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Indoor Garden Works’ (IGWorks™) iHarvest Kickstarter Introduces A Beautiful, Soilless Indoor Garden For Growing Big Fruits And Vegetables At Home
IGWorks™ announces the April 16th launch of their Kickstarter campaign for the patent pending iHarvest™: a beautiful hydroponic system that will reinvent vegetable gardening
April 14, 2019 | San Clemente, California
IGWorks™ announces the April 16th launch of their Kickstarter campaign for the patent pending iHarvest™: a beautiful hydroponic system that will reinvent vegetable gardening.
“All the existing systems were either too small to grow real food or too ugly to enjoy with your family and friends,” shared founder and CEO Dave Stevens. The solution was a hydroponic, automated and fully self-contained system that simultaneously grows up to 30 fruits and vegetables, all within 2.5 sq. feet of floor space.
The iHarvest™ makes it easy for the indoor home gardener to grow a wide variety of fruits and vegetables, including cucumbers, strawberries, beans and more, while saving up to $1,000 a year on groceries.
The Perfect Garden for Small Spaces
Smaller indoor and outdoor spaces, limited time, harsh seasons and unpredictable climates can make it increasingly challenging to grow healthy produce at home. “We knew that the answer lied in hydroponics; however, the existing systems were either unattractive, cumbersome, costly or challenging to use,“ said Stevens. “I wanted an attractive, indoor garden that could easily fit into the smallest apartment, while also providing enough produce to help feed a family year-round.”
Realizing that there was nothing on the market that met his needs, Stevens enlisted a team of individuals, including engineers and business advisors, to bring iHarvest™ and IGWorks™ to life. The result was an eye-catching self-contained growing wall that enhances spaces with a burst of greenery and light.
Experience how iHarvest™ will reinvent indoor gardening:
Faster Growing Time – Harvest your produce 30-50% faster than traditional vegetable gardens
Fresh, Healthy Produce –Grow your food precisely the way that you want it including zero pesticides, zero herbicides, and without GMO’s.
Automated LED Lights – High-efficiency, visually pleasing, full spectrum LED lights allow the user to predetermine when the sun rises and sets while using the same amount of energy (72W) of a standard lightbulb.
95% Less Water – Requires 20 X less water than traditional growing methods
Vertical Design – Fits in the smallest of spaces, while the included trellis easily accommodates hanging vegetation.
Easily Assembled - Simply add seeds to the medium, place into the pod, add water and grow.
Early Kickstarter supporters will receive the iHarvest™ for a substantially reduced price, $449 versus the projected retail price of $850, a 47% savings. “This innovative system will reinvent the way that consumers look at indoor gardening, making it easy to grow fresh produce in every home,” said Stevens. “By supporting iHarvest™ on Kickstarter, supporters can help bring the future of gardening to market.”
Visit the iHarvest™ pre-release Kickstarter page, learn more about what inspired the product, and see how iHarvest™ will transform the way that we look at indoor produce gardening.
A Beginner’s Guide To Help You Grow Plants Indoors
In the last 5 to 10 years, a number of exciting technologies have come forward that may change the way people garden forever
Do you ever feel like your garden just won’t grow right, no matter how many nutrients, pesticides, or hours of care you throw at it?
If you answered yes, you are not alone! Growing up, many of us have seen our parents or teachers work magic with plants in their garden, dealing with cold weather, frost, bugs, animal invasions, and other tedious garden tasks. Many of us are left wondering how dealing with the elements and bugs can be worth it for anyone!
In the last 5 to 10 years, a number of exciting technologies have come forward that may change the way people garden forever. No longer do gardeners have to brave the elements and deal with cold winters where nothing grows. Indoor gardening has gained global attention, and there are countless innovators working on indoor growing solutions for the home and office.
Here are a few of these technologies. We hope these tips can empower you grow more food for more of the year!
LEDs
Horticultural LEDs have revolutionized indoor gardening in more ways than any other technology could. With access to controlled indoor light that isn’t too expensive to run, anyone can turn their soil or hydro container farm into an indoor set up, eliminating the need for sunlight and the risk of climate damage to crops. With the right LEDs giving your crops light, you can also expect way higher yields and fuller growth from your plants!
Hydroponics
This is the most popular of the indoor growing methods today. Hydroponics is the process of growing plants using no soil, suspending them in or over a nutrient rich solution for food and often using LEDs or artificial lighting to induce day/night cycles for plants and allow them the energy to photosynthesize. There are many kinds of hydroponic system designs and configuration, all of which carry out different approaches for different plants and outcomes.
Aquaponics
Similar to hydroponics, this growing method allows the user to grow plants without soil. Using slightly different irrigation and feeding methods, aquaponics takes fish waste from a fish tank and circulates it into the hydroponic root system, giving plants truly organic natural food. The plant roots then soak up the waste and clean the water, which can then be circulated back to the fish and the cycle repeats. This technology most closely mimics a natural energy cycle, and also has the added benefit of producing more than just plants, but seafood in your home too!
Container Gardening
Container gardens can be either indoor or outdoor, and are the lowest tech and oldest indoor gardening solution. Using a container with a water catching tray underneath, anyone can move their plants indoors, eliminating many of the pest and climate issues commonly associated with container gardening outdoors. Besides being the lowest cost indoor gardening solution, container gardens are a great way to transition from soil gardening outdoors to soilless gardening indoors using something like a hydroponic system. Whether using LEDs or natural light from a window, container gardening will keep you growing right through the winter months with a little less work and risk.
Smart Gardening
The newest of these options, smart gardening utilizes a plug and play growing appliance or device which controls lighting, feeding, watering, and monitoring your plants for you. This is the most effortless and failure free gardening option for homeowners anywhere. Whether you have a colder climate, a busy job, or a full social life, having a smart garden guarantees you the space and time to grow a garden without the hassle, time commitment, or pesticides. Smart gardens often utilize full climate control systems to guarantee your plants an optimal environment, and produce much less waste, toxins, and runoff than any other indoor gardening solution. Smart gardens come in all shapes and sizes, growing everything from herbs and greens to tomatoes and cannabis! If you are looking to up your gardening game for good, you can’t do better than a Smart Garden!
Many people we meet and talk to at Aeroasis agree on a few key things:
First, gardening is an incredibly rewarding experience, minus one or two very tedious and time consuming tasks. Second, limitations like seasonality make it hard to keep their garden up year after year, and this affects people’s willingness to garden over time. Third, everyone is looking for a better way to grow, spending more time and money on their plants directly and less on tertiary tasks like weeding, spraying, and watering their crops. With the option to garden inside, all of the more tedious aspects of growing become significantly less limiting, and seasonal plants are a thing of the past!
We at Aeroasis hope to keep empowering more people to grow their food indoors, and to spread the joy of controlled environment agriculture globally!
LEARN MORE ABOUT OASIS
The House of The Future: Super-Sustainable With Room to Grow Your Food
The house and garden of the future is sustainable and produces its own food. Photo: supplied
MELISSA HEAGNEY SENIOR JOURNALIST
MAR 3, 2019
The phrase “house of the future” may, at first, provoke images of cartoon family The Jetsons with sky-high homes, flying cars and robot servants.
But according to the experts, the reality is much more sustainable and green. And it’s already here.
One display at the upcoming Melbourne International Flower and Garden Show will feature a range of sustainable builders’ ideas and products linked to the house and garden of the future.
Future homes are set to be highly sustainable, have minimal impact on the land and produce enough fresh food to feed several adults over a year, according to participant Brendan Condon.
Mr Condon is director of three sustainability companies including gardening outfit Biofilta, and part of an award-winning deep-green development The Cape at Cape Patterson in South Gippsland.
Homes can and will have minimal impact on the land around it. Photo: Supplied
“We’re showing people can harness design and breakthrough technology that is already being used on houses around the world,” Mr Condon said.
He said sustainability was a must for the future of big cities like Melbourne and Sydney, especially when it comes to living a healthy and comfortable life.
“Suburbia now needs to become the new nature,” he said.
“Cities have huge opportunities to combine rainwater or rooftop rainwater runoff, waste stream organics like composted food waste and surplus city spaces with clever urban farming systems to grow huge amounts of fresh produce.”
Mr Condon said a new gardening system would be launched at the show to demonstrate to people that they could grow food anywhere.
Biofilta recently partnered with a local coffee company to set up pop-up farms in two car spaces in Rocklea Drive, Port Melbourne.
The aim is to grow over 300 kilograms of fresh food in over a year using used coffee grounds and chaff. They have already produced 180 kilograms of food in four months.
Gardens can be grown anywhere – including rooftops and car parks. Photo: Supplied
Mr Condon said there were opportunities to turn urban areas and high-rise blocks into environments for not only food production but also other types of biodiversity.
That included setting up areas of wetlands which would encourage frogs and insects to find a home in urban areas. More plants offering shading would also help with the urban heat island effect.
As well as food production, the house and garden of the future will also use solar energy and solar batteries to produce more power than they need. This could power electric cars – even if not actual flying cars promised by The Jetsons.
