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Hydrobuilder Holdings Raises $70 Million And Combines West Coast Hydroponics Chain With Online Retailer
We are excited to bring together two proven leaders in hydroponics e-commerce and brick-and-mortar retail as the initial partnerships within Hydrobuilder Holdings, which we believe is poised to be a leading omni-channel seller of specialty agriculture and hydroponics equipment and supplies
January 15, 2021
Hydrobuilder Holdings Acquires Hydrobuilder.com and GreenCoast Hydroponics to Form a Leading Omni-channel Seller of Specialty Agriculture and Hydroponics Equipment and Supplies
Secures over $70 million in financing from broad base of investors
PALM BEACH, Fla.-January 15, 2021-(BUSINESS WIRE)–Hydrobuilder Holdings LLC (“Hydrobuilder Holdings”) today announced its formation through the acquisitions of Hydrobuilder.com, a leading online retailer of hydroponics and horticultural supplies, and GreenCoast Hydroponics, the second largest hydroponics retailer in the United States, to create a leading omni-channel retailer of specialty agriculture and hydroponics equipment and supplies. Hydrobuilder Holdings secured over $70 million in financing from a broad group of investors, led by Broadband Capital Investments. As part of the transaction, the sellers of both Hydrobuilder.com and GreenCoast Hydroponics retained a meaningful equity stake in Hydrobuilder Holdings.
Hydrobuilder Holdings will be led by Markus Hockenson, Chief Executive Officer, and Avi Levine, Chief Financial Officer, both of whom bring extensive digital and retail experience, and a proven track record of driving revenue, earnings growth and value creation at private-equity owned companies. Hydrobuilder.com and GreenCoast will continue to be operated by their existing management teams under the newly-formed Hydrobuilder Holdings platform and substantially all team members from Hydrobuilder.com and GreenCoast will remain with Hydrobuilder Holdings.
Mr. Hockenson previously served as President and Chief Executive Officer of International Car Wash Group and Vision Group Holdings, and has served in leadership positions at Enterprise Rent-a-Car, Starbucks, Advance Auto Parts, and TBC Corporation (Tire Kingdom). Mr. Levine previously served as Chief Financial Officer of International Car Wash Group, and has additional experience at Deloitte Consulting, Versa Capital Management, Flashpoint College and Driven Brands.
“We are excited to bring together two proven leaders in hydroponics e-commerce and brick-and-mortar retail as the initial partnerships within Hydrobuilder Holdings, which we believe is poised to be a leading omni-channel seller of specialty agriculture and hydroponics equipment and supplies,” said Hockenson.
Hydrobuilder Holdings is uniquely positioned to provide commercial growers and home gardeners with the highest level of service, product selection, education and value.
Markus Hockenson, Chief Executive Officer
With strong investor support and significant follow-on interest from our investors, we have substantial growth capital to execute our organic and M&A growth strategies, and see significant opportunities to expand these businesses in the rapidly growing hydroponics, specialty gardening and controlled environment agriculture (CEA) markets.
Hydrobuilder.com Founder and President, Justin Marshall, commented, “Partnering with GreenCoast and joining Hydrobuilder Holdings is a dream come true. I am incredibly grateful and excited to be working alongside these experts and pioneers within the hydroponics industry as well as professionals from many outside business ventures. The combined knowledge and experience will allow us to take the Hydrobuilder.com platform and apply it to some of the most successful brick-and-mortar stores in our space by utilizing our custom IT infrastructure, which enhances automation while also providing an omnichannel approach to sales for our customers. With this combination, we’ll be able to scale and automate at a far greater speed than what was possible on our own. The amount of industry and historical knowledge will allow us to further position ourselves as a leading online retailer of hydroponics equipment and supplies.”
Jordan Weiss, Chief Executive Officer of GreenCoast Hydroponics, said, “We couldn’t be more excited to see our business develop and grow into an omni-channel national model. This will better integrate and support our customers’ needs across all of our three pillars: e-commerce, retail and commercial. Along with better serving our customers, we feel great about how this partnership will support our employees and the culture that we have worked 20+ years to build.”
