Author: Indoor Ag-Con

The Importance of Connected Smart Solutions in Indoor Ag

Written by Indoor Ag-Con on February 12, 2023. Posted in Blog, Exhibitor News.

Ridder is committed to providing growers with the solutions they need to maximize their crops’ potential and prepare them for future challenges. Ridder collaborates with global partners to create and deliver Connected Smart Solutions which enable the operations for sustainable food and flower production in Controlled Environment Agriculture across the world.

Wil Lammers, Ridder’s Managing Director of the Americas, points out that a part of Ridder is best known for its drive systems – Operating air vents, sidewall ventilation, and screen systems in greenhouses. “The customer base for our drive systems is typically the major greenhouse manufacturers in Europe and North America. We are also working more with smaller regional greenhouse builders. But today Ridder is so much more than drive systems. We offer a complete line-up of connected smart solutions by providing a unique plant-centric suite of technologies that work in close harmony to master the major crop balances and processes in a controlled environment.”

According to Lammers, it is increasingly desired by advanced greenhouses and indoor growing environments to look for a complete holistic solution – managing plant growth and ensuring business continuity with a smarter use of energy, water, labor and knowledge. “Not only from a growers-perspective, but also from a business owner point of view. There is clearly more demand for a more integrated approach when it comes down to greenhouse automation and other technologies.”

“We offer individual components such as drive systems, screen cloths, climate computers and water treatment systems to guarantee optimum crop quality through controlled and precise growth. In addition, we ease work with robotics, labor registration and other smart innovative technologies. Of course each individual solution is high-level, but when they work together, they are perfectly tuned to each other to create the optimal growing conditions and controlled in one go”

Lammers explains that Ridder has a unique position with regards to what it takes to produce plants. “In the indoor environment, there must be a perfect balance between photosynthesis and the energy balance around the plants. There is also the moisture balance, which involves transpiration and the vapor pressure deficit around the plants. On top of this you will also need to consider the irrigation and fertigation of the plants and integrated pest management to maintain plant health. Since a controlled environment is a micro-climate, adjustments in one of these plant or climate parameters will influence another. Therefore, it is important that the technology used in indoor farms or greenhouses work in close harmony to master these balances and processes in a more effective and sustainable way.”

The process of managing and balancing irrigation, ventilation, heat and light will provide business owners and growers with a profitable bottom-line result of their venture. “Please come visit us at Indoor Ag-Con booth 704. We look forward to discussing your challenges and provide you with the latest insights on how both our connected smart solutions allow you to future-proof your business and help you grow your way.

Discover the latest insights on CEA automation, irrigation, energy and management at Ridder’s knowledge sharing platform: https://blog.ridder.com/

HYVE® & AGEYE® Announce Strategic Partnership Aimed at Bringing Next Generation of Innovation to Indoor Farming

Written by Indoor Ag-Con on February 12, 2023. Posted in Blog, Exhibitor News.

(Verona, Virginia February 15, 2023) – HYVE Indoor Farming Systems, a solutions-based, manufacturer of Controlled Environment Agriculture (CEA) systems and AGEYE, a preeminent leader in automated platform monitoring for vertical farms and greenhouses, today announced a strategic partnership aimed at bringing unmatched complete technology to the CEA industry and commercial growers.

HYVE is Central Virginia-based and offers complete hydroponic growing solutions with an emphasis on hardware, design, and system infrastructure. AGEYE, from the greater Raleigh, North Carolina area provides sophisticated artificial intelligence capability that monitors every plant within a system for more predictable harvest outcomes and the resultant effect of more profitable harvests.

According to Ron Acorn, President of HYVE, “Our goal remains to provide a total and complete scalable solution for indoor farming. We trace our origin to the LED lighting industry and initially began in CEA by offering a range of LED grow lights. Over time this has evolved to complete systems that include everything from heavy duty racking, controls, food grade trays with automated movement, robotics, nursery, seeding, harvesting equipment, automated tray cleaning, and more. The strategic partnership with AGEYE will now further enhance HYVE systems by providing growers with the choice for a comprehensive integrated artificial intelligence capability that will allow for revolutionary plant and system monitoring.”

