improved Product Consistency
Introducing Travaglini FarmTech, a new business division that has been established by Travaglini S.p.a., the world leader in meat, cheese, and fish processing equipment. Travaglini FarmTech will deliver turnkey vertical farm solutions to food processors to help them improve product consistency and simplify their supply chain dynamics
12-03-2021 Philips Lighting
ITALY, Milan- Introducing Travaglini FarmTech, a new business division that has been established by Travaglini S.p.a., the world leader in meat, cheese, and fish processing equipment. Travaglini FarmTech will deliver turnkey vertical farm solutions to food processors to help them improve product consistency and simplify their supply chain dynamics.
“With vertical farming
we can grow and process consistent, high-quality produce in one location that can be close to retailers and consumers. We have full control over the entire process.”
- Luca Travaglini, leader Travaglini FarmTech
The challenge
Travaglini S.p.a. builds on 68 years of expertise in developing extremely accurate climate control, industrial automation, processing, and packaging equipment. The company is partnering with Philips Lighting, the world leader in lighting, to establish Italy’s first vertical farm research lab in Milan. This facility will be used to develop a state-of-the-art model for vertical farming growth strategies and technologies. The Italian vertical farm research lab will focus primarily on the production of leafy greens.
The right lighting
Vertical farming is a reply to the environmental problem that exists today in horticulture – how to provide fresh food to urban environments in a way that’s efficient and sustainable. “With vertical farming we are looking to answer many of the questions that the food industry is facing today and that will only become clearer and more pressing in the coming years,” said Travaglini. We can grow and process consistent, high-quality produce in one location in a vertical farm that can be close to retailers and consumers. Plus, we can fully control the entire supply chain, from seed to packaging.”
Luca Travaglini, leader of Travaglini FarmTech division said, “We chose to work with Philips Lighting because they have the strongest expertise in this field, and we trust them to help us expand our skillset and knowledge base over the long-term.
Photos Courtesy of Philips Lighting
Click here for more information.
GrowGroup IFS Introduces Their Own Grow Container Systems GCS 40HQ
The GCS 40HQ is available in different models. All models are in a 40ft container and includes LED technology, climate computers with remote control, and extensive control on water, temperature, humidity, CO2, and lighting
March 12, 2021
GrowGroup IFS Introduces Their Own Grow Container Systems GCS 40HQ
GrowGroup IFS introduces the GrowGroup Grow Container Systems “GCS 40HQ” for small container cluster farms, research & development, schools & universities, and pilots for new indoor farms. With this new solution now GrowGroup IFS can support also small farms in an accessible way with their unique and full approach including support with the operation through their partners GaaS Wageningen and Hoogendoorn Growth Management.
Grow Container Systems “GCS 40HQ”
The GCS 40HQ is available in different models. All models are in a 40ft container and includes LED technology, climate computers with remote control, and extensive control on water, temperature, humidity, CO2, and lighting. The basic model has a very low entry-level and is upgradeable on different levels. The client can choose for example for an upgrade to the highest quality of climate computers of partner Hoogendoorn Growth Management or the highest quality of LED technology of Signify. The client can even choose for the support with the operation through partner GaaS Wageningen.
“We support the bigger farmers with our unique and full approach on indoor farming for some time already but noticed also that smaller farmers, in particular, have a great need for this. That’s why we launch our own GCS solution right now, so all farmers can use the newest technology of indoor farming for year-round cultivation all over the world”, John Breedveld, CEO GrowGroup IFS.
GaaS Wageningen
Partner GaaS Wageningen from the Netherlands has access to a pool of more than 200 agricultural specialists. Its core business is supporting the operation of high-tech indoor farms from the small ones as the container farms up to the large ones as the big indoor factories. They have high knowledge of indoor farming and sharing their knowledge with the farmers by supporting and training them but also with schools and universities.
GrowGroup IFS
GrowGroup IFS (Innovative Farming Solutions), founded by CEO John Breedveld in Barendrecht in the Netherlands, is specialized in developing indoor farming based on the most advanced Dutch innovative farming solutions, especially in regions where normal cultivation is restricted by extreme climate and or limited space.