Director of modular home group Ecoliv Building Ashley Beaumont agreed, saying sustainable home design was now at a point where heating and cooling appliances were minimally used.
Passive solar design – using the sun to heat and cool homes – meant power bills would be massively reduced.
Mr Condon said this could be by as much as $2500 every year where efficient, all-electric appliances were used.
“Climate-adapted, resilient, comfortable homes powered by renewable energy with super-low energy bills, coupled with productive urban farming, are definitely the future,” Mr Condon said.
The Founders of The Farm Project Announce Nationwide Launch of Lettuce Grow
Founded by Jacob Pechenik and Zooey Deschanel as an initiative of The Farm Project, Lettuce Grow is calling all front yards, backyards, patios and balconies to move fresh food production back into our communities
THE FOUNDERS OF THE FARM PROJECT ANNOUNCE NATIONWIDE LAUNCH OF LETTUCE GROW: A NEW MEMBERSHIP EXPERIENCE EMPOWERING AMERICANS TO GROW 20% OF THEIR FOOD AT HOME
Los Angeles, CA, and Austin, TX (March 13, 2019)
The Farm Project is proud to announce today the nationwide launch of Lettuce Grow, providing everyone the tools, encouragement and inspiration to grow 20% of their food at home while building an expanding community of passionate growers who connect deeply through food and sustainable living. Lettuce Grow is now available for pre-orders, with membership programs starting in April 2019.
Founded by Jacob Pechenik and Zooey Deschanel as an initiative of The Farm Project, Lettuce Grow is calling all front yards, backyards, patios and balconies to move fresh food production back into our communities. By building the world’s largest distributed farm, Lettuce Grow is on a mission to change our food system, closing the gap on food mileage and resource waste, all while re-establishing a deeper, lasting and experiential connection with the food we eat.
The company will donate one Farmstand and membership for every ten member sign-ups to a school or community-based organization via its Lettuce Give program, in order to advance fresh food access and help cultivate the next generation of sustainable farmers, chefs and consumers.
”We couldn’t be more excited to finally bring Lettuce Grow to homes across the country,” say Founders Jacob Pechenik and Zooey Deschanel. “It’s something we’re extremely passionate about – empowering people to grow a substantial portion of healthy, fresh food at home while also helping to reduce waste and create more sustainable communities. We hope to inspire people to develop a new, more healthy relationship with the food they eat.”
More and more people want to grow their own food, but the lack of space, time, dependability and expertise keeps many from making it a reality. With Lettuce Grow, members only need a power outlet and 9 square feet of sunny outdoor space – everything else required to become successful master growers is included with the membership.
Lettuce Grow Farmstands use self-watering hydroponic technology and are sustainably made from ocean plastic. They’re designed to save time and space, delivering about the same yield as 40 square feet farmed conventionally in raised beds, with only a few minutes needed for maintenance and harvesting each week.
Lettuce Grow sends members bi-weekly deliveries of living baby plants, so their Farmstands are always fully stocked. Growing plans are curated based on eating preferences and include over 75 varieties of leafy greens, vegetables, herbs and edible flowers – even watermelons! Lettuce Grow’s data-driven approach takes into account the member’s location, individual environment, weather data and seasonality to make sure members can successfully and reliably harvest meaningful quantities of fresh food at peak harvest.
Along the way, members have access to educational content and support from expert horticulturists as well as their own interactive farming dashboard, which always shows them what’s growing and what’s ready in their Farmstands. And because the goal is to help members meet their personal healthy eating goals, Lettuce Grow provides them a steady stream of exclusive recipes and how-to’s to accompany their harvests.
Lettuce Grow Farmstands start at $399, with a monthly membership at $49 per month. For more information about how to sign up for Lettuce Grow and to start growing at home, visit
lettucegrow.com. Follow Lettuce Grow on Instagram at @lettucegrow and Facebook at @LettuceGrow.
Continuously Growing Microgreens At Home
The perfect present for a food-loving tech nerd should be an innovation that can be labeled as smart, urban and sustainable. Well, the Mizzle microgreen cultivator ticks all the boxes.
The concept, which is not for sale yet, is a product of designers Gökhan Cetinkaya & Deniz Ibanoğlu and a winner of the iF Design Talent Award. The duo designed a smart aeroponic kitchen for consumers to grow microgreens at home.
The Mizzle is divided into three compartments: the first one is for germination in a dark, closed space. The seeds are placed in a tray and once ready they can be pushed to the next compartment, where the microgreens can grow under sunlight or LED light. Once the third compartment has been fully harvested, a new growing pad with seeds can be placed in the tray and can be slid into the germination cell. This way the system allows the consumer to produce microgreens continuously.
What is even more convenient is that the user can install a specially designed app to follow the growing cycles and to get notified when they have to add water.
Read this article from Designboom to get more information.
Publication date : 2/22/2019
Author: Jobke den Hertog
© HortiDaily.com
How to Have a Hydroponic Farm In A Closet-Sized Apartment
At one point vertical farming as a solution would have been an outlandish solution, but it’s a growing industry, and more than one company now offers setups that the average person can fit into their home and operate without any assistance from an agriculture expert
I’ve long wanted to grow my own produce, even if it’s just lettuce. But since I live in a third-floor walkup the size of a Macy’s fitting room (and that includes the fire escape), outdoor gardening is out of the question.
At one point vertical farming as a solution would have been an outlandish solution, but it’s a growing industry, and more than one company now offers setups that the average person can fit into their home and operate without any assistance from an agriculture expert. Armed with that encouragement, I’ve been shopping for an indoor farm that will a) fit into my tiny apartment and b) compensate for the fact that I’m such a bad gardener that I once killed a cactus.
Here’s what I found:
CityCrop
CityCrop‘s farm has automated much of the science behind plant care, so that a user just buys the device and downloads an app, drops seeds into the farm’s base, then lets the system do the rest. Via notifications to the app, the software will tell you how to adjust the temperature so it’s ideal for your crops and when to water, and will even give plant care tips based on snapshots of your plants.
The farm is also small, which means it easily fits into tiny living spaces. Predictably, leafy greens are the most common crops, though the UK-based company also says you can grow things like edible flowers and strawberries. If the point is access to fresh greens even when you’re a city dweller with no time to grow, this makes sense as a solution — though it doesn’t come cheap. CityCrop is shipping in Q1 of 2019, for £999 (about $1300 USD) excluding shipping and VAT fees. As with any product that has yet to ship, proceed with a grain of caution as there’s no guarantee as to when it’ll actually hit the market.
Ponix Systems
Ponix promises on its website that “you neither need a balcony nor water to grow your vertical farm at home.” The company’s hydroponic farm, named Herbert, is a wall-like slab with shelves mounted to it where the plants grow accompanied by overhead LEDs.
To use Herbert, you place seeds into the pods, which then fit into the shelves. Add water every one to two weeks, and fertilizer every three to four weeks. The system does the rest of the work in terms of helping you maintain healthy plants, adjust light settings, and perform other maintenance tasks. Herbert can grow up to 15 plants at a time.
Because it lives on a wall-mounted panel, Herbert definitely takes up the least amount of space of any farm on this list. Right now it’s selling for €490.00 (~$553 USD) not including shipping. From a cost-point and a space perspective, I’d say Herbert is probably most appropriate for a dressing-room-sized apartment.
SproutsIO
Smart Kitchen Summit alum SproutsIO has a smart microgarden lets you grow up about 36 servings of leafy greens in the span of one month, and on your coffee table. The actual “farm” is basically a smart device in a potted plant, and at a mere 12 inches wide, is a self-contained farm that would fit on your coffee table with no problems.
The microgarden uses a proprietary combination of wavelength-tuned LEDs, sensors (for light, temperature, etc.), and an onboard camera, and connects to your smartphone via the SproutsIO app. The base of the device, meanwhile, can includes and electronic mister, to circulate water, and can expand as plant roots get larger. And it’s dishwasher safe.
The product is expected to ship in Q3 of 2019, for $799. As of right now, SproutsIO is for U.S. orders only.
Ava Byte
Ava Byte also uses a combination of hardware, software, AI, sensors, and a smartphone app to bring intelligent gardening to your tabletop. One thing about this grow system that’s different from others is that Ava Technologies developed lights that adapt to different types of plants, rather than the standard “on/off” timer used with most systems. A time-lapse camera lets you monitor plant growth remotely, and Ava claims its plants can grow three times faster than those farmed with traditional methods.
Ava Technologies, who raised a $2.6 million seed round last year, is another SKS alumni, and you can see company Valerie Song pitch the product in this video to get a good idea of how it works. Byte is by far the cheapest on this list, at $299. Throw in an extra $99 for a year’s worth of seeds.
Opcom
Opcom’s farm is a little bit bigger but will still fit in larger houses. The five-foot GrowWall2 grows up to 80 plants at once, which means you could supply the family with fresh greens every day and still have enough to moonlight as a farmer’s market retailer if you wanted. Opcom also makes a smaller GrowFrame, which fits on a wall. Its smallest, most affordable offering is the GrowBox.