Michael Rapp, Managing Partner of Broadband Capital Investments, added, “We are excited to be investing in the formation of Hydrobuilder Holdings. Justin, Jordan, and their respective teams have built best-in-class companies and have deep domain knowledge. Markus and Avi are world-class executives who understand how to drive efficiencies and scale enterprises, both organically and through acquisitions. We are serving a nascent but fast-growing end market and our customers are in need of a local supply chain partner who can offer a suite of products and services to solve problems and add value. We are excited by this opportunity and we look forward to building a leading company in this space.”
About Hydrobuilder.com
Founded in 2011, Hydrobuilder.com is based in Northern California and has rapidly grown to become a leading online retailer of hydroponics and horticultural supplies. The management team previously helped Build.com grow to over $1 billion in sales, and has built Hydrobuilder.com into a complete online hydroponic gardening center that is known for having the top product lines, a fast, user-friendly website and knowledgeable employees.
About GreenCoast Hydroponics
Founded in 1999, GreenCoast is a Southern California-based specialty agriculture/hydroponics products retailer and the largest independent retailer of its kind in the United States. GreenCoast operates 12 stores (10 in California, 1 in Las Vegas, and 1 in Portland, OR), that provide equipment, plant consumable products, and design services to growers ranging from the hobbyist to the largest licensed commercial operators. Senior management is known throughout the industry as experts in design of large-scale industrial growing facilities.
About Broadband Capital Investments
Broadband Capital Investment (BCI) is a boutique merchant bank that invests in high growth industries. BCI (and/or its affiliates) was the founding investor in Vroom.com (Nasdaq: VRM), a leading used car e-commerce company, co-led the management buyout of Hydrofarm Holdings (Nasdaq: HYFM), a leading hydroponics manufacturer and distributor, prior to its initial public offering, and invested in Montrose Environmental (NYSE: MEG), an environmental services provider offering measurement & analytical services as well as environmental resiliency & sustainability solutions.
Published by NCV Newswire
Rise Gardens Debuts Indoor Smart Garden With Alexa Integration
It’s hard to describe the feeling of pride that comes with eating something that you’ve grown yourself
By Cody DeBos
January 15, 2021
Image: Rise Gardens
Growing food looks a lot different than it did even 50 years ago. No longer do you need a sprawling outdoor garden to grow fresh produce for your family. Advancements in the agriculture industry like hydroponics, vertical farming, and smart gardens make it possible to grow things just about anywhere.
These high-tech approaches are highlighted by companies like Rise Gardens. As part of CES 2021, the company announced a new compact Personal Garden. The smart growing system is designed to fit in tight spaces like on a countertop or shelf. It is also equipped with a variety of smart features—including integration with Amazon’s Alexa voice assistant—to make growing produce at home easier than ever.
Indoor Farming
It’s hard to describe the feeling of pride that comes with eating something that you’ve grown yourself. Whether that tomato or bowl of power greens was grown in the ground or in a hydroponic indoor garden, enjoying the fruits (or vegetables) of your labor is extremely satisfying. Not to mention the health benefits that come with eating home-grown produce.
For those who don’t have the space (or desire) to plant an outdoor garden, an indoor solution is a great alternative. Rise Gardens’ proprietary systems make it possible to cultivate high-quality produce in a smart, simple way.
The company’s new Personal Garden joins the larger, modular Family Garden as Rise continues to expand its product lineup.
Consumers are able to grow up to four large plants (like peppers, tomatoes, kale, or swiss chard), eight medium plants (such as fresh herbs and certain flowers), or 12 small plants (like radishes, beets, chives, or lavender). It’s also possible to grow microgreens in the compact setup.
The Personal Garden is just 16-inches wide and 11-inches deep, making it a perfect growing system for those with limited space.
How Does it Work?
The thought of growing plants outside of soil might seem baffling to those who aren’t familiar with hydroponics. In essence, the process aims to replicate the ideal conditions that plants would experience if they were growing outside.