Orlando Ag-Tech Firm Kalera Lands Investment For More Growth
The Orlando-based firm on Feb. 24 completed a private placement, a sale of shares to pre-selected investors and firms, that raised the company $31 million, according to financial documents
One of the newest investors fueling growth at indoor farming company Kalera Inc. once was the U.S. agriculture industry's top government official.
The Orlando-based firm on Feb. 24 completed a private placement, a sale of shares to pre-selected investors and firms, that raised the company $31 million, according to financial documents. Among Kalera's latest investors is Sonny Perdue, U.S. secretary of agriculture from 2017-2021 and governor of Georgia from 2003-2011, who will join the firm's board of directors.
This is another big investment round for Kalera, which last year raised $150 million in capital. These funds help the company as it rapidly opens indoor produce growing facilities across the U.S. and eyes international expansion.
Acquisition, expansion
The investment funds Kalera's purchase of vertical farm seed developer Vindara Inc., according to documents. The seeds made by the Durham, North Carolina-based firm will increase output, improve energy efficiency and expand the product pipeline at Kalera, the company announced Feb. 24.
To see inside Kalera's HyCube in Orlando, check out the slideshow above.
Meanwhile, Kalera is expanding to six new cities in 2021 and will add employees to its corporate headquarters in Orlando this year, CEO Daniel Malechuk previously told OBJ. The company has eight open Orlando jobs listed on its website.
The company employs about 75 people, mostly in Central Florida, and will grow its workforce to more than 300 companywide by the end of 2021, Malechuk added.
Daniel Malechuk | JIM CARCHIDI
'Leading the pack'
The purchase of Vindara was the latest step in Kalera’s rapid expansion since it was founded in 2010. Kalera’s vertical agriculture facilities grow quality-controlled produce year-round. The company operates two facilities in Orlando, and this year will open growing facilities in Atlanta, Denver, Houston, Honolulu, Seattle, and Columbus, Ohio.
The global vertical farming industry has big potential, and it’s expected to be worth nearly $12.8 billion by 2026, according to industry analysis site Report Buyer. Kalera stands out within the lucrative industry, Perdue said in a prepared statement.
“Kalera is leading the pack in a booming vertical farming industry ... Through my travels, I’ve had the opportunity to experience many intriguing ideas in food and agricultural innovation and technology. In my opinion, Kalera captures the intersection of technology and sustainable food production better than anything I have seen."
Sonny Perdue | BYRON E. SMALL
Providing An Affordable And Efficient Way To Grow Vertically Anywhere
A farming system that works just as well in a greenhouse in Africa or in an indoor environment in Sweden might sound too good to be true, but GROWPIPES farming system has been designed to do exactly that
A farming system that works just as well in a greenhouse in Africa or in an indoor environment in Sweden might sound too good to be true, but GROWPIPES farming system has been designed to do exactly that. “Our system works in all countries, whether in the North with less sunlight or in the South where there is a water shortage,” says Christer Tilk with GROWPIPES.
It all started four years ago in Gothenburg, Sweden. When setting up their first test facility they wanted their vertical farm to be as efficient as possible, but all available systems came with a high price tag. “Besides, they were hard to handle, as either the pipes were not easy to clean after harvest or they had an uneven water flow, drowning some of the plants while others dried out. Via an LED supplier, we came into contact with Christaan Delport a South African farmer with a long experience in hydroponics and we decided to join forces.”
(f.l.t.r.) Christiaan Delport and Christer Tilk
Christiaan: “I started off with growing animal nutriment, but I encountered some struggles with drought and property buying. This made me decide to do something on a small scale that could scale up easily. We started testing our pipes that are 15 cm tall to grow vegetables and leafy greens. Farming on small areas is what we are looking at, as space is one of the biggest limitations that farmers face.”