GrowBox is a tabletop, automated hydroponic system that manages its own lighting and water circulation. Each GrowBox is shipped with seeds, and the device itself is super portable, despite its 50-plant capacity. It’s $599, though Opcom sells a ton of different products, and there are even smaller, cheaper options. But if you’re looking to get familiar with vertical farming or just want better greens in your life, this is a good route to travel.
As of this writing, I’m leaning towards Ponix Systems’ Herbert as the best option for indoor farming in a tiny space, as it only requires a wall, not floor or table space. However, this is not an exhaustive list of at-home vertical farms, so if there are others that merit mention, drop ’em in the comments. And stay tuned for further adventures in urban farming.
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Jennifer (Jenn) is a writer, editor, and ghostwriter based in NYC. At The Spoon she covers agtech, sustainable food issues, and restaurant tech. She is obsessed with IKEA.
OGarden Smart: Grow An Indoor Garden of 90 Fruits & Veggies
The OGarden Smart can grow up to 90 fruits, veggies and delicious aromatic herbs at once, so you can enjoy an abundance of super fresh food.
Automatic watering makes using OGarden Smart virtually effortless, and the automatic low energy consumption LEDs simulate the perfect amount of sunlight, offering optimal year round growth (and will automatically turn on and off for convenience and energy conservation)
All you need to do is plant a seed, make sure there is enough water in the tank (only once a week), and you can harvest your produce 30 to 40 days later, that’s it! And don’t forget to send the roots to the compost bin and start the life cycle again.
There are 90 available spots, so with a good rotation, you can have 2-4 large vegetables a day, every day.
Why is OGarden’s growth so efficient? And why is it so easy?
The key is in the cup of seeds. Made with organic soil and fed with all the organic fertilizer it needs, our seed cups create the perfect environment for the plant to grow. they’re also super clean! No spilled dirt or fuss. With a 100% biodegradable membrane, the seed cups stay in place without any mess.
OGarden Smart’s LEDs simulate the perfect amount of sunlight that your produce needs to thrive. No more worrying about which seasons to grow your produce in. No matter the conditions outside, OGarden Smart will grow up to 90 fruits and veggies at once, with 20 different varieties to choose from.
Is your favorite vegetable or fruit not on the list? No problem! With the Empty seed cup, you can sprout your own seeds. Have fun and grow your own original plants. We'd love to see what you grow! Take photos of your harvest and share them with the Ogarden Smart community.
According to the U.S. Department of Agriculture, it costs a family of four an average of $850 per month for groceries*. OGarden Smart can save you up to 80% on your veggie expenses - allowing you to cut down your grocery bill.
*Official USDA Food Plans: U.S. Average, November 2017
With OGarden, you can get fully grown, pesticide-free veggies for as low as $0.45 cents!
By producing your vegetables, fruits, and herbs directly at home, you know the quality of the air, the water and environment they grow in. Have peace of mind knowing that all of your fresh produce is grown in a 100% organic environment.
WHAT COMES IN THE BOX:
● The Ogarden Smart (disassembled) ;
● 30 Empty seed cups;
● 3 packs of seeds (Basil, Chinese cabbage Tat-soi, Lettuce Green Oak Leaf)
Additional Empty cups and multiple varieties of seeds are available on the online shop.
NOW ON KICKSTARTER (Feb.12th)
Masdar City Unveils Sustainable Smart Home Farming
Exhibition at Eco-Villa highlights Masdar’s support of the UAE’s National Food Security
Published: January 17, 2019 Staff Report
Abu Dhabi: Masdar City in Abu Dhabi has unveiled a Smart Home Farming Showcase called ‘Bustani’ at its Eco-Villa prototype to demonstrate emerging farming solutions that will help UAE residents produce their own food at home.
The exhibition, which will be open to the public throughout 2019, will demonstrate more than 15 innovative home solutions, around food production, water and waste recycling, said a press release issued on Thursday. These solutions, which Masdar sourced from local and international suppliers before being installed at the Masdar City Eco-Villa earlier this month, will be tested throughout the year.
The showcase is a collaboration between Masdar and the UAE-based agri-tech specialists Madar Farms, and is one of the outcomes of a partnership between the UAE Office for Food Security and Masdar.
The objective of the showcase is to highlight how progress in technology has allowed the emergence of solutions to increase food security at the home level, as well as raise awareness of the broader global challenges of sustainably and nutritiously feeding a growing population.
Mariam Al Muhairi, Minister of State for Food Security, officially opened the showcase in the presence of Mohammad Jameel Al Ramahi, CEO of Masdar; Yousuf Baselaib, Executive Director, Sustainable Real Estate at Masdar; and Abdul Aziz Al Mulla, CEO and Founder from Madar Farms.
Mariam commented that Smart Home Farming as showcased in Masdar City encourages self-sufficiency and reduces the burden on commercial food producers and suppliers by enabling villa-dwellers to produce food from facilities on their own premises. Smart Home Farming turns consumers into ‘prosumers’ and if initiated on a wide enough scale, could result in a new paradigm of food security for the nation, she said.
Al Ramahi, Masdar CEO, said: “Global food systems are faced with the challenge of sustainably feeding more than nine billion people by 2050. Today’s food systems are falling short of these objectives and remain both unsustainable for the environment and unable to adequately nourish a major part of the global population.” He said the smart home farming showcase demonstrates Masdar’s commitment to exploring innovative and sustainable approaches to farming.
Masdar is supporting start-up companies and entrepreneurs to develop an innovation ecosystem focused on improving food and water security for the region. One of Masdar City’s key themes for 2019 is sustainable agriculture.
Al Mulla, founder Madar Farms, said: “By showcasing innovative smart farming solutions from all over the world, we hope to raise awareness of the exciting change that is currently taking place in the ag-tech landscape.”
Launched during Abu Dhabi Sustainability Week 2017, the Eco-Villa pilot project at Masdar City incorporates various water and energy saving technologies. The 405 square-metre residential property is the first villa to achieve a 4-Pearl rating under the Estidama Pearl Building Rating System (PBRS), introduced by Abu Dhabi’s Department of Urban Planning and Municipalities.
It uses around 72 percent less energy and 35 per cent less water than a typical Abu Dhabi property of the same size, while displacing an estimated 63 tonnes of carbon dioxide annually, said the press release.
Grow Strong: African Farmers, Entrepreneurs Revamp Agriculture Norms Through Purdue Partnership
Scott Massey, a Purdue University graduate and founder of Heliponix, a company that makes an appliance that fits under a kitchen counter and grows produce year-round, is hoping to change that by bringing sustainable agriculture methods in Cameroon.
January 28, 2019
Scott Massey, founder of hydroponics startup Heliponix, discusses agricultural innovations with Togonese students as a part of his first Mandela Washington Fellowship. In 2019, Massey will workshop at Cameroonian universities, empowering students interested in agricultural innovation and entrepreneurship. (Photo provided) Download image
WEST LAFAYETTE, Ind. – Many farmers in the Republic of Cameroon usually grow just enough food to feed their families due to limited fertilizer and high-yield seeds, coupled with poor soil quality and lack of irrigation.
Scott Massey, a Purdue University graduate and founder of Heliponix, a company that makes an appliance that fits under a kitchen counter and grows produce year-round, is hoping to change that by bringing sustainable agriculture methods in Cameroon.
Massey has been selected for a second Mandela Washington Fellowship to lead educational workshops at Cameroonian universities this month. Approximately 200 million hectares of suitable land remains unfarmed across Africa, causing many observers to wonder how African nations can unlock their full agricultural potential.
The Mandela Washington Fellowship seeks to promote agricultural development through the academic and entrepreneurial empowerment of African peoples.
“African entrepreneurs have immeasurable economic opportunities to market solutions using new agricultural technologies,” Massey said. “Our overall goal is to provide these resilient people the means to their own production and permanently break the cycle of dependency on foreign aid.”
Massey has used his extensive knowledge in hydroponic systems and agricultural engineering to develop GroPod, an in-home appliance that grows produce year-round. His background also gives him the unique expertise to teach innovative and sustainable farming techniques in Cameroon.
“In these workshops, we are implementing a new vertical farming technique that utilizes an adaption of the proprietary vertical farming technology also used in GroPod,” Massey said. “Not only will we be teaching the students about these advanced technologies that they can use to start their own businesses, but we will also be building model farms that they can incorporate into their curriculums to grow clean food.”
On this trip, Massey will travel with Daliwa Joseph Bainamndi, another Mandela Washington fellow, to give Cameroonian farmers vital information on developing and incorporating innovative farming practices into their work. The pair will lead lectures on hydroponic farming, entrepreneurship, 3D printing and computer-assisted design at the University of Ngaoundéré, University of Ngoa-ékélé and the agriculture school of Institut Superieur des Sciences et Techniques de Yaounde.
In general, African farmers struggle against nonexistent agricultural infrastructure and poor farming conditions, making subsistence farming the most advantageous practice. However, Massey and Bainamndi’s work could empower Cameroonian students and farmers to expand operations sustainably and successfully through entrepreneurship and innovation.