Nick Genty, Co-Founder and CEO of AGEYE says about the alliance: “AGEYE’s focused core competency has been software and artificial intelligence (AI). Our AI systems utilize visual inputs and growth development insights and essentially turn them into autonomous actions within a system’s architecture. What this means for a grower is that we have a sophisticated means to monitor the health and development of crops through every stage of the growth process and invoke actions that will help to identify abnormal growth patterns that may adversely affect harvest and profitability. We can mitigate issues at an early stage leading to much better outcomes for the grower.”

He adds: “We are excited to partner with HYVE as we view their systems to be the perfect fit for our artificial intelligence solution. Their platform is a complete and robust scalable technology answer and our system as an integration will provide those in the controlled environment sector an unmatched choice. Together we will create truly exceptional outcomes by bringing to market an automated turn-key solution that can really be viewed as the standard for the next generation of vertical indoor farming systems.”

HYVE will be exhibiting at Indoor Ag-Con in booth 619. AGEYE Technologies is a platinum partner of Indoor Ag-Con and Nick Genty will serve as a moderator for a discussion on “Avoiding Nutrient Imbalances” the second day of the show.

More information on HYVE can be found at www.growhyve.com while additional information on AGEYE can be found on the company’s website www.ageyetech.com.

Codi Whittaker of Primitive Greens inside one of their farms

The Indoor Farmer Who’s Using Freight Farms to Increase Food Security for the Cayman Islands

Written by Indoor Ag-Con on February 12, 2023. Posted in Blog, Exhibitor News.

In the Cayman Islands, Freight Farms and Primitive Greens are working to overturn the status quo of food supply.

With the Cayman Islands’ beauty comes a challenging food supply chain. The islands only produce about 1% of their own food, with the rest of the food they consume sourced from Jamaica, Honduras, and, largely, the United States. Relying on shipped produce results in precarious food security. To make matters worse, there are very few direct shipping lines from food-producing Caribbean islands to the Cayman Islands. With lengthy shipping routes, the fresh food that the Cayman Islands ultimately receives is no longer very fresh … and it’s also very pricey.

Enter Freight Farms’ vertical shipping container farms. Codi Whittaker, a young recent college grad, and business partner Kerry Lawrence purchased three container farms from Freight Farms to launch their business, Primitive Greens, with the goal of increasing the sustainability of life on the Cayman Islands.

A Lettuce Wall in Primitive Greens Freight Farm

The three Freight Farms allow Primitive Greens to defy the very things that make fresh food so scarce on the island: a lack of arable land, extreme weather which makes farming near-impossible, and those long shipping lines. Instead, Primitive Greens grows right near consumers, inside high-tech shipping containers right on Grand Cayman island. They work the container farms’ perfectly climate-controlled environment to their advantage to grow beautiful, coveted produce. This, they sell to grocery stores and restaurants on the island at a competitive price — offering island establishments and residents reasonably priced, long-lasting, quality produce.

To increase the sustainability of the business, Primitive Greens plans to install a solar and energy storage microgrid that will fuel the farms with 100% clean energy. Energy cost is up everywhere, and the Cayman Islands are not immune. Currently, Primitive Greens pays the equivalent of $0.40 USD per kilowatt hour of electricity — mostly from dirty diesel fuel offered by the local utility. (By comparison, the current average cost of energy in Los Angeles is about $0.26 USD per kilowatt hour.) The solar project, which features solar panels floating in the water of an old quarry, will not only make growing food more sustainable. It will also provide resiliency to the island, through power that is available 24/7 and independent of the electrical grid.