Christiaan emphasizes that although farming is a risky industry, growing indoors takes away most of the risks. “Last year we had heavy rains, which hindered the harvest greatly. We also face droughts, and water is short in South Africa anyway. We have plenty of sun so we do not need LED here, but being able to control water and temperature makes farming a lot less risky here.
GROWPIPES setup
Contrary to field farming, indoor farming hardly wastes any water.” Growing indoor also extends the growth season, which in some African countries is short. “On a normal farm, you might plant only a few crops per square meter. But once you have bought the property, the space above it is free. Our main objective is to help people make good use of that.”
GROWPIPES system is in line with recent urbanization trends. “As people are moving from the farms to the cities, cities need more fresh produce. We provide them local produce and many jobs on the sides. But also in villages jobs are needed, and our system can bring in foreign currencies.”
Lettuce harvest
“The whole idea is to provide an affordable alternative for vertical farmers,” Christer adds. “There are many systems, but they are often high priced and will take a lot of time to pay off. We have designed a LEGO-sort of structure of 15 cm, so it is adjustable to any height. We tested it meticulously, without any leakage. That is important, as we aim to address water scarcity as well.” Christiaan explains: “We are looking at the needs of different target groups, and aim to find solutions for them.”
As GROWPIPES is a very adjustable system it can easily be designed to make use of any space. A project that they are working on includes hanging the system in a conveyor system allowing harvesting and growing in different spaces. “With the right set up, it will be able to reach 50.000 plants per 100m2. It is like a library of greens, and easy to handle. More importantly: it can be scaled up without too much effort,” says Christer.
Growpipes in a greenhouses
Christiaan adds: “Vertical farms need a lot of initial capital and investors have to wait long for their pay-back. With our system, you can start as small as you want and scale up whenever you feel like. Still, GROWPIPES biggest benefit is that we need 2ha to produce the same as conventional farming that uses 50ha.”
For more information:
GROWPIPES
Christer Tilk, CEO
christer@growpipes.com
+46 707 208 810
Christiaan Delport, Farmer
africa@growpipes.com
+27 764 737 894
www.growpipes.com
Publication date: Thu 4 Mar 2021
Author: Rebekka Boekhout
© VerticalFarmDaily.com
CubicFarms Appoints Former Microsoft GM As New Chief Technology Officer
“I want to use my experience to help make a meaningful impact on the world, something that my children and future generations will be proud of
As CTO, Edoardo De Martin will support the Company’s innovative growing technologies and an ambitious goal to feed a changing world
VANCOUVER, B.C., March 2, 2021 – CubicFarm® Systems Corp. (TSXV:CUB) (“CubicFarms” or the “Company”), a local chain agricultural technology company, announced today that Edoardo De Martin has joined its senior leadership team as Chief Technology Officer.
Prior to joining CubicFarms, De Martin spent 10 years at Microsoft working in various roles including General Manager of the Microsoft Vancouver Development Centre, as well as driving innovation as GM of Dynamics Mixed Reality Applications on HoloLens.
As a proven technology leader with more than 20 years of experience in the technology industry, De Martin will bring significant experience to advancing artificial intelligence (AI), robotics, and mixed reality technologies supporting the Company’s innovative growing technologies and an ambitious goal to feed a changing world.
“I want to use my experience to help make a meaningful impact on the world, something that my children and future generations will be proud of. I was inspired by the world of AgTech through my role as a mentor at Creative Destruction Lab in Vancouver,” De Martin said. “The path then led me to CubicFarms where I was blown away by their innovative solution to indoor automated growing. In my opinion, this company has really focused on what is the most important: understanding what growers need. My job will be creating the digital technology to further accelerate innovation and scale. I am excited to start this next journey in my career.”
“We’re thrilled to welcome Edo De Martin, a strong Canadian technology leader, as our CTO. Under Edo’s leadership, we’re confident that he will accelerate the growth of our systems and create the next generation of indoor growing technologies,” said Dave Dinesen, CEO, CubicFarms.