Massey’s work aligns with Purdue's Giant Leaps celebration of the university’s global advancements made in health, space, artificial intelligence and sustainability as part of Purdue’s 150th anniversary. Those are the four themes of the yearlong celebration’s Ideas Festival, designed to showcase Purdue as an intellectual center solving real-world issues.
Massey received his first Mandela Washington Fellowship in 2018 when he traveled to Togo, Africa, to teach farmers there about the farming usages of hydroponics systems. Read more about his first trip here.
“This diplomatic humanitarian mission will fight the war against hunger on its front line and expand the addressable technology market to maximize global impact,” he said. “I look forward to the day that Africa becomes an environmentally and economically sustainable farming model.”
About Purdue Foundry
The Purdue Foundry is an entrepreneurship and commercialization accelerator in Discovery Park's Burton D. Morgan Center for Entrepreneurship whose professionals help Purdue innovators create startups. Managed by the Purdue Research Foundation, the Purdue Foundry was co-named a top recipient at the 2016 Innovation and Economic Prosperity Universities Designation and Awards Program by the Association of Public and Land-grant Universities for its work in entrepreneurship. For more information about funding and investment opportunities in startups based on a Purdue innovation, contact the Purdue Foundry at foundry@prf.org.
Writer: Kelsey Henry, 765-588-3342, kehenry@prf.org
Purdue Research Foundation Contact: Tom Coyne, 765-558-1044, tjcoyne@prf.org
Source: Scott Massey, scott@heliponix.com
Start-Up Develops Hydroponic Garden For Your Living Room
20th November 2018, London
Home growing kit supposedly allows for crops to be grown faster, with greater yield and less water required than for a conventional garden
The Hope Eden Garden
Photo: Hope Innovations
A Canandian start-up is looking for donors so it can launch a “plug-and-play” indoor garden allowing consumers to grow their own fresh produce hydroponically at home all year round.
Designed by Hope Innovations in Edson, Canada, the Hope Eden Garden uses a simple hydroponics system and aims to make growing convenient, affordable and environmentally friendly for home gardeners.
The company, which is trying to raise CA$10,000 on Kickstarter to fund the project, claims that compared to conventional gardening methods, the system allows for crops to be grown 40 percent faster, with three times the yield and 20 times less water required.
Users place seeds in a ‘growth cup’, add water and nutrients, plug in the lighting strips provided (or rely on natural light), and watch their plants grow.
Hydoponic production (growing directly in water) uses less space than a conventional garden and is up to 40 per cent more efficient than growing in soil, according to the company, which claims the growing kit will pay for itself in less than a year through the money saved on buying groceries.
The company is also keen to stress the flexibility of its product, claiming that it works with any kind of nutrient and any type of seed.
According to Hope, a range of fresh produce grows faster than would be possible in a conventional garden, including kale, spinach, tomato, lettuce and basil.
Click & Grow Raises USD 11M And Gets Strategic Investors Ingka Group and SEB Alliance On Board
Palo Alto, November 1, 2018
Click & Grow, the leading producer of smart indoor gardens, closed its latest financing round led by Estonian-based United Angels VC alongside two strategic investors: Ingka Group, the world’s largest home furnishing retailer operating 367 IKEA stores, and SEB Alliance, the corporate venture arm of French Groupe SEB. This is the most significant round Click & Grow has raised so far. The aim of the round was to expand and accelerate Click & Grow’s worldwide presence and further popularize hyper-local gardening. Y Combinator and Yunqi VC also participated in the round.
Click & Grow’s breakthrough technology enables plants to be grown hyper-locally with zero effort, giving everyone a chance to grow fresh, GMO and pesticide-free greens at home or in any other space. Founded in 2009, Click and Grow has achieved a global presence and is now selling its third-generation smart gardens. The company’s largest market is in the US, followed by the EU and Singapore.
“Being one of the pioneers of hyperlocal gardening, we have been the drivers behind smart indoor gardens earning their rightful place among kitchen tools. Now we are working towards our next milestone to see how hyper-local farming can have a lasting impact on the sustainability of our food chain and reduce food waste. We couldn’t think of having better partners onboard to help us along the way than Ingka Group, with their commitment to a people and planet-positive future, and Groupe SEB, the world’s leader in small household equipment,” said Mattias Lepp, Founder, and CEO of Click & Grow.
The company’s strategy tackles one of the world’s major current issues, availability and affordability of the global food supply. According to the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), approximately one-third of all food produced in the world is lost or wasted, including about 45% of all fruits and vegetables. Hyper-local farming allows us to cut the supply chain to a minimum.
“This investment is part of Ingka Group’s broader commitment to support innovative companies contributing to a more sustainable and healthy food and we believe Click & Grow’s novel approach has great potential. We see this as another step forward in our journey to serve IKEA customers and our co-workers healthier and more nutritious food, and it opens up new opportunities for IKEA Retail markets to become more self-sufficient by growing fresh local produce,” explained Krister Mattsson, Head of Investments, Ingka Group
To accelerate the expansion of Click and Grow's global foothold and to strengthen the position in Europe, this July Groupe SEB (active in 150 countries with brands such as Krups, Rowenta and Tefal) became a co-branding and distributor partner of Click & Grow in the French and DACH markets.
“We see indoor gardening becoming a promising trend for home/office. We are convinced by the leading edge of Click and Grow products and technology in this domain. We strongly believe in our capacity to help the company in its future development on the base of co-branding with EMSA and leveraging our worldwide presence” said François-Xavier Meyer, Vice President SEB Alliance, Groupe SEB
About Click & Grow
Click & Grow was founded by Mattias Lepp in 2009 and has shipped its products to more than 450,000 customers around the world. Click & Grow is headquartered in Tallinn, Estonia. For more information, visit clickandgrow.com.
About the Ingka Group
Ingka Group (Ingka Holding B.V. and its controlled entities) is one of 11 different groups of companies that own and operate IKEA sales channels under franchise agreements with Inter IKEA Systems B.V. Ingka Group has three business areas: IKEA Retail, Ingka Investments and Ingka Centres. It is the world’s largest home furnishing retailer operating 367 IKEA stores in 30 markets. These IKEA stores had 838 million visits during FY18 and 2.35 billion visits to www.IKEA.com. Ingka Group operates business under the IKEA vision to create a better everyday life for many people by offering a wide range of well-designed, functional home furnishing products at prices so low that as many people as possible will be able to afford them.
About SEB Alliance
SEB Alliance is the corporate venture capital arm of Groupe SEB, the world leader in small domestic equipment. SEB Alliance prioritizes minority stake investments in innovative companies with high technological content operating in areas such as smart systems/connectivity & robotics, new forms of energy, aging population, preserving health, beauty and wellbeing, ecology and sustainable development. www.seballiance.com
About United Angels VC
United Angels VC is an early stage VC fund based in Estonia. It invests throughout the software stack and related areas. The fund and its partner’s portfolio include some of the fastest growing companies originating from Northern-Europe, such as Taxify, Monese, and Veriff. The fund’s food tech portfolio includes Click & Grow, Epic Foods, eAgronom, and FoodDocs. www.unitedangels.vc
Company Working To Bring Fresh Produce To U.Va. Dining Halls, Charlottesville Businesses And Homes
Babylon Micro-Farms has developed a system using hydroponic farming to make growing fresh produce more sustainable
By Rupa Nallamothu | 10/10/2018
In hydroponic farming, plants are grown in nutrient-rich, water solvent mineral solutions rather than in soil. Courtesy Babylon Micro-Farms
Babylon Micro-Farms, founded by University alumnus Alexander Olesen during his undergraduate years, has developed a system using hydroponic farming to make growing fresh produce sustainable for the urban consumer. The Babylon team has recently installed more apparatuses in the University dining halls, Charlottesville businesses and consumers’ homes.
Olesen developed Babylon Micro-Farms, a hydroponic farming system, to create an urban farming system easily accessible by consumers. During the spring semester of 2016, in the early stages of the company’s development, Olesen utilized several entrepreneurship resources available through the University.
“We started with the social entrepreneurship class, but then the founders went through the HackCville Alpha program, which was very helpful for them,” said Will Graham, the director of sales and marketing at Babylon. “From there, they went through the Darden iLab.”
In hydroponic farming, plants are grown in nutrient-rich, water solvent mineral solutions rather than in soil. This farming method removes environmental limitations to maximize respiration and absorption of nutrients in plants, which contribute to a greater harvest yield. Genetically modified organisms, pesticides or inorganic fertilizers cannot be used in a hydroponic culture.
Moreover, hydroponic farming can help reduce the distance between where a food item is grown and where it is sold by allowing plants to grow in normally inhospitable environments, such as inside urban buildings. This system could potentially allow restaurants and homes to grow plants inside their own spaces.
Since hydroponic systems are generally used in mass production due to their high cost, they are not readily available for urban consumers performing small-scale farming. Hydroponic systems also usually have restrictions on the types of plants that can grow in them.
However, Babylon Micro-Farms seeks to make hydroponics available for personal use and has developed technology that allows consumers to grow several different types of plants in their systems.