The Personal Garden boasts a unique water flow system to hydrate the plants on a continuous basis so they receive just the right amount of water. Naturally-occurring nutrients like nitrate, phosphorous, and potassium are added to the water to help the plants grow. This recreates the effect of adding manure to the soil in an outdoor garden.
Meanwhile, Rise Gardens’ Personal Garden uses an array of custom LEDs to bathe the plants in broad-spectrum light. This replicates the effects of sunlight, helping the plants grow very quickly and year-round.
Finally, the Personal Garden features a number of smart integrations. Rise Gardens is working on an Alexa skill that makes it possible to control the garden’s lights and water pumps hands-free.
In a press release, CEO and founder Hank Adams said, “Ever since Rise Gardens joined the portfolio of Amazon Alexa Fund companies this fall, we’ve been excited to add voice control to our products and work with the Alexa team. Now it’s easier and more fun to grow your own food at home, year-round, even if you’ve never gardened before.”
Rise Gardens also has a smartphone app that sends users reminders about their plants and when to do things like add water or nutrients. Thanks to this smart connection, you don’t need a green thumb to grow fresh, delicious produce.
For anyone that’s looking to get into hydroponics or gardening at home, something like the Personal Garden is a perfect starting point. Then, when you’re ready to expand, Rise Gardens’ larger systems make it easy to grow food for an entire family, entirely indoors.
TAGS CES 2021
Derby Vertical Farming Startup Gets £500K Funding to Develop ‘All In One’ Sensor
Derby-based Light Science Technologies delivers lighting, science and research-proven plant monitoring technology and software in partnership with world-leading university research teams
INVESTMENT NEWS / 13 JAN 2021
Derby-based Light Science Technologies delivers lighting, science and research-proven plant monitoring technology and software in partnership with world-leading university research teams. It delivers the right solution across multiple indoor applications such as vertical farming, medicinal plants, and greenhouses. Its full turnkey solution for Controlled Environment Agriculture (CEA) applications for next-generation scalable farming helps customers grow more with less.
Investment to boost agricultural productivity
Light Science Technologies just secured part of the £90M government investment to support the most innovative technology to boost agricultural productivity and set food production systems towards net zero emissions by 2040.
Furthermore, it is one of the 23 feasibility projects that has been awarded up to £500,000 from £4.3M funding that is meant for Science and Technology into Practice feasibility competition, as part of UKRI’s £90 million Transforming Food Production (TFP) program. Innovate UK drives productivity and economic growth by supporting businesses to develop and realize the potential of new ideas. Notably, Innovate UK is part of UK Research and Innovation.
Simon Deacon, CEO of Light Science Technologies added: “This is an especially important boost to our business. To be selected by Innovate UK is confirmation of the urgent need for more sustainable, productive, and cost-effective solutions in farming. Investment in UK technology and innovation in this sector is crucial in achieving a better approach to agricultural production and reducing emissions.”
Innovate UK Executive Chair Dr Ian Campbell said: “There are many innovative projects in our latest feasibility competition showcasing ideas for improving productivity and cutting emissions that range across the whole agricultural sector, from arable, to livestock, to sensor technology and to new biopesticides. Our funding and support for these projects is ongoing.”
Groundbreaking sensor technology
Along with partnership with Nottingham Trent University, the company will lead the project to develop a growing sensor and innovative transmission node for vertical farms over the next six months, which is in synergy with their light and science offering.
The IoT precision data solution for vertical farming will help in boosting 0roductivity and efficiency, thereby reflecting the government’s drive to help the agricultural sector grow economically with less environmental impact.
Light Science Technologies’ ‘all in one’ indoor farm sensor will let farms to monitor and control their environment by measuring key areas such as light, water, air, temperature, humidity, oxygen and soil, thereby ensuring optimal plant productivity and yield. Also, this sensor will form a vital part of its bespoke offering, reducing energy and saving costs using technology and real-time data.
Demand for CEA market!