De Martin’s broad software experience across video games, holographic, and enterprise solutions, coupled with his leadership ability in leading technical innovation teams, will bring a unique perspective to Ag-Tech.
A graduate of Simon Fraser University, De Martin began his career in telecommunications before transitioning to roles in the video game industry where he is known for creating highly sought-after games. He delivered Need for Speed Underground, the franchise-leading, number-one selling game worldwide, and earned back-to-back ‘Best Company’ honours for operational excellence at Next Level Games, which was recently acquired by Nintendo.
In 2010, De Martin joined Microsoft to lead an innovation studio in Victoria, B.C. for HoloLens, the world’s first holographic computer.
In his role as General Manager of Microsoft Vancouver, De Martin grew the development centre from 400 to 1,200 employees onsite. He played a key role in global operations as well, overseeing site strategy and heading up a Dynamics 365 product team focused on Mixed Reality applications for frontline workers. As an advocate for British Columbia’s tech industry, he has served on the board of BC Tech, Cascadia Innovation Corridor, and was Co-Chair of the Canadian Digital Supercluster.
“With visionaries like Edo, we’re continuously attracting the best talent in the world to our team,” continued Dinesen. “We’re committed to building an exceptional team with people who are passionate about revolutionizing agriculture now, and for future generations.”
NEITHER THE TSX VENTURE EXCHANGE NOR ITS REGULATION SERVICES PROVIDER (AS THAT TERM IS DEFINED IN THE POLICIES OF THE TSX VENTURE EXCHANGE) ACCEPTS RESPONSIBILITY FOR THE ADEQUACY OR ACCURACY OF THIS RELEASE.
About CubicFarms
CubicFarms is a local chain, agricultural technology company developing and deploying technology to feed a changing world. Its proprietary ag-tech solutions enable growers to produce high quality, predictable produce and fresh livestock feed with HydroGreen Nutrition Technology, a division of CubicFarm Systems Corp. The CubicFarms™ system contains patented technology for growing leafy greens and other crops onsite, indoors, all year round. CubicFarms provides an efficient, localized food supply solution that benefits our people, planet, and economy.
For more information, please visit www.cubicfarms.com.
Media Contact:
Andrea Magee
T: 236.885.7608
E: andrea.magee@cubicfarms.com
Investor Contact:
Adam Peeler
T: 416.427.1235
E: adam.peeler@cubicfarms.com
Cambridge Engineers Unveil Digital Twin To Support The ‘Future of Farming’
Hydroponic farming challenges traditional methods in favour of soil-less, water-based farming processes. To ensure the ongoing operational success of farms such as these, Cambridge engineers have developed a virtual forecasting model to provide bespoke feedback to farmers
Hydroponic farming challenges traditional methods in favour of soil-less, water-based farming processes. To ensure the ongoing operational success of farms such as these, Cambridge engineers have developed a virtual forecasting model to provide bespoke feedback to farmers.
The researchers show how a Digital Twin can faithfully represent the reality of an environment – in this case a unique hydroponic farm in London (Growing Underground) – through real-time data analytics and modelling, including the integration of a tailored temperature forecasting model to assist farmers’ decision-making. Their findings are published in the Cambridge University Press journal Data-Centric Engineering.
With hydroponic farming – often termed the ‘future of farming’ – on the rise across the UK and globally, the researchers believe that Digital Twins are particularly suited to bespoke environments such as these, providing an opportunity to move away from a ‘one size fits all’ approach, in favour of a virtual representation that can cater to a farm’s changing operational conditions.
Growing Underground is situated in repurposed WW2 air raid shelters that are 33 metres below the streets in Clapham, London. Crops are grown year-round in a pesticide-free environment controlled by LED lights, ventilation, dehumidifiers, and irrigation tanks. The farm grows 12 times more per unit area than traditional greenhouse farming in the UK but also consumes four times more energy per unit area. Therefore, finding ways to minimise the energy use while maximising crop growth and maintaining optimal growing conditions is key to the ongoing operational success of this farm and others like it.