According to Graham, the Babylon team has several types of systems with varying degrees of technology. Some of the systems have two different reservoirs to allow different types of plants that require different types of nutrients or stratified sections of the same crop to grow on the same system.
The farming system has several versions which were developed throughout the growth of the company. Initially, the systems could not monitor the growth of the plants on each rack and were not stratified enough to grow multiple different types of produce on the same apparatus. Now, racks are divided based on the type of plant and can also be scanned into an app, which displays available information and data from the hydroponic system.
“You should able to scan a farm and tell it where you're putting plants, and it can adjust the lights and nutrients to grow something,” Graham said.
The Babylon team began testing prototypes around Grounds in 2017 after building an early model through HackCville, and received funding by winning $6,500 from the Green Initiatives Funding Tomorrow grant. After earning the GIFT grant, the company utilized the resources of Darden’s iLab, or the W.L. Lyons Brown III Innovation Laboratory — which supports the growth and development of business at an early stage by providing them resources, such as funding opportunities, legal services and faculty support.
According to Patrick Mahan, an electrical engineer at Babylon, the resources at the iLab helped the Babylon founders navigate the process of establishing a business.
After obtaining a financial basis for the project, the Babylon team installed their micro-farms in dining halls at the University. At Newcomb and O’Hill, these systems are utilized to grow produce used to prepare meals. On Sept. 12, the Babylon team installed two new systems in O’Hill and Runk.
"We mostly got positive reception,” Mahan said regarding the placement of systems in dining halls. “Part of it was almost confusion because they had never seen anything like it before, so they weren't sure what it was doing. But once they saw the plants start growing and saw the workers harvest the plants, I think they came around to it.”
Although Babylon is still installing systems in O’Hill and Runk, the team is also working on creating new technologies. Currently, they are developing a solar powered farm at the Morven Farm with the Morven Kitchen Garden.
The Morven Kitchen Garden, similar to Babylon Micro-Farms, is part of a student-run undergraduate sustainability initiative, according to Morven Kitchen Garden manager Stephanie Meyers. Students manage a community-supported agriculture program on a one-acre sustainable garden, donated by philanthropist John W. Kluge.
In addition to the project with Morven, the company is expanding their work outside the University. The Babylon team has implemented their hydroponic systems in Boar’s Head Resort and Three Notch'd Craft Kitchen & Brewery, two local businesses a few miles away from Grounds.
Babylon has also provided prototypes for personal use in the home, which are being used to further develop a hydroponics system available for purchase by local consumers.
Co-Living Series - Alexander Olesen on Innovating Urban Agriculture With Micro-Farms
August 28, 2018
Indoor farming can be a solution to encouraging people to integrate nature into their urban lives. As part of the Co-Living Series, we asked Alexander Olesen, founder of Babylon Micro-Farms, to explain how his project is making this experience more user-friendly and more sustainable.
When nature enters the household
Urban agriculture is currently a trending initiative in the Western World and considered as a potential solution to making cities more sustainable. The Micro-Farm is an automated indoor farming appliance that was designed in Charlottesville, Virginia (USA) by a recent graduate from the University of Virginia. It allows anyone to grow fresh leafy greens, herbs, flowers and vegetables at the push of a button. Through Babylon’s proprietary technology, it grows a wide variety of plants two times faster and uses up to 90% less water.
Access to hydroponics plant cultivation has been limited by three main problems: the cost of technology, growing expertise and space requirements.
Design is fundamental to adapting our cities for the future. In order to get people to engage and learn about innovations, we must embrace design as the first line of attack when introducing people to new ideas.
Making urban agriculture more accessible
Thanks to a high-level of automation and pre-seeded refill pods, the Micro-Farm creates an intuitive user experience simple enough for people of all ages to experiment with. All users have to do is scan in the pre-seeded refill pod and the technology takes care of the rest, it grows automatically from seed to harvest and sends alerts to users.
The automated growing platform is capable of powering a wide variety of urban farming operations. This could range from a small residential appliance, a larger installation such as an amenity at a housing development, or a full-scale commercial operation.
Designing technology and consumables to be adaptable and scalable all while simplifying the user experience is key. Seeing is believing and the creation of eye-catching structures is essential to garnering public support that will ultimately drive policymakers to introduce nature into cities.
The Future
Smart Micro-Farms may soon be commonly found in all sorts of buildings, from offices to schools, apartments, hospitals, or anywhere else. By making automated indoor farming accessible to anyone, Babylon is proactively making people healthier and happier, creating environments that offer a sustainable source of sustenance, as well as shelter!
ABOUT BABYLON MICRO-FARMS
Babylon is an indoor farming specialist, combining cutting edge technology with innovative agricultural methods to empower a new generation of urban farmers. They have created a system that automates all of the complex aspects of plant cultivation.
Watch the video here
Veganism Boom Leads To $1.2 Million Seed Funding Growth For High-Tech Garden Startup
Natufia Labs, Estonian-born startup developing machine-learning technology that grows plants right in the kitchen, announced the closing of a $1.2-million seed round led by Butterfly Ventures, Techstars, and the Dubai-based family company Ginco Investments. The funds raised will be used to enable the company to expand into Europe and the US and will be on sale imminently.
"Natufia Labs” dynamic team has a groundbreaking impact on producing fresh food and changing the ways people consume it," shares Juho Risku, partner at Butterfly Ventures. "Natufia Labs is changing the traditional agriculture model, which has $10B+ in annual revenue in the United States alone."
Around 70% of the world's consumers have reduced or completely cut out meat consumption from their diets. With veganism rising by 600% in the US and 350% in the UK, the global appetite for meat-free and plant-based diets is driving the market to be worth $5.2 billion by 2020. The sales of vegetables alone is estimated to increase by 20% by 2021. However, consumers are struggling to keep this produce fresh and on average one third is thrown away. Estonian-born startup, Natufia Labs is bridging this gap by offering consumers sustainable agriculture at home.
The Natufia Kitchen Garden automatically grows fresh plants, vegetables, flowers and herbs in households and restaurant kitchens all year round. Using machine learning and real-time data analysis the connected garden will process environmental changes and adjust its settings accordingly. The automation increases the vitamin levels by 400%. Currently Natufia offers more than 30 types of fully organic and recycled seed capsules including popular herbs and plants such as basil and kale. The Natufia Kitchen Garden has been built using stainless steel, ceramics and integrating a built-in touch screen.
"Consumers are more aware than ever about what they are buying and they want to know what is on their plate, where it came from, who made it and if it was traded fairly. The Natufia Kitchen Garden empowers consumers to grow their own produce at home. The future depends on the decentralization of food production." says Gregory Lu, CEO of Natufia Labs.
For more information:
www.natufia.com
Publication date : 9/26/2018
Grow Your Veggies At Home, Without Soil
Koay (left) and co-founder Johanson Chew turned a hobby into a career. (Photos by Low Yen Yeing/EdgeProp.my)
Growing your own vegetables could be fun and help you get the freshest greens to your dining table, but not everyone has the luxury of space to have their own vegetable plot at home.
However, with the hydroponic system, city dwellers could enjoy harvesting their own vegetables even with limited space.
With rising concerns over food safety and security, planting your own vegetables makes perfect sense and City Farm co-founder Jayden Koay believes that growing your own food at home will be the trend of the future for urbanites.
“The best way to keep your vegetables fresh is to keep them alive. The best is to pluck the vegetable, cook and serve it straight away,” he tells EdgeProp.my.
The two-year-old City Farm was initially established to offer fresh vegetables to the public but has evolved into a solutions provider to urbanites who want to become “city farmers”.
The outfit was formed by three electrical engineering graduates from the Malaysia Multimedia University including Koay. Growing their own food was first a hobby but quickly turned into a business. They believe that with the right knowledge and equipment, everyone can be urban farmers.
Unlike conventional planting, hydroponics is a soilless cultivation method of growing plants in a water-based and nutrient-rich solution as well as other inert medium such as rockwool, clay pellets and peat moss as a support to the roots.
Koay notes that the traditional way of using soil could cause soil contamination in the long run, due to the use of pesticides and chemical fertilisers. A polluted plot of land could take around 20 years to undergo natural soil treatment.
Part of the vegetables in City Farm are grown using Nutrient Film Technique.
“As the population grows and new agricultural land becomes scarce, fresh produce will be less and the quality of the produce will degrade. We will then be heavily exposed to preserved vegetables and processed food but all these can be avoided if we could self-supply,” he says.
Challenges
The challenge in maintaining a vertical farm is in ensuring the quality of the water; hygiene management; and pest control.
The hydroponic method may be cleaner and easier to manage than soil planting but it could still attract pests such as mosquitoes and spider mites, hence discipline is required to manage the vertical farm.
The seedling transplantation is another tough process as the seedlings are vulnerable to environmental changes and water quality. The ideal environment is a cold yet well-ventilated environment.
“Those using the balcony to grow their vegetables could choose the wicking system and opt to grow local vegetables which could stand our hot weather. The balcony is suitable for hydroponics as it has good ventilation,” Koay offers.