“We’re basically selling the community cheaper, healthier, more sustainable, locally grown food; we’re providing power for less than half the cost of diesel; we’re creating food security; we’re creating jobs; and we’re not clearing any land.” — Codi Whittaker, Co-Founder and Operator of Primitive Greens

Primitive Greens intends to send Freight Farms to each of the three Cayman Islands, to alleviate food security for the entire territory. Ultimately, they strive to be the providers of fresh produce for Cayman.

Primitive Greens was recently featured in a webinar hosted by Freight Farms on the potential for indoor farming in the Cayman Islands. Watch the conversation at https://www.freightfarms.com/visit-freight-farms/primitive-greens-live-webinar.

Freight Farms has seen incredible growth in the adoption of their technology in the Caribbean islands, many of which face challenges similar to the Cayman Islands’. From Turks and Caicos to the Bahamas, islanders are discovering the power of controlled environment agriculture to revolutionize food quality and access for themselves and their communities.

About Freight Farms:

Founded in 2012, Freight Farms debuted the first vertical hydroponic farm built inside an intermodal shipping container with the mission of democratizing and decentralizing the local production of fresh, healthy food. Since its inception, Freight Farms has refined its product offering to arrive at the Greenery™ S container farm. With global customers ranging from small business farmers to the corporate, hospitality, retail, education, and nonprofit sectors, Freight Farmers make up the largest network of connected farms in the world. AgTech Breakthrough named Freight Farms the 2022 “IoT Monitoring Solution of the Year” for its farmhand® IoT automation software.

To learn more, visit freightfarms.com or connect on Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn, Twitter, or TikTok.

5 Questions With Plenty CEO Arama Kukutai

Written by Indoor Ag-Con on January 23, 2023. Posted in Blog.

Indoor Ag-Con is excited to welcome Plenty CEO Arama Kukutai to our keynote stage to give the opening morning address on Monday, February 27, 2023. Ahead of his keynote, we asked Arama about some of the company’s exciting developments; the challenges, trends and opportunities he sees for our industry; and what’s next for Plenty. Read more in this month’s CEO Q&A:

In September of 2022 Plenty announced plans to build the world’s largest indoor vertical farm campus near Richmond, VA. Can you share more details on this exciting project?

We’re building a first-of-its-kind campus of indoor vertical farms, which is significant for a few reasons. The structure of a cluster of farms on a shared site creates increased efficiencies as well as the opportunity to grow a wider variety of crops at scale on a single site. The Plenty Richmond Farm Campus has a potential annual production capacity of more than 20 million pounds of fresh produce. First up is our strawberry farm, which we broke ground on last fall and expect to deliver berries in market with our partner Driscoll’s in 2024.

Speaking of growth, can you also share any updates on your Compton, CA farm – including why you selected that location and how it fits into Plenty’s mission and growth strategy?

We want to be a part of building a food future where everyone has affordable access to fresh produce. The Plenty Compton Farm, which will be fully operational this year, is our first commercial farm, so it’s the culmination of nearly a decade of R&D and a major step forward in scaling our growing capabilities. We’re proud to be bringing agriculture back to Compton, and working with local retailers to increase affordable access to our produce for California and the western U.S.

In your opinion, what are the key challenges that the CEA/Vertical Farm industry must overcome?

Achieving scale, and scaling with positive unit economics, is the key challenge vertical farming has to overcome to be a permanent part of our food system. Energy consumption is also a challenge for our industry, so it’s important to prioritize energy efficiency as well as choose locations with access to cleaner energy sources.

As Co-Founder of Finistere Ventures, a venture firm dedicated to Agrifood investment, what trends or innovations in the industry are you most excited about?

There’s so much innovation happening to shape a new future for food that is more sustainable and equitable. The last decade saw more than $120 billion invested in innovation, now it’s time to demonstrate the commercial proof points. I’m most excited about the development of a hybrid agriconomy that brings together vertical farming, cultivation and fermentation to scale food production in ways that are better for the planet.

What’s next for Plenty?

Our focus for the immediate future is applying our technology and plant science R&D to commercial farms so we can scale our reach here in the U.S. and build our first international site. Beyond that, we’re continuing to expand our plant science innovation work to diversify the crops we have in market – strawberries are coming next, tomatoes and more are on the horizon. We are also going to announce new partnerships around financing the indoor asset class.