The researchers show how the development of a Digital Twin can be useful not only for informing farm operators in real time, but it can also help them to prepare for the future. Data creation, data analysis and data-centric modelling were all required to create the Digital Twin for Growing Underground. This involved an extensive monitoring system that combined wireless sensors with manual data records to track the observable environmental conditions in the underground farm; identifying the influencing variables on energy use and crop yield; and helping to forecast potential future operational scenarios, as well as providing feedback on the influence of recent events on the farm environment.
The Digital Twin can also provide enhanced data to help assist farmers in the decision-making process, offering advice specific to the needs of the farm. For example, the researchers identified that the LED lights have the greatest influence on daily temperature fluctuations in the farm and so they created a bespoke temperature forecasting model that predicts extreme temperatures. This model can be integrated into the Digital Twin and it is easy to implement, making use of temperature and energy meter readings. It is also flexible to the addition of more data as it becomes available and provides feedback on operational changes that can reduce energy use and control the farm environment more effectively.
Location of sensors in Growing Underground. A side view of a typical bench is indicated at the centre of the farm, showing how four LED lights span the length of each bench. The blue arrows indicate the air circulation throughout the farm. Credit: Melanie Jans-Singh
Dr Ruchi Choudhary, Reader in Architectural Engineering, said: “As we move towards more innovative agricultural practices, such as hydroponic farming, there is a greater need for an intelligent Digital Twin over a simple monitoring system. The Digital Twin we have developed for the unique hydroponic farm, Growing Underground, can observe, process, and interpret farm data (i.e. energy, weather, live sensor data and manual records) that leads to tangible outcomes. This can include warnings (i.e. concerning temperature fluctuations that require changes to ventilation, heat, light); causal relationships (resource use efficiency, crop health); operational suggestions (using a forecasting model); and a prediction of future conditions."
Melanie Jans-Singh, lead author and Ph.D. student, added: “In essence, our Digital Twin becomes the urban-integrated farm operator’s 24/7 smart ‘companion’, a living digital reference, providing bespoke feedback on the effectiveness of the measures taken in real-time. This is in addition to longer-term forecasting and informed decision-making, with control processes that are robust to human error. It is suited to mid to large scale processes, often seen in civil engineering, where sensor maintenance will also be an issue.”
Melanie Jans-Singh, Kathryn Leeming, Ruchi Choudhary, Mark Girolami. ‘Digital twin of an urban-integrated hydroponic farm.’ Data-Centric Engineering (2020). DOI: 10.1017/dce.2020.21
For more information:
University of Cambridge
Vertical Barrels Components "Ready For Vertical Farming Integration"
The aponix vertical barrel system is an alternative vertical NFT solution from Germany that can be used instead of rack systems to use vertical space more efficiently in hydroponic setups and at the same time use natural sunlight better
The aponix vertical barrel system is an alternative vertical NFT solution from Germany that can be used instead of rack systems to use vertical space more efficiently in hydroponic setups and at the same time use natural sunlight better. The system aims to maximize the number of possible grow spaces per level arranged in a given 3D room by increasing the diameter from a ‘Tower’ to a ‘Barrel’.
The whole system is based on lego-like ring segment pieces that serve either as spacers or provide differently organized inserts for standard 2-inch netpots. Assembling multiple of these ring segment pieces will result in stackable ring segments or barrel levels to assemble one or multiple such vertical cylinders. With more ring segments stacked, the height and the number of grow spaces are increased.
By the end of 2020 aponix will have developed the new ‘Version 3’ that will incorporate all collected improvements from the existing global user base from the last 3 years and adding a few more features:
Liquid will be guided more precisely inside. It will also have a new more robust and tight connection mechanism and air traps to keep liquid inside also on high flow rates.
There will be a backwards-compatible and reusable grow plug insert, that is supposed to replace 2-inch one-time use plastic netpots also in other systems. It will also have an optional plant trellis insert to grow larger flowers and fruiting dwarf varieties.