As for indoor hydroponic systems, air-conditioning and lighting are essential to create a controlled environment. Consumers could choose to plant highland vegetables or micro greens.
For commercial usage, hydroponic vegetables take about four weeks to harvest, but for self-consumption, the vegetables could be harvested in the second or third week.
Micro greens (left) and Ice Plant (right) grown in the hydrotrays
Don’t start planting your favourite veggie
The common mistake among beginners is the tendency to grow their favourite vegetable from the get-go which are often difficult to care for, rather than easier options.
“They will then feel disappointed and give up after a few tries, hence the best way is to start with easy-to-grow vegetables such as Choy Sum, kangkung and Bok Choy as well as herbs such as basil.
“They could move on to the more difficult plants such as tomatoes and chili padi or highland plants such as butterhead and chamomile once they are more equipped with experience and knowledge.
“So far, butterhead lettuce is one of the most challenging vegetables on my list as it requires extra care and grows slowly. The leaves will easily turn yellow or have burnt tips without proper care, hence the price is higher than other lettuces,” Koay says.
According to him, the average cost of hydroponic vegetable planting is around RM40 per pot, including the seeds, nutrients and the reusable equipment.
To encourage the concept of “farm to table”, City Farm has collaborated with 12 café operators in providing hydroponic solutions at their eateries, enabling patrons to purchase the fresh vegetables or pick the vegetables for the restaurant to cook on the spot.
The freshest way of eating vegetables: from farm to table.
“Currently, we have completed two vertical farms in two cafes. One is in Petaling Jaya, the other is in Seri Kembangan,” he says.
The vertical farm comprises multi-tier shelves of hydro trays with planting pots and LED lighting. It enables the café operators to grow at least 28 pots of vegetables, depending on the type of vegetables. Leafy salad greens such as butterhead, Arugula and Green Coral are the most popular vegetables that consumers will purchase off the rack, says Koay.
The vertical farm could also serve as a green wall in the cafe, creating a green and natural indoor environment, he adds.
Besides helping restaurants set up vertical farms, City Farm also organises monthly classes teaching city folk to grow their own vegetables.
Growing your own vegetables provides the pleasure of reaping the fruit from your labour. It can be fun and you do not have to worry about it being unsafe for your health.
This story first appeared in the EdgeProp.my pullout on Sept 7, 2018. You can access back issues here.
VEGETABLES DINING SPACE HYDROPONIC CITY FARM MALAYSIA MULTIMEDIA UNIVERSITY
5 years, 60 Startups: Purdue Students Own Their Inventions, Thriving Under University’s Policy
Scott Massey and Ivan Ball, 2017 graduates of Purdue’s Polytechnic Institute and founders of Heliponix LLC, say the reassessment in Purdue intellectual property rights that gives students ownership of their inventions motivated them to found their startup.
September 6, 2018
WEST LAFAYETTE, Ind. – From frozen yogurt to musical backtracks to social apps and even hydroponic in-home greenhouses, Purdue University students are taking advantage of Purdue’s policy giving them ownership when they, as students, create an invention, generating a flurry of startups that advance the lives of others.
Scott Massey and Ivan Ball, 2017 graduates of Purdue’s Polytechnic Institute and founders of Heliponix LLC, say the reassessment in Purdue intellectual property rights that gives students ownership of their inventions motivated them to found their startup.
Scott Massey, Heliponix LLC chief executive officer, examines the development of plants growing in a GroPod, a dishwasher-sized appliance that fits under a kitchen counter and grows produce year-round. Heliponix was among five companies selected to receive $80,000 investments from the Elevate Purdue Foundry Fund. (Chris Adam/Purdue Research Foundation Image) Download image
“We definitely took the leap to found our startup because we liked the idea of owning our own technology, and it has been an unbelievable experience both in learning and contributing to society,” Massey said. “Being able to take our knowledge and technology to West Africa is something I will never forget. I also would never have believed that I would be a co-founder of a startup that is doing so well. A lot of credit goes to the Purdue Foundry and Purdue University for the strong support system they provide for student entrepreneurs. We’ve just learned so much.”
Heliponix’s technology, called the Gropod™ is a refrigerator-sized aeroponic appliance capable of growing fresh produce in a consumer’s home. While in the West African country of Togo, Massey co-led a workshop on hydroponic systems to help participants develop sustainable agriculture methods in an undeveloped environment.
Scott Massey (center, with sunglasses), a founder of Heliponix LLC, poses with residents of Togo who took part in a hands-on workshop on hydroponics in the small West Africa country, where many people survive on subsistence farming. The workshop was funded by the Mandela Washington Fellowship Reciprocal Exchange Component. (Photo provided by Heliponix)
Heliponix is one of about 60 student-driven startups that launched since Purdue University announced five years ago that students could own their own intellectual property. The student startups also have generated more than $2.5 million in venture funding, business plan competitions and startup grants.
Mimir, a software company committed to growing the software engineering workforce, is one of the first student startups to work with the Purdue Foundry to research and obtain intellectual property ownership.
Shortly after Mimir was founded, the team worked in the Anvil, a Purdue student incubator, while also receiving assistance from the Purdue Foundry. In 2015, Mimir's co-founders were accepted into Silicon Valley-based Y Combinator, an investment group that aids promising startups to shape their ideas and prepares them for larger fundraising. After spending the summer in Silicon Valley for the program, the co-founders returned to Indiana.
“During our time at the Anvil we were actively planning for the future of Mimir,” said Prahasith Veluvolu, CEO of Mimir. “With help from partners like the Foundry, we learned how to legally possess our intellectual property so that we could shift our focus toward enhancing our product in an effort to better support our customers.”
The company has been nationally recognized for Mimir Classroom, its flagship product, and in 2017 Forbes chose co-founders Colton Voege, Jacobi Petrucciani and Veluvolu for its annual “30 Under 30” list of exceptional innovators under the age of 30. All three are former computer science students in Purdue’s College of Science.
Mimir Classroom continues to help computer science instructors with the delivery of their curriculum at more than 70 universities. Earlier this year, in an effort to further the company's mission, Mimir Workforce was created. This technical assessment tool helps hiring managers and recruiters evaluate and hire software engineers for internal roles.
Representatives from Mimir are currently attending the TechCrunch Disrupt SF Conference in San Francisco.
The strategic goal of fostering a culture of entrepreneurship for students was paramount in the modification in students’ intellectual property ownership.
Mimir co-founders, from left, Colton Voege, Jacobi Petrucciani and Prahasith Veluvolu. (Photo provided by Mimir)
“We set out to build the nation’s best ecosystem for innovation and entrepreneurship, and granting our undergraduates the control of intellectual property seemed like a positive cultural signal,” Purdue President Mitch Daniels said. “It’s turned out to be far more than symbolic, as 60 startup companies demonstrate. At Purdue, we believe you’re never too young to start a business.”
The Purdue Foundry, created in 2013, offers entrepreneurial assistance and startup funding to students, faculty and staff. Services include office mentoring, funding, educational opportunities, networking, marketing and business competitions.
“Our core value is ideas to impact, and whether a technology is owned by a student or one that is licensed through Purdue's Office of Technology Commercialization we offer the same high level of entrepreneurial assistance,” said Greg Deason, senior vice president for entrepreneurship and placemaking at the Purdue Research Foundation. “Many of the students creating startups are also creating a career path for their futures.”
The Purdue intellectual property guidelines offer students clear ownership rights as long as the resources used were part of a course and were available to all students in the course; that the student was not paid by the university or a third party; and the class or project was not supported by a corporation or government grant or contract.
In 2013, the Anvil was established with support by the Purdue Research Foundation and managed by Purdue students to provide an incubator for student startups.
“The Anvil now has 157 members,” said Juliana Casavan, entrepreneurial program manager, who provides guidance and entrepreneurial programming for the Anvil. “Since the Anvil was founded it has become a hub of entrepreneurial activities for students who have the motivation and desire to create a startup.”
The increase in technology transfer activities and startup creation aligns with Purdue's “Giant Leaps” Ideas Festival celebrating the university’s global advancements made in health, space, artificial intelligence and sustainability as part of Purdue’s 150th anniversary.
About Mimir
Mimir is a software company that grows the software engineering workforce. The company's core product, Mimir Classroom, helps computer science instructors scale and automate curriculum without compromising quality for students. Mimir Workforce was a supplemental product built to house a technical assessment tool for evaluating and hiring engineers. For more information about Mimir, call 317-449-3517 or visit www.mimirhq.com.
About The Anvil
The Anvil is a Purdue University student-managed startup incubator that assists students with 24/7 office space with Internet access, networking opportunities, and conference rooms. The Anvil receives funding from the Purdue Research Foundation and other sources.
About Purdue Foundry
The Purdue Foundry is an entrepreneurship and commercialization accelerator in Discovery Park's Burton D. Morgan Center for Entrepreneurship whose professionals help Purdue innovators create startups. Managed by the Purdue Research Foundation, the Purdue Foundry was co-named a top recipient at the 2016 Innovation and Economic Prosperity Universities Designation and Awards Program by the Association of Public and Land-grant Universities for its work in entrepreneurship. For more information about funding and investment opportunities in startups based on a Purdue innovation, contact the Purdue Foundry at foundry@prf.org.