To learn more about Plenty, visit the website. And, make plans to join us for the 10th Anniversary Edition of Indoor Ag-Con, February 27-28, 2023 to hear Arama’s keynote address AND be part of the largest vertical farming & controlled environment agriculture gathering in the USA! Learn more.

good natured® Provides High-tech Growers with Plant-based Packaging to Maximize Positive Environmental Impact

Written by Indoor Ag-Con on January 21, 2023. Posted in Blog, Exhibitor News.

good natured Products Inc. (the “Company” or “good natured®”) (TSX-V: GDNP), a North American leader in earth-friendly plant-based products and Indoor Ag-Con 2023 exhibitor (booth 228) continues to grow its market traction with fast-growing food producers who are taking a fresh approach to supplying plant-based, nutritional foods to communities across North America. A growing population, changing climate conditions and consumers’ desire to support local suppliers is creating opportunity for innovative food producers to introduce new crops and next-gen sustainable agriculture practices that are easier on the planet than some traditional growing methods.

One customer, Heron Farms in South Carolina, is turning sea level rise into sustainable agriculture, one delicious Sea Bean at a time. Heron Farms is North America’s premiere indoor saltwater vertical farm that grows salt-tolerant crops such as sea beans, sea pickles and sea asparagus using predictive software and cutting-edge automated data collection and analysis methods. At the forefront of sustainable farming practices, Heron Farms distributes to retail, restaurants, and food service industries throughout 14 US states.

“We’re on a mission to solve two of the 21st century’s largest environmental problems, rising sea water levels and excess carbon dioxide. We strategically chose plant-based packaging from good natured® as the best option to extend our brand values beyond the product we produce all the way through to the packaging itself,” explained Sam Norton, Founder and CEO of Heron Farms.

Meanwhile, ColdAcre in Whitehorse, Yukon is taking sustainable growing practices to the next level by providing year-round fresh food and growing solutions for far northern climates. ColdAcre provides wholesale and commercial fresh grown food in plant-based, certified compostable packaging from good natured®, which is distributed through small independent grocers through to large chains, such as Save-On-Foods in the Yukon. ColdAcre is the only year-round food producer of greens in the Yukon and sells their farming system across Canada and the Arctic. Their systems source local jobs, reduce supply chain dependency and bring high-quality fresh produce to communities making them more self-sufficient and sustainable.

“We made it a mandate when we started ColdAcre that we wouldn’t contribute to the single-use plastics problem that’s top of mind for many Canadians. We’ve been very pleased to be able to work with our like-minded partner good natured® as we prepare to triple our production in the coming months and offer our products in plant-based, compostable packaging,” said Tarek Bos-Jabber, CEO of ColdAcre.

The good natured® corporate profile can be found at: investor.goodnaturedproducts.com

About good natured Products Inc.
good natured® is passionately pursuing its goal of becoming North America’s leading earth-friendly product company by offering the broadest assortment of eco-friendly options made from plants instead of petroleum. We’re all about making it easy and affordable for business owners and consumers to switch to better everyday products® made from renewable materials and free from chemicals of concern.

Part of the sustainable consumer goods market, good natured® offers over 400 products and services through wholesale and retail channels, including our own e-commerce stores. From plant-based home organization products to compostable food containers, bioplastic industrial supplies and medical packaging, we’re focused on delivering a great customer experience to make more plant-based products readily accessible to more people as the path to deliver meaningful environmental and social impact.

For more information: goodnaturedproducts.com

Surna Releases the Cultivator’s Guide to Grow Room Layout & Design

Written by Indoor Ag-Con on January 21, 2023. Posted in Blog, Exhibitor News.

When it comes to designing your grow room layout, the possibilities can feel overwhelming. Where do you begin, and how will you make your design and equipment choices?