There will be a new lid-base that speeds up setup of lines of vertical barrels and enable rotation of the units if needed.
There will also be a dedicated sprinkler dome lid enabling different sprinkler options including own solutions and also the own existing pressure-less irrigation option using the waterbuffer.
Vertical barrels will be more stable and can be built higher unsing the new V3 part.
There will only be a single ring segment piece in ‘Version 3’ with 2 grow pod inserts that only allow 2 stacking positions instead of 4 in V2. If spaces are unused they can be capped with a nice green cover plug.
As of 2020 aponix also changed their market strategy from looking for distributors to starting to work only with product partners who bring in own engineering and create more specific and distinguishable solutions based on aponix components. Aponix parts are now defined as being mere infrastructure parts that always need to be integrated into a greater individual context involving more or less horticulture engineering depending on the application. Which means product partners create their own unique solutions based on aponix components adding other external even competitive pieces, logic and/or service and market them independently under their own brand and own product name.
For more information:
Aponix
hello@aponix.eu
www.aponix.eu
18 Feb 2021
How This Vertical Farm Grows 80,000 Pounds of Produce per Week
To some, the pristine growing conditions and perceived mechanical interference of a vertical farm can seem unnatural, but at Bowery Farming “interference” is actually not the goal at all. “We don’t really think about how people are involved in the growing process, but how to take people out of the growing process”
Bowery Farming uses technology to prioritize accessibility and sustainability in their produce growing operations
To some, the pristine growing conditions and perceived mechanical interference of a vertical farm can seem unnatural, but at Bowery Farming “interference” is actually not the goal at all. “We don’t really think about how people are involved in the growing process, but how to take people out of the growing process” says chief science officer Henry Sztul. “Our goal is actually to have as few people walking around our plants as possible.”
Bowery Farming is a network of vertical farms working to reengineer the growing process. Using a system of light and watering technology, Bowery is able to use 95 percent less water than a traditional outdoor farm, zero pesticides and chemicals, and grow food that tastes as good as anyone else’s.
Bowery Farming uses vertical farm-specific seeds that are optimized for flavor instead of insect resistance and durability. Seeds are mechanically pressed into trays of soil, and sent out into growing positions, or racks within the building that have their own lighting and watering systems. Each tray gets its own QR code so that they can be monitored and assigned a customized plan for water and light until they’re ready to be harvested.
Irving Fain, Bowery Farming’s founder and CEO contemplates the prediction from the United Nations that 70 to 80 percent of the world’s population will be living in and around cities in the next 30 years. “Figuring out ‘how do you feed and how do you provide fresh food to urban environments both more efficiently as well as more sustainably?’ is a very important question today, and an even more important question in the years to come.”
Video: Babylon Micro-Farms To Expand, Relocate To Richmond
Co-founded in 2017 by University of Virginia students Alexander Olesen and Graham Smith, Babylon Micro-Farms started when Olesen and Smith first designed a low-cost micro-farm to provide nutritious produce for food-insecure refugees in the Middle East
Richmond—Governor Ralph Northam today announced that Babylon Micro-Farms, a Virginia-based company that develops and produces remotely controlled, indoor hydroponic systems for growing fresh herbs, vegetables, and salad greens, will invest $140,000 to expand operations and relocate to the City of Richmond. Babylon’s new location in Scott’s Addition will enable the company to expand its capabilities in manufacturing, software development, and research and development so it can begin distributing nationally and internationally. Virginia successfully competed with Arizona and California for the project, which will create 24 new jobs.
“We are thrilled to celebrate the growth of innovative Virginia businesses like Babylon Micro-Farms,” said Governor Northam. “The company’s dynamic, high-tech systems are helping to address food insecurity during the pandemic and getting fresh, local produce into the hands of more people. This expansion demonstrates the success that entrepreneurs can find in our Commonwealth, while also maintaining a strong commitment to environmental sustainability.”