Writer: Cynthia Sequin, 765-588-3340. casequin@prf.org
Sources: Mitch Daniels, president@purdue.edu
Prahasith Veluvolu, 317-449-3517, prahasith@mimirhq.com
Scott Massey, scott@heliponix.com
Greg Deason, gwdeason@prf.org
Juliana Casavan, jbcasavan@prf.org
Miniature Greenhouse Enters Star Restaurant Kitchens
In 2015, a group of Dutch entrepreneurs started designing a greenhouse. And not just any greenhouse, a greenhouse that would bring the consumer into contact with the cultivation of vegetables and herbs. Meanwhile, there are mini-greenhouses at various locations, including at star restaurants but also with private individuals. It was also recently announced that the greenhouse is going abroad. A pilot has been started in a restaurant in Berlin. Bart van Meurs, Kweecker: "Placing a Kweecker in a city like Berlin is something very different from delivering and installing one myself somewhere in the Netherlands within an hour.
'Kweecker at Bolenius Restaurant* Amsterdam'
What developments has Kweecker experienced in recent years?
"The Kweecker has undergone a major development since the start in 2015. The first version was only suitable for outdoor use, but it was fully equipped with all the techniques that are also applied in larger greenhouses. The mini-greenhouse was equipped with LED lighting as well as irrigation and ventilation. Based on feedback from the first users, a second generation was developed that was even more compact and also suitable for inside use. The greenhouse is now controlled remotely thanks to a climate computer and a smartphone app."
Kweecker explicitly seeks the link with the greenhouse horticulture sector. Has that been successful from the start?
"Yes and no. In the development of the Kweecker we have extensively made use of our position in the middle of the Westland horticulture sector. For example, it may concern companies from the sector that act as suppliers of specific components or knowledge for the development of the software or the running of tests. There are also various 'green' companies that have purchased a Kweecker. Finally, there are the suppliers of plants, cuttings, seeds and all other required cultivation materials to our end users.
Nevertheless, we would like to increase the idea of 'Westland in a box'. After all, Kweecker, as a product-oriented local grower, really comes from the heart of Dutch horticulture. Parties that want to get involved are most welcome. This, of course, can be in the area of hardware and software, know-how or consumables, and certainly in the field of sales and marketing. We are specifically looking for parties with whom we can collaborate in those areas. Commercially it is time for a next step, where we as technicians see that we need strong parties from the sector."
Therefore also the step abroad?
"In order to make Kweecker a success commercially, a next step is needed with a strong partner. But we do not want to limit ourselves to the Netherlands, we are looking where the demand lies. In the case of this pilot, the possibility of co-operating with a strong multinational (Kweecker is part of the NX Food start-up program of the Metro Group) is found in Berlin, a metropolis where there is a lot of attention for green, locally grown and fresh."
What are your expectations for your first international pilot? And what is the purpose of the pilot?
"We want to explore how Kweecker fits Metro Group. As part of the assortment for their high segment cash & carries or more focused on services, but also a more intensive collaboration, such as participation/venture capital, is a possibility. At the same time, it is also an opportunity for us to discover the practical side of doing business abroad. To place a Kweecker in a city like Berlin is a lot different than delivering and installing a unit myself somewhere in the Netherlands in, say, an hour. Packaging, logistics, installation and remote service, issues that we tackle through this pilot."
What are the newest techniques applied in this pilot?
"It concerns mainly a lot of small, practical improvements that we have learned from our first users. The biggest improvement being the climate computer. ‘Under the bonnet’ we have developed a completely new hardware that greatly simplifies production and improves reliability."
Where is your future? In the catering industry or also outside of that?
"We see gastronomy as a sector that presents itself as a forerunner when it comes to experiencing fresh. This certainly will remain our most important target group. Besides, gastronomy is a wonderful shop window for the consumer. Look at a product such as Big Green Egg; known from top chefs, but now also present in the garden of many consumers."
For more information:
Kweecker
www.kweecker.nl
info@kweecker.nl
BIG Reveals Miami Produce Center Raised On Stilts Above Former Warehouses
Eleanor Gibson | July 8, 2018
Architecture firm BIG has released plans to build a major complex in an industrial neighborhood of Miami, combining housing, offices, a school, and urban farming.
BIG's Miami Produce Center will be elevated on columns above a trio of warehouses in Allapattah – a district known for a large open-air produce and textile markets.
The 125,000-square-metre complex will comprise a stack of eight volumes, containing co-working offices, co-living apartments, and a hotel. The three existing buildings traversing the site will also be transformed as part of the scheme into restaurants, shops and cafes, and a school.
Newly released renderings show ground-level spaces around each structure will be landscaped into gardens. A street will run through the middle of the site, which will include an educational campus. Large expanses of glazing will be added to the front of the renovated low-rise warehouses to open up the interiors to the outdoor space.
"Between the warehouses, three public spaces will exhibit a variety of lush landscapes that create diverse microclimates and allow the buildings' programmes to extend outdoors," said a project description from BIG, which just completed a pair of skyscrapers in Shenzhen.
Related story
BIG completes
pair of twisting towers in Miami's Coconut Grove
Four long buildings will then be raised on slender stilts above the warehouses and arranged around the perimeter of the site.
Each will host a different function – one for offices, another for a hotel and two for residences – with outdoor space on the rooftops. The images show sports courts, parkland, and rows that suggest vegetable planting. BIG describes an aim of the project as to activate the site with "urban farming".
Another four residential blocks will then be built above, bridging the gaps between the lower volumes. These will also be raised on stilts and feature rooftop gardens.
"Large industrial floor plates" will make up the levels in each new building, allowing for plenty of flexibility inside.
Zigzagging walls between the plates will create outdoor nooks, while their offset arrangement will produce patterns across the facades. These walls will be colored pale pink, orange or blue, depending on their block.
An abundance of planting is planned for the development – from gardens and walkway canopies to the car park, where greenery will drape through gaps in the ceiling. A night-time rendering of the garage also shows it transformed into a nightclub.
BIG designed the Miami Produce Center for local real-estate company UIA Management, with American planning, engineering, and design consulting firm Kimley Horn.
It marks the firm's second major project in the city, joining the luxury housing development is completed in the Coconut Grove neighborhood in 2016.
The firm, founded by Danish architect Bjarke Ingels in 2005, is working on several projects across North America. In New York, where it has an office, these include a barrier system designed to protect Lower Manhattan from tidal surges and rising sea levels, and a pair of "dancing" towers beside the city's High Line park.
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pair of Shenzhen skyscrapers by BIG
Project credits:
Partners-in-charge: Bjarke Ingels, Agustin Perez Torres, Thomas Christoffersen
Project leader: Shane Dalke
Project team: Agne Rapkeviciute, Chris Tron, Emily Chen, Emine Halefoglu, Karolina Bourou, Kevin Pham, Kig Veerasunthorn, Manon Otto, Matthijs Engele, Phillip MacDougall, Siva Sepehry Nejad, Terrence Chew, Tracy Sodder, Veronica Acosta, Xander Shambaugh
Small Indoor Greenhouses Let Apartment Dwellers Grow Veggies
August 7, 2018 by Tracee M. Herbaugh
This undated photo provided by Harrison Lin shows what the completed version of the indoor greenhouse made by a group of six engineering students at Rice University. The students built three of these greenhouses, about the size of a small …more
You don't need a green thumb to grow vegetables indoors.
On the contrary, there are plenty of indoor greenhouses that take the work out of growing plants, from the amount of water they get to the right dosage of light.
One of these indoor greenhouses—or automated growing systems, as they're referred to—was created by six engineering students at Rice University. Aside from planting the seeds, the greenhouse does pretty much everything. It's about the size of a small bookshelf and operates anywhere indoors.
"We didn't want it to take up too much space in an apartment," said Harrison Lin, a student who worked on the project. He said they wanted to "make it not intrusive, but it could still grow a useful amount of plants."
There are push buttons on the device to designate how much light and water the plants get, and to determine the temperature inside it. If you're feeling extremely hands-off, there are three pre-set options: leafy greens, roots, and herbs. Select what you're growing and go about your business.
"In the most ideal circumstance, you plant your seeds, put on the correct settings and walk away until it's ready to harvest," said Jack Kaplan, another student on the team.
This undated photo provided by Harrison Lin shows the watering and lighting system inside the indoor greenhouse constructed by six engineering students at Rice University. The system measures water for specific vegetables and the lights …more
Most indoor growing systems are hydroponic, meaning plants are planted in water mixed with mineral nutrients, but this one uses a soil trough for planting. LED bulbs provide the plants with the red-blue spectrum of light needed to grow. The only maintenance is refilling the water tank every three weeks.
The students built three of these indoor greenhouses as a senior project. They were installed at the HSB Living Lab, a residential research facility at Chalmers University of Technology in Sweden.