Of late, there is a growing demand for the Controlled Environment Agricultural (CEA) market, which is growing fast at a CAGR of 21%. The demand is mainly from AgTech CEA farmers looking to install or replace existing indoor farms to achieve a maximum yield on crops for optimum profitability. However, the high startup costs attract investment from stakeholders eyeing the potentially significant ROI opportunity.
Light Science Technologies provides custom-made solution for the CEA market, and works with growers to provide an integrated, cost-effective and low maintenance solution that can be used across different crops to achieve maximum yield. Eventually, it creates the full growing recipe of lighting, nutrients, and the environment.
Notably, Light Science Technologies is focused on becoming a technology-driven trailblazer in vertical farming innovation and technology over the next four years as it eyes to shape up the future of the CEA market.
Welsh Government Fund The Supply & Installation of CEA Systems
To date, the approaches to CEA (Controlled Environment Agriculture) have been vastly different, uncoordinated, and largely unsupported. Through this pilot, we will offer real growth potential at a scale that is impactful, replicable and delivers wider benefits for the region
To date, the approaches to CEA (Controlled Environment Agriculture) have been vastly different, uncoordinated, and largely unsupported. Through this pilot, we will offer real growth potential at a scale that is impactful, replicable and delivers wider benefits for the region.
This project, Crop Cycle, is being funded by the Welsh Government through the Foundational Economy Challenge Fund and we will be working with businesses and partners who are committed to the four pillars of the Economic Contract. The project will provide a testbed for Controlled Environment Agriculture (CEA), in the community setting – the very heart of our Foundational Economy. The project is being led by Social Farms & Gardens supported by Welsh Government’s Horticulture Cluster group and NutriWales CEA Special Interest Group.
The project allows for multiple & differing CEA systems to be tailored to fit different community settings but allowing them to be investigated and assessed in a coordinated and joined-up way across the pilot sites. This approach is unique, allowing the testing of new socially focused business models, the engagement of the local communities and businesses with CEA, and the development of new technical solutions.
This project will introduce food growing right into the heart of our communities, ones where they understand the local issues and are connected to the particular dynamics of the local area. Activities will test new community-based engagement models looking at social well-being, local entrepreneurship, and environmental impact. In this way, the project will be innovative in its operational delivery, social engagement, and business model creation bringing together community, businesses, and local public sector organizations.
Three sites will be supported, two of which are in the Valleys. Green Meadow Community Farm in Cwmbran, one of only two ‘city farms’ in Wales, and one which connects people to food and farming in a very public way. It is owned and operated by Torfean County Borough Council, bringing with it a high-level partnership. The farm already welcomes thousands of visitors through its gates and connects locally through a number of schools and college partnerships – making it an ideal ‘showcase’ location for this pilot.
Welcome To Our Woods in Treherbert is the site of the second valley, nestled in the heart of the Rhondda Valleys. This proactive community group has been actively engaging with its communities through partnerships with the Green Valleys CIC and their joint ‘Skyline’ project. This partnership and ground-up way of working has led to several funding investments in the region looking to explore community ownership of land and the benefits that can be brought about by allowing the community to utilize some of their surrounding natural green assets for the betterment of the environment, and the local communities. This makes it a unique and perfect fit for this pilot.
Ian Thomas from Welcome To Our Woods, said, ‘work is progressing well on the growing facility in Treherbert and we are excited to be bringing such an innovative and progressive project to our local high street. We have already been engaging with the Upper Rhondda community to explore the projects that actively use our woodlands for the benefit of those they surround, and initiatives such as this help give local people an idea of what can be achieved’.
The third site will be in Ty Pawb Community Hub in Wrexham, situated in the center of Wrexham, this recently refurbished site boasts a monthly footfall of 50000. One of the key players in the successful regeneration of the town it will also link with the community rooftop garden where Welsh Heritage Fruit trees are to be planted. Its facilities include an art gallery, stage area for concerts, and rooms for educational visits and community clubs.
Gary Mitchell, the Wales Manager for Social Farms & Gardens who is leading the project team stated, "we are excited to be running the pilot project across a diverse set of sites to gain insight and further knowledge into how new agricultural systems can successfully support communities in delivering local, fresh and nutritious foods as well as important social benefits in a sustainable manner."