The Cultivator’s Guide to Grow Room Layout & Design

Time is money, and grow room layouts will have a direct effect on the quality of your crop, as well as the efficiency of your labor and overall operating costs. Surna has released this free educational resource for you to dive into the key components of a successful grow and to visualize which options make sense for your business.

Gain insight from engineering and design experts. Compare four example layout configurations modeled from a real commercial cultivation client. Find out how your layout might affect the canopy size, space utilization, architectural considerations, lighting requirements, HVACD design needs, and operations planning.

Download your free whitepaper today.

Helping Growers Bring Their Visions to Life

The success of your indoor farm will largely depend on the decisions you make before breaking ground. Surna Cultivation Technologies provides comprehensive indoor ag services and equipment to suit every unique grower’s needs.

With over 16-years of experience in controlled environment agriculture (CEA), Surna can guide you in creating the cultivation facility you’ve imagined, keeping your budget in mind. Streamline the planning and buildout process, then see your yields and profits grow!

As your one-stop-shop for equipment and services in CEA, Surna provides everything you need to get growing including architectural design, MEP engineering, HVAC systems, benching and racking, lighting, controls and automation, water treatment, and more! Find out how Surna can help bring your cultivation facility to life: watch now.

Meet Surna Cultivation Technologies In-Person at the 2023 Indoor Ag-Con

Are you planning to launch an indoor farm? Are you expanding or optimizing your existing facility? Surna invites you to stop by booth #807 at the 2023 Indoor Ag-Con located in Las Vegas, Nevada. An expert representative will be waiting to discuss your goals and begin evaluating which indoor ag solutions are the best fit for your needs.

Visit surna.com to learn more.

AeroFarms Continues National and Global Expansion With New Farms Coming in the St. Louis Region and Qatar

Written by Indoor Ag-Con on January 21, 2023. Posted in Blog, Exhibitor News.

AeroFarms, award-winning leader in indoor vertical farming, has recently released plans to build a next-gen indoor smart farm in the St. Louis region in partnership with the World Wildlife Fund. In an effort to create a more distributed and resilient food system, AeroFarms will construct a roughly 150,000 square foot indoor vertical farm that will produce several million pounds of produce annually. This farm will use up to 95% less water and 99% less land while producing 390x the yield per square foot compared to traditional field farming. To read the full Indoor Soilless Farming Report from World Wildlife Fund, click here.

In addition, AeroFarms has proudly announced a new expansion in partnership with Qatar Free Zones Authority to build a new commercial indoor vertical farm that will meet Qatar’s growing appetite for fresh, sustainably grown leafy greens + address the growing need for regional agriculture production and climate resiliency throughout the MENA region. Over the last century, the MENA region has experienced significant population growth, yet the region contains less than 2% of the world’s renewable freshwater resources. AeroFarms expansion in partnership with QFZA will increase regional agriculture production, growing fresh produce in arid conditions with up to 95% less water.

Read the full story on AeroFarms Qatar expansion!

Jiffy Group: Growing Media Solution for CEA

Written by Indoor Ag-Con on January 21, 2023. Posted in Blog, Exhibitor News.

Soil and water are the two most crucial resources for feeding the world’s expanding population. For this reason, more people may be able to be fed with fewer resources by adopting the practice of Controlled Environment Agriculture (CEA).

The Global controlled environment agriculture substrate market is projected to witness a Y-o-Y growth of 15.1% in 2027*. That’s why Controlled environment agriculture (CEA) is an exciting segment in horticulture.

What Jiffy solutions are best for CEA?

Jiffy Group is renowned for the outstanding quality of its growing media.

Growers know they can rely on Jiffy year in year out to supply them with a wide range of solutions that are clean, safe, sustainable, and innovative. Jiffy got decades of experience selling to greenhouse growers, and products like Preforma, Growbags, and Pellets are clean and easy to use, with organic options.

*Report from Dee Market Insights Pvt. Ltd.

See Jiffy Group at the February 27-28, 2023 edition of Indoor Ag-Con in booth 918.