This undated photo provided by Mary Leach shows George Reberio Brooks Jr. on his orchard in Tewksbury, Mass. Brooks Jr. has more than 45 years experience growing fruits and vegetables but still found it difficult to grow lettuce indoors. (Mary Leach via AP)
Growing food indoors, often in small spaces like city apartments, has become popular.
In 2017, indoor gardening was listed as a popular trend in a report by Garden Media Group, a marketing group that tracks industry. Apartment dwellers have less room for a traditional garden but still, want fresh veggies.
This undated photo provided by Mary Leach shows George Reberio Brooks Jr. on his orchard in Tewksbury, Mass. Brooks Jr. has more than 45 years experience growing fruits and vegetables but still found it difficult to grow lettuce indoors. (Mary Leach via AP)
Businesses are noticing the expanded interest in at-home gardening.
Aerogarden, owned by Scott's Miracle Grow and the Hawthorne Gardening Company, is another automated in-home growing system on the market. It's automated, hydroponic systems range in size and price point—the smallest retails for $99 and holds four plants, while the largest sells for nearly $700 and grows 24. Sales have grown over 20 percent year over year since 2013, and last year's sales grew by more than 30 percent, according to company numbers.
Automated systems take the guess-work out of gardening, said Clydette Alsup-Egbers, an associate professor of plant science at Missouri State University. The biggest reason that indoor plants die, she said, is over-watering. If an automated system is used, that risk is eliminated.
"People who are new to growing don't know what they're doing," she said. "A kit makes them feel more confident."
This undated photo provided by Mary Leach shows George Reberio Brooks Jr. touching some of the plants blooming in his orchard greenhouse in Tewksbury, Mass. Brooks Jr. has more than 45 years experience growing fruits and vegetables but still …more
Automating everything is what commercial greenhouses have done for years, said Julie Bare, an estate gardener at Meadowbrook Farm, located in Jenkintown, Pennsylvania, and owned by the Pennsylvania Horticultural Society.
Bare helps grow some of the hundreds of plants on display in the renowned Philadelphia Flower Show. To do this, greenhouses are necessary; the show is held annually in March, which means short days and cold temperatures.
Still, even the most seasoned gardener can run into problems with indoor vegetables.
A few years ago, George Rebeiro Brooks Jr., a retired mechanical engineer, tried growing lettuce in pots inside at his home in Tewksbury, Massachusetts. Brooks, who owns Green Hollow Orchards, has grown apples, tomatoes, and other plants for local farmers markets for more than 45 years. But his indoor lettuce turned out limp, not crispy.
"It's just my guess, but I think it didn't have the right air circulation indoors to make it toughen up," he said.
This undated photo provided by Mary Leach shows George Reberio Brooks Jr. in a greenhouse on his orchard in Tewksbury, Mass. Brooks Jr. has more than 45 years experience growing fruits and vegetables but still found it difficult to grow lettuce indoors. (Mary Leach via AP)
9 Most Profitable Plants To Grow Hydroponically
Simply put, hydroponics uses mineral nutrient solutions to feed plants that are growing in water, so no soil is used in the process. The practice is also pretty versatile because you can set it up in a big greenhouse space or in your living room using smaller systems or towers.
August 1, 2018
by MADISON MORGAN in Lists, News
If you have a green thumb and are looking for a side hustle, you need to read this list of the most profitable plants to grow hydroponically.
With the Whole Foods culture taking over — seriously, there’s a Whole Foods in the center of Harlem, New York City now — there’s a major push for freshly grown fruits, vegetables and anything else that can be grown locally. It seems many Americans are just starting to wake up and realize, “oh, maybe I should pay more attention to where my food is coming from.” I mean, I’m not organic everything, mainly because it’s expensive and I’m a millennial, but I do pay attention to the foods I eat and try to eat pretty “clean” foods. Honestly, if you still think it’s normal for a chicken breast to be the size of an adult baseball mitt, then you really have some research to do.
Anyway, if you are looking for healthy and locally grown options, thankfully many grocery stores and markets have a wide variety these days, or you can visit your local farmer’s market. If you really want to be serious about your food, you can take it up a level by growing your own produce. If you’re really good at it, you can even sell what you don’t eat, for a generous profit. So really, it’s a win-win situation.
If you’re a city dweller, like myself, that doesn’t mean learning to plant and growing things is out of reach for you. Thanks to technology there are now really cool ways to be able to grow plants indoors, using minimal space and that’s where hydroponics come in. Simply put, hydroponics uses mineral nutrient solutions to feed plants that are growing in water, so no soil is used in the process.
The practice is also pretty versatile because you can set it up in a big greenhouse space or in your living room using smaller systems or towers. If you’re not totally confined to the indoors and have a little yard space to work with, take a look at this article on the most profitable plants for aquaponics, small gardens, and backyard nurseries.
There are a variety of plants that can grow indoors, without needing too much sunlight, which you can learn more about with the easiest indoor plants to grow from seed and the easiest edible plants to grow indoors. While it’s great to be able to grow your own plants to eat, it’s even better to do that and to also make money. Depending on what kind of hydroponic system you’re interested in (and have the space for), you’ll want to research the hydroponic farm startup cost before you get in too deep. Costs can range anywhere from $50 for a small in-home system, to $100,000 for an indoor farm set up.
So, is hydroponic farming profitable? The answer is, yes. If you do your research on the most profitable plants to grow and sell, you should have no problem making money. You also want to take a look at growth time too. For example, hydroponic ginseng can take a few years to grow, but it sells for some crazy good prices (we’ll talk more about this in a bit).
We decided not to focus on the most profitable crops per acre since you would need to be a big deal farmer for that, but on smaller systems that you can grow in your home. Furthermore, we focused on price per pound of crop, since that’s more reasonable to grow in a smaller system. To figure out some of the most profitable plants to grow hydroponically we used the U.S. Department of Agriculture, Farmer’s Daughter Herbs, and Simply Hydroponics and Organics. Once we determined the price per pound for crops that can be grown hydroponically, we ranked them starting with those with lowest prices.
9. Cilantro
$6.00 per pound
We’ll start our list with a popular herb, and you will notice many more herbs on this list as they grow well in hydroponic systems, and sell for good prices, as well. Cilantro is popular in many Chinese and Thai dishes but can be used in a variety of different recipes. It can be harvested in about 3-4 weeks after planting, so you won’t have to practice patience with this herb.
8. Basil
$14.00 per pound
Who doesn’t like basil? You can use it for pizza, fresh pesto sauce (my personal favorite), or for a salad. Basil has tons of nutrients and vitamins and is considered to be one of the healthiest herbs.
Pixabay/Public Domain
7. Dill
$14.00 per pound
Number seven on our list of most profitable plants to grow hydroponically is dill that is kind of random, and you can only see it occasionally, but it’s actually part of the celery family. Dill takes very little work to grow, as all you need to do is plant the seeds and give it a little sunlight. So, if you’re just developing a green thumb (or not even there yet), this is a good option for you.
Pixabay/Public Domain
6. Mint
$14.00 per pound
You can never have enough mint leaves around in my opinion. Whether you put it in a glass of sweet tea or use it to make mojitos (my personal favorite), you can’t go wrong with having it near. It also sells really well, so that’s a plus too, which is why we have it on our list of most profitable plants to grow hydroponically.
Anna_Pustynnikova/Shutterstock.com
5. Chives
$14.00 per pound
We are continuing our list of most profitable plants to grow hydroponically with chives that are a natural insect repellant, so if you’re growing these in your living room or a crowded apartment building, this might benefit you in more ways than one. On the other hand, chives can be used for soups, fish, baked potatoes and much more. At $14 per pound as the average resale price, you will be glad you grew them.
Pixabay/Public Domain
4. Tarragon
$16.00 per pound
Next on our list of most profitable plants to grow hydroponically is Tarragon that goes well with meats like fish and chicken and is predominantly used in French cuisine. However, it also has and can be used to induce sleep, increase appetite, improve cardiovascular health, and even for pain relief.
Pixabay/Public Domain
3. Bay Leaves
$30.00 per pound
Many times, dried bay leaves are used to add to the aroma and taste of a dish, and they are also not cheap. There are multiple varieties of the herb, like the Indonesian bay leaf, California bay leaf, and the Mexican bay leaf.
Pixabay/Public Domain
2. Ginseng
$500-$600 per pound
We briefly mentioned this earlier, but ginseng sells for some really high prices, especially the wild one. It’s a “rooty” crop that looks like ginger, and it is used a lot in teas and energy drinks. For many centuries, it’s also been used for various health purposes.
Pixabay/Public Domain
1. Cannabis
$1,600 per pound
Last but not least, we have cannabis to top our list. There’s a reason why the marijuana business does so well, which is mainly because weed makes a ton of money for the people who grow it. Obviously, this one only applies to you if you live somewhere where it can be grown legally though. If you do, it can be grown hydroponically, and you can spend the rest of your days counting your cash as this tops the cake on the list of 9 most profitable plants to grow hydroponically.