For more information:
Social Farms & Gardens
Gary Mitchell, Wales Manager
gary@farmgarden.org.uk
www.farmgarden.org.uk
15 Dec 2020
VIDEO: The Ohio State University Announces Ground-Breaking For The Controlled Environment Food Production Research Complex
This new, unique facility will support the needs of our faculty and students unlocking human potential for innovation
This new, unique facility will support the needs of our faculty and students unlocking human potential for innovation. This greenhouse of the future will be a place for collaborative research, sustainable food production, and distinguish Ohio State from other institutions. The CEFPRC will be located at the Waterman Agricultural and Natural Resources Laboratory.
This facility will provide technology and research that will impact all Ohioans and beyond.
Tagged Education Greenhouse Ohio State University Research Vertical Farming
We Control The Entire Growing Process From "Seed To Store"
The company's proprietary farming management software system monitors plants 24/7 along with all supply chain variables to optimize growth, traceability, and food miles
Edible Garden Advances Sustainable Produce Category
With Patented Greenhouse Technology
Edible Garden, an agriculture-technology company that operates advanced environmentally controlled greenhouses and indoor hydroponic farms under stringent food safety protocols, announces its commitment to a sustainable future of next-generation farming with Zero-Waste Inspired innovation. The company's proprietary farming management software system monitors plants 24/7 along with all supply chain variables to optimize growth, traceability, and food miles.
"Our expansive indoor facilities are interconnected nationwide to reduce the company's carbon footprint and plastic waste while maximizing access to our USDA-Certified Organic salad greens and culinary herbs," said Jim Kras, CEO of Edible Garden. "Since we control the entire growing process from 'seed to store,' our farms exceed produce category profitability with minimal product loss."
An aerial view of Edible Garden headquarters. The company operates thousands of acres of sustainable greenhouses and hydroponic farms.
Zero-Waste Inspired innovations feature recyclable micro-perforated bags with micro-cap laser packaging that optimize atmosphere transfer rates within the bag and keep it free of contaminants. Edible Garden's patented self-watering in-store displays, designed to extend the life of the plant, are available exclusively at Meijer stores.
Edible Garden's advanced agriculture technology and environmentally controlled crops ensure food safety and quality.
Headquartered in Belvidere, New Jersey, Edible Garden operates additional farms nationwide through cooperative farming efforts that transcend the company's social mission to bring fresh produce and jobs to local areas. Edible Garden is a key contributor to Project Gigaton, a Walmart initiative to avoid one billion metric tons (a gigaton) of greenhouse gases from the global value chain by 2030.
Edible Garden produce includes USDA-Certified Organic Premium Fresh Cut Herbs, Hydro Fresh Basil, Organic 4" Living Herbs, and Premium Organic Living Lettuces that are currently available at major and local retailers including Meijer, Walmart, Wakefern/ShopRite, Hannaford, Target, Sweetgreen, among many others.
Lead photo: Edible Garden's patented self-watering in-store displays extend plant life for a better product and minimal loss.
For more information:
Edible Garden
283 County Road 519
Belvidere, NJ 07823
(844) 344-3727
www.ediblegarden.com
Publication date: Thu 8 Oct 2020
VIDEO: “Everyone Can Become A City Farmer”: Interview With iFarm’s Co-Founder And CEO Max Chizhov
If you’re interested in agtech and the future of food but also in having a positive social impact, reducing our carbon footprint, or how to build a solid team in a startup, you’ll find some good advice from Max
October 13, 2020
Today’s agricultural models have shown their limits in terms of their impact on the environment, biodiversity, and production. In a bid to reduce pollution, biodiversity loss, and shrinking yields, one solution presented has been ‘vertical farming’, otherwise known as growing crops in vertically stacked layers, and in a controlled environment.
We recently caught up with Max Chizhov, co-founder and CEO of Helsinki-based iFarm, a startup founded in 2017 that are providing ‘plug&play’ automated vertical farms for stores, restaurants, warehouses, and even homes. We asked him a few questions about things that matter when you’re an entrepreneur and leading your company to grow.