Visit the Jiffy Group website to read the full story!

Equilibrium CEO Dave Chen Indoor Ag-Con Keynote

Equilibrium CEO Dave Chen Joins CEO Keynote Line-Up For Las Vegas 2023 Indoor Ag-Con

Written by Indoor Ag-Con on January 15, 2023. Posted in Blog, Press Releases.

Equilibrium CEO Dave Chen will lead the day two opening morning keynote address for the 10th annual edition of Indoor Ag-Con, February 27-28, 2023, at Caesars Forum, Las Vegas, NV. Themed “The Future of Farming Grows Here,” the largest vertical farming & controlled environment agriculture (CEA) gathering in the United States will give attendees the opportunity to hear from Chen and other thought leaders from today’s top farms and CEA companies; enjoy terrific networking opportunities; and explore new resources from a significantly expanded exhibitor roster.

The keynote address will be held Tuesday, February 28, 2023 at 8:00 AM.

“We are excited to have Dave Chen kick off day two of our February 2023 edition,” says Brian Sullivan, CEO, Indoor Ag-Con. “Controlled environment agriculture is at an inflection moment in the sector’s growth and development, and Dave will offer valuable insights into the realities and opportunities the industry faces as we move forward.”

Founded in 2008, Equilibrium Capital has built a platform of real assets-focused, sustainability-driven investment strategies for institutional investors. Equilibrium currently manages $2 billion in two portfolio strategies: Carbon Transition Infrastructure and Controlled Environment Foods.

Dave is Equilibrium’s CEO and serves on the boards of several of its fund portfolio companies. He started his career at Solectron, McKinsey, and as a general partner with OVP Venture Partners. He served on the San Francisco Federal Reserve Bank Board system until 2012, and was a board member of B Labs until 2018. Dave has, for 14 years, been a professor at Northwestern’s Kellogg Business School equipping students for sustainable investing.

2023 CONFERENCE SCHEDULE FEATURES NEW FORMATS, 70+ SPEAKERS
Chen’s presentation joins the Indoor Ag-Con 2023 CEO headliner keynote line-up, which also includes the opening morning kick-off session with Arama Kukutai, CEO, Plenty. Look for another announcement coming soon about the event’s third keynote address. In addition to these headliner keynotes, the 2023 educational conference will also feature insightful panel sessions featured within three comprehensive educational tracks – grower; trends & innovation; and funding & guidance. Attendees can also look forward to new friendly debate formats and fireside chats, too.

EXPANDED EXHIBIT FLOOR
2023 will welcome the largest number of exhibitors in the event’s 10-year history. From irrigation and LED lighting to environmental control systems, substrates, greenhouse equipment, energy solutions, business services and more, attendees will have the chance to see the latest introductions and innovations from vertical farming and controlled environment agriculture leaders in 174 booths.

CO-LOCATION WITH NATIONAL GROCERS ASSOCATION SHOW
Indoor Ag-Con will once again co-locate with the National Grocers Association (NGA) Show, the leading trade show and conference for independent grocers, offering even more networking and business opportunities for attendees and exhibitors alike. The NGA Show and Indoor Ag-Con visitors will have the opportunity to explore both exhibit halls as part of the full conference pass offerings.

MORE NETWORKING
Exhibitors and attendees can enjoy complimentary luncheons on the show floor each day, a show floor cocktail reception, breakout sessions and other opportunities to reconnect with friends and meet new business partners.

QUICK FACTS:
WHEN: Monday, February 27 – Tuesday, February 28, 2023
WHERE: Caesars Forum, 3911 Koval Lane, Las Vegas, NV 89101
INFO: For information on exhibiting or attending visit www.indoor.ag or email suzanne@indoor.ag

ABOUT INDOOR AG-CON LLC
Indoor Ag-Con is the largest US trade event for vertical farming | indoor agriculture |controlled environment agriculture, the practice of growing crops in indoor systems, using hydroponic, aquaponic and aeroponic techniques. Its events are crop-agnostic and touch all sectors of the business, covering produce, legal cannabis | hemp, alternate protein and non-food crops. More information: www.indoor.ag

Arama Kukutai, the CEO of Plenty, will give the opening morning keynote address on February 27, 2023 at 8:00 AM PT at Indoor Ag-Con 2023.