Co-founded in 2017 by University of Virginia students Alexander Olesen and Graham Smith, Babylon Micro-Farms started when Olesen and Smith first designed a low-cost micro-farm to provide nutritious produce for food-insecure refugees in the Middle East. Motivated by the desire to bring benefits of sustainable hydroponic farming to those who need it most, the pair set out to develop technology that would automate the complex aspects of indoor farming and in doing so, make this transformative method of crop production accessible to anyone. Babylon’s key innovation was developing a technology system that enables its own staff to remotely manage the light, water, and nutrients for its farming systems.
“The demand for Babylon Micro-Farms’ engineered indoor farming systems is growing in assisted living facilities, student centers, restaurants, and across the globe,” said Secretary of Commerce and Trade Brian Ball. “This expansion will enhance the company’s development and distribution of its products, and the addition of 24 new jobs is welcome as we work toward economic recovery amid this global health crisis.”
“Richmond is an exciting city with a rapidly expanding start-up and technology scene,” said Alexander Olesen, CEO, and Co-Founder of Babylon Micro-Farms. “We hope to attract some of the leading talent to our new headquarters in Scott’s Addition.”
The Virginia Economic Development Partnership worked with the City of Richmond to secure the project for Virginia. Babylon Micro-Farms is eligible to receive state benefits from the Virginia Enterprise Zone Program, administered by the Virginia Department of Housing and Community Development. Funding and services to support the company’s employee training activities will be provided through the Virginia Jobs Investment Program.
“Richmond has proven to be fertile ground for innovative companies, and Babylon Micro-Farms’ environmentally friendly, technology-driven, indoor farming methods provide healthy food options for many people,” said Richmond Mayor Levar Stoney. “We’re excited to welcome them to Richmond, and look forward to the company growing its product and its presence in our city.”
“Babylon Micro-Farms’ relocation to the City of Richmond and the expansion of its operations represents an exciting opportunity for the city,” said Senator Ghazala Hashmi. “Not only is the venture bringing new jobs, the company’s use of innovative technologies for indoor farming offers a model for fresh and healthy produce that is grown locally and within urban settings. I am delighted that the company will be a part of Scott’s Addition.”
“We are excited to welcome Babylon Micro-Farms to Richmond,” said Delegate Jeffrey Bourne. “We admire the company’s ingenuity and commitment to sustainability and food accessibility. Its presence will be a great addition to our community as well as create valuable new jobs.”
Purdue Plant Science Startup Receives NSF Funding to Advance In-Home Greenhouse Technologies
February 8, 2021
WEST LAFAYETTE, Ind. – A Purdue University-affiliated startup that designs, distributes and supports direct-to-consumer, in-home greenhouses has won a National Science Foundation Small Business Innovation Research grant.
The SBIR grant, worth $256,000, is in addition to $50,000 in matching funding from Elevate Ventures to conduct research and development work on multispectral photomorphogenesis in rotary aeroponic cultivation chambers.
Heliponix LLC, founded by Purdue Polytechnic Institute graduates Ivan Ball and Scott Massey, sells the GroPod Smart Garden Appliance. It is a small in-home greenhouse to grow daily servings of Pure Produce from subscription Seed Pods. The dishwasher-sized device fits under a kitchen counter and grows produce year-round, providing consumers with lettuce and other greens that are fresh and pesticide-free.
Heliponix, a Purdue-affiliated startup that designs, distributes and supports direct-to-consumer, in-home greenhouses, has won a National Science Foundation Small Business Innovation Research grant. (Image provided)
Heliponix LLC, founded by Purdue Polytechnic Institute graduates Ivan Ball and Scott Massey, sells the GroPod Smart Garden Appliance. It is a small in-home greenhouse to grow daily servings of Pure Produce from subscription Seed Pods. The dishwasher-sized device fits under a kitchen counter and grows produce year-round, providing consumers with lettuce and other greens that are fresh and pesticide-free.
As a leader in tunable horticultural research lighting systems, the Lighting Enabled Systems and Applications (LESA) Center of Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute is working with Heliponix to provide research-grade, multi-spectral, tunable LED modules and associated programmable control systems compatible with Heliponix’s rotary chamber.