If you’re interested in agtech and the future of food but also in having a positive social impact, reducing our carbon footprint, or how to build a solid team in a startup, you’ll find some good advice from Max down below.
Hello Max, thank you for being with us today. Could you please give us a short overview about how you became an entrepreneur as well as why you founded iFarm?
In 2017, I was looking for a project that, on the one hand, would be interesting for me from a professional point of view, and on the other, bring tangible benefits to the society. I already had experience in the technological field, that is why I focused on that area. At that time, I also met Alex Lyskovsky, who had just finished a course at a culinary school in France. That experience left him wondering whether it was possible to grow high-quality vegetables all year round, regardless of climate conditions and with the least environmental impact, ideally making profit. His story resonated with me, so I researched the topic thoroughly and realized that that was something I really wanted to do — that’s how iFarm was born.
iFarm is based in Vantaa, Finland. What is your opinion on the environment for creating a tech company there?
Finland offers a favorable environment for tech startups that care about the social side of business as much as the profits. It has a strong community of tech entrepreneurs, an excellent networking base, and government support.
iFarm has announced recently an approx. €3.6 million seed investment. What are your future plans with such capital?
The company will use the funding to develop our iFarm Growtune IT platform that enables operations of multiple varieties of vertical farms and quadrupling the number of plants available to iFarm’s tech. In addition, iFarm will be optimizing its automated production lines to reduce labor costs and complete experiments with growing strawberries, cherry tomatoes, sweet peppers, radish, and other crops.
We are also currently preparing for Series A round, which will take place in Q4’2020 – Q1’2021. Next year we are planning to expand our presence in Northwest and Central Europe and the Middle East.
This news comes amidst great uncertainties with COVID-19. Has the pandemic impacted your activities and priorities as a company?
Over the last few years, the overall trend in agriculture has been to localize production. This is due to the high rates of urbanization, growth of population, and in 2020 the additional impact of the Covid-19 pandemic and the quarantine following it that made the problems of long supply chains and food security even more obvious.
Such conditions make growing vegetables, berries, and greens in the immediate vicinity of the consumer a necessity. Countries have begun to think strategically about food security issues, which brought us several large customers.
From the point of view of organizing teamwork, we did not face any difficulties. Even before the pandemic, we had been building processes and implementing tools for smooth work of an effective remote team.
Since 2017, your team has grown to over 20 people. What tips would you give to someone who wants to build a solid team?
Create a welcoming atmosphere and avoid strict hierarchies. At iFarm, every employee has the opportunity to contact the founders, ask any question, or come up with a proposal. This does not require full control over tasks and is based on the trust and professionalism of each team member. Top management is to come to the rescue when necessary and prioritize a large pool of operational issues. This increases the level of employee motivation and loyalty, that is how we manage to achieve our goals and to meet deadlines, while maintaining high quality.
Hire people that share your company’s mission and values, are independent and self-organized. We allow for mistakes to take place, they can happen and it is part of the process. Reflecting on these mistakes, understanding their essence and cause helps employees to become stronger and more confident, and to avoid them in the future.
In your opinion what makes iFarm stand out from the competition?
iFarm provides a turnkey solution, so our clients do not need to have special knowledge — everyone can become a city farmer and produce crops for sale; traditional agricultural productions will be able to modernize their capacities, and such businesses as HoReCa, retail and food manufacturers will receive a technological solution that ensures uninterrupted supply of ingredients for their dishes and goods.
Another important advantage of iFarm is the range of crops that can be grown using our technology, while most vertical farms in the world produce the same salads and greens, which is often criticized in the market.
What is it like to tackle such an important issue as food and agriculture?
That is a great challenge and a great responsibility. On the one hand, we want to ensure access to healthy and high-quality food for as many people in the world as possible, on the other hand, we want to conserve the natural resources of our planet and minimize our carbon footprint. Thus, creating iFarm technology, we are always guided by these principles when making decisions that affect this result.