Plenty CEO Arama Kukutai To Kick Off Indoor Ag-Con 2023 With Opening Morning Keynote Address

Written by Indoor Ag-Con on January 4, 2023. Posted in Blog, Press Releases.

JANUARY 4, 2023 – Plenty CEO Arama Kukutai will lead the opening morning keynote address for the 10^th Anniversary edition of Indoor Ag-Con, February 27-28, 2023 at the Caesars Forum Conference Center, Las Vegas, NV. Themed “The Future of Farming Grows Here,” the largest vertical farming & controlled environment agriculture (CEA) gathering in the United States will give attendees the opportunity to hear from Kukutai and other thought leaders from today’s top farms and CEA companies; enjoy terrific networking opportunities; and explore new resources from a significantly expanded exhibitor roster.

“We are thrilled to welcome Arama Kukutai to our keynote stage as we kick off our 10^th anniversary edition,” says Brian Sullivan, CEO, Indoor Ag-Con. “Arama is a visionary leader in the field of sustainable agriculture and we can’t wait to hear about the latest developments and expansion plans for Plenty, as well as his insights and perspectives on the future of farming and food production.”

Kukutai’s address will immediately follow the Indoor Ag-Con General Session Welcome at 8:00 am PT on Monday, February 27, 2023.

In his role as CEO of Plenty, Kukutai leads the company’s progress toward its mission to grow fresh food for everyone with the most technologically advanced indoor vertical farms in the world . An active speaker, writer and thought leader in Agrifood sustainability, technology innovation and investment trends, he brings vast global operating experience to Plenty as it transitions from research to commercial operations.

Kukutai has been an investor, company founder and entrepreneur in the Agribusiness sector for more than 20 years. He is the co-founder of Finistere Ventures, one of the pioneering venture firms dedicated to Agrifood investment and an early investor in Plenty. He led the creation of Finistere’s international portfolio and expansive global network in AgTech, establishing Finistere offices in Agrifood epicenters around the globe including New Zealand, Tel Aviv, San Diego, Silicon Valley and Ireland. Previously, he served as founder and Executive Chairman of PKW Farms, developing and operating sustainable grass-based dairy farming and aquaculture activities across New Zealand, Asia and Australia.

ROBUST 2023 CONFERENCE SCHEDULE, NEW FORMATS NOW IN DEVELOPMENT

In addition to Arama Kukutai’s opening morning keynote, look for additional announcements coming soon on other keynote presentations planned for the February edition. The 2023 educational conference will feature 3 headliner keynotes and insightful panel sessions featured within three comprehensive educational tracks – grower; trends & innovation; and funding & guidance. In addition, attendees can look forward to new friendly debate formats and fireside chats, too.

EXPANDED EXHIBIT FLOOR

2023 will welcome the largest number of exhibitors in the event’s 10-year history. From irrigation and LED lighting to environmental control systems, substrates, greenhouse equipment, energy solutions, business services and more, attendees will have the chance to see the latest introductions and innovations from vertical farming and controlled environment agriculture leaders in 174 booths.

CO-LOCATION WITH NATIONAL GROCERS ASSOCATION SHOW

Indoor Ag-Con will once again co-locate with the National Grocers Association (NGA) Show, the leading trade show and conference for independent grocers, offering even more networking and business opportunities for attendees and exhibitors alike. The NGA Show and Indoor Ag-Con visitors will have the opportunity to explore both exhibit halls as part of the full conference pass offerings.

MORE NETWORKING

Exhibitors and attendees can enjoy complimentary luncheons on the show floor each day, a show floor cocktail reception, breakout sessions and other opportunities to reconnect