These modules are based on the LESA Center’s TIGER horticulture research lighting modules and will provide the research flexibility needed in Phase I to optimize the LED illumination impact on plant growth variables in leafy greens including biomass, crop yield, nutritional content and energy efficiency.
“NSF is proud to support the technology of the future by thinking beyond incremental developments and funding the most creative, impactful ideas across all markets and areas of science and engineering,” said Andrea Belz, division director of the Division of Industrial Innovation and Partnerships at NSF. “With the support of our research funds, any deep technology startup or small business can guide basic science into meaningful solutions that address tremendous needs.”
Massey said, “In the wake of the ongoing coronavirus pandemic’s disruptive force on produce cultivation and recurring food safety recalls, there’s an urgent need to democratize cultivation to establish food sovereignty. We are incredibly thankful for the backing of the National Science Foundation, Purdue University, Elevate Ventures and the countless Hoosiers who have supported our pursuit to grow to become the world’s largest farm through our connected, smart garden appliances known as GroPods without owning a single acre of land.”
Once a small business gains a Phase I SBIR/STTR grant (up to $256,000), it becomes eligible to apply for a Phase II grant (up to $1 million). Small businesses with Phase II grants are eligible to receive up to $500,000 in additional matching funds with qualifying third-party investment or sales.
Startups or entrepreneurs who submit a three-page project pitch will know within three weeks if they meet the program’s objectives to support innovative technologies that show promise of commercial and/or societal impact and involve a level of technical risk. Small businesses with innovative science and technology solutions and commercial potential are encouraged to apply. All proposals submitted to the NSF SBIR/STTR program, also known as America’s Seed Fund powered by NSF, undergo a rigorous merit-based review process. Learn more about America’s Seed Fund powered by NSF.
About the Lighting Enabled Systems & Applications (LESA) Center
The LESA Center is a graduated National Science Foundation engineering research center, with matching fund support from the New York State Empire Development Corporation and corporate membership. LESA is an interdisciplinary, multi-university center developing “Systems that Think.” It is dedicated to developing autonomous intelligent systems to address modern challenges in the connected environment and is housed at Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute. To learn more, visit https://lesa.rpi.edu.
About Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute
Founded in 1824, Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute is America’s first technological research university. Rensselaer encompasses five schools, 32 research centers, more than 145 academic programs and a dynamic community made up of more than 7,600 students and over 100,000 living alumni. Rensselaer faculty and alumni include more than 145 National Academy members, six members of the National Inventors Hall of Fame, six National Medal of Technology winners, five National Medal of Science winners, and a Nobel Prize winner in physics. With nearly 200 years of experience advancing scientific and technological knowledge, Rensselaer remains focused on addressing global challenges with a spirit of ingenuity and collaboration. To learn more, visit www.rpi.edu.
About the National Science Foundation's Small Business Programs
America’s Seed Fund powered by NSF awards $200 million annually to startups and small businesses, transforming scientific discovery into products and services with commercial and societal impact. Startups working across almost all areas of science and technology can receive up to $1.75 million to support research and development, helping de-risk technology for commercial success. America’s Seed Fund is congressionally mandated through the Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) program. The NSF is an independent federal agency with a budget of about $8.1 billion that supports fundamental research and education across all fields of science and engineering.
About Purdue University
Purdue University is a top public research institution developing practical solutions to today’s toughest challenges. Ranked the No. 5 Most Innovative University in the United States by U.S. News & World Report, Purdue delivers world-changing research and out-of-this-world discovery. Committed to hands-on and online, real-world learning, Purdue offers a transformative education to all. Committed to affordability and accessibility, Purdue has frozen tuition and most fees at 2012-13 levels, enabling more students than ever to graduate debt-free. See how Purdue never stops in the persistent pursuit of the next giant leap at purdue.edu.
Writer: Chris Adam, cladam@prf.org
Source: Scott Massey, scott@GroPod.io