What is your advice to young entrepreneurs looking to kick off their own agtech company?
Don’t be afraid to make mistakes, set ambitious goals, work in a team, and remember to delegate.
Signify’s LED Lighting Helps GoodLeaf Farms To Increase Food Production All Year Round
As a branded producer, GoodLeaf grows and packs fresh, nutritious, and pesticide-free micro and baby greens year-round
October 15, 2020
Eindhoven, The Netherlands – GoodLeaf Community Farms in Canada selected Signify (Euronext: LIGHT), the world leader in lighting, to equip its new state-of-the-art farm with Philips Horticulture LED lighting and increase its food production, enhance flavor and improve nutritional value. As a branded producer, GoodLeaf grows and packs fresh, nutritious, and pesticide-free micro and baby greens year-round. The company operates a 4,000-square-metre indoor vertical farm in Guelph, Ontario, which is now fully operational to supply some of the largest Canadian retail chains. GoodLeaf is backed by McCain Foods as its strategic investor.
The vertical farm is fully automated and equipped with the latest LED lighting technology for growing indoors. The energy-efficient Philips Greenpower LED production modules enable GoodLeaf to shorten production cycles. As it provides a controlled environment it also allows GoodLeaf to produce all year round without any lighting, temperature, and pesticide worries and reducing waste at the same time.
GoodLeaf Farms started working with Philips products in 2013 at the company’s test facility in Truro, Nova Scotia. “Signify has been very advantageous to GoodLeaf. We’ve worked with many vendors and Signify would stand out as one of the most collaborative, if not one of the best partners we’ve had through this project. We will work with them on a go-forward basis and very much look forward to that,” said Jeff McKinnon, Chief Financial Officer and Vice President of GoodLeaf Community Farms and TruLeaf Sustainable Agriculture.
Signify has built up a substantial track record in more than 400 projects in the horticultural lighting market since 1995, developing ways to apply lighting technology to crop farming. With cutting-edge LED innovations, the company can custom-build a science-based solution for growers providing data and plant expertise to optimize yields.
This expertise is built on close collaborations with Signify’s horticulture partners and through research at its own vertical farming research facilities in Eindhoven, called GrowWise Center. Vertical farming, or city farming, means that plants can be grown indoors in a controlled environment without sunlight. This is ideal for propagating young plants, cultivating full head crops, and growing healthier, pesticide-free crops. It maximizes production by using LEDs to light multiple layers of crops, achieving a higher yield with a smaller footprint.
“The support from Signify and the folks from GrowWise Center is phenomenal. We meet with them monthly. The data they collect covers the data we collect as well, so sharing that knowledge has been excellent, and the service over their Philips’ products has been exceptional,” said McKinnon.
For more information about this project at GoodLeaf, you can watch the video here.
--- END ---
For further information, please contact:
Global Marcom Manager Horticulture at Signify
Daniela Damoiseaux
Tel: +31 6 31 65 29 69
E-mail: daniela.damoiseaux@signify.com
Signify Global Media relations - Professional Lighting
Wendy Schellens
Tel: +31 6 51 863 401
Email: wendy.schellens@signify.com
About Signify
Signify (Euronext: LIGHT) is the world leader in lighting for professionals and consumers and lighting for the Internet of Things. Our Philips products, Interact connected lighting systems and data-enabled services, deliver business value, and transform life in homes, buildings, and public spaces. With 2019 sales of EUR 6.2 billion, we have approximately 36,000 employees and are present in over 70 countries. We unlock the extraordinary potential of light for brighter lives and a better world. We have been named Industry Leader in the Dow Jones Sustainability Index for three years in a row. News from Signify is located at the Newsroom, Twitter, LinkedIn, and Instagram. Information for investors can be found on the Investor Relations page.
UAE: Smart Acres Plans To Open R&D Lab For Local Produce Amid AgTech Growth
Abu Dhabi vertical farming start-up Smart Acres is looking to raise at least Dh20 million to fund a research and development center to produce a local variety of potato as agriculture technology gathers pace in the UAE
Vertical farming start-up aims to raise as much as Dh20m to fund the project
Abu Dhabi vertical farming start-up Smart Acres is looking to raise at least Dh20 million to fund a research and development center to produce a local variety of potato as agriculture technology gathers pace in the UAE.
“The future is green. The Hope probe has headed to Mars, why shouldn’t the UAE be the first to put a container farm on the planet?” Abdulla Al Kaabi, founder and chief executive, told The National.
The entrepreneur is part of a team of three working in partnership with a Korean AgTech platform called N.thing, to adapt the technology to the harsh arid climate of the Emirates on an Abu Dhabi farm gifted to him two years ago by his father.
Smart Acres has designed vertical farms in shipping containers using the IoT-based technology system that monitors water, carbon dioxide, and nutrient levels. The system sends a push notification to one of the team's iPhones or iPads if levels need to be adjusted, but it allows the process to happen largely unmonitored. The farm is empty most of the time, Mr. Al Kaabi said. The growing process also consumes up to 90 percent less water than traditional farming methods and grows premium and cost-competitive lettuces.
Food security and innovation in agriculture is a priority of the Abu Dhabi government, which has earmarked Dh1 billion for an agri-tech incentive program as part of the government’s Ghadan 21 accelerator initiative.
In April, Abu Dhabi Investment Office (Adio) invested $100 million (Dh367m) to bring four agriculture technology companies to the emirate as part of government efforts to attract high-skilled talent and cutting-edge research. The country’s 24,000 farms are set to benefit if new technology can be applied to drive efficiencies in crop yield and water usage.
The Covid-19 pandemic has only underscored the need to achieve greater food security in the UAE. Between 80 and 90 percent of the food in the GCC is imported, according to Chatham House.
While the figure is high, UAE residents are starting to see signs of progress: locally-harvested tomatoes and greens at the market or on dining menus are now a common sight. All of this has sprung up in the last several years as vertical and hydroponic farming ventures and research, as well as cloud-seeding, bear fruit.
Mr Al Kaabi wants the Smart Acres Institute of Food Security & Agriculture “to have Emirati hands” build the project. He is looking to attract recent graduates in environmental sciences and technology to the R&D lab to customize seeds to grow in this region in a controlled environment.
Potatoes, one of the most common crops in the world with consistent growing demand year-on-year, will be his first target. The team also wants to develop robots to help with harvesting and packing.
In addition to the R&D lab, Mr. Al Kaabi is aiming to increase the annual yield capacity at the farm more than tenfold, from the 40 tonnes of lettuces that it currently produces.
Mr. Al Kaabi was well-versed with the food industry even before he struck out on his own. His family owns the exclusive distribution license for a popular Korean ramen brand called Samyang Noodles as well as Tom’s Farm almonds.
While he learned a lot from the family trading business, his father encouraged him to build something on his own. After seeing how difficult the last several months have been on the imported food business, he is glad he did so.
With Smart Acres, Mr. Al Kaabi said, "I'm finally doing something right. Now my father asks me every two weeks what is going on at the farm”.
Updated: July 21, 2020 06:52 PM
Lead Photo: Farming via smartphone in Abu Dhabi. Courtesy Smart Acres
Marc Oshima on Innovations In Urban Vertical Farming and Frida Herrera-Endinjok on Nutrition Justice
Today on “Food Talk with Dani Nierenberg,” Dani interviews Marc Oshima, Co-Founder and Chief Marketing Officer for AeroFarms, a technology company that operates indoor vertical farms around the world
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Today on “Food Talk with Dani Nierenberg,” Dani interviews Marc Oshima, Co-Founder and Chief Marketing Officer for AeroFarms, a technology company that operates indoor vertical farms around the world. They discuss how the latest innovations in controlled agriculture can bring healthy food to urban communities while also minimizing environmental impact. Dani also interviews Frida Herrera-Endinjok, a student activist, master gardener, and food system leader from California State University at Northridge. They discuss Frida’s work eliminating food waste on college campuses and improving nutrition in underserved communities through urban community gardening education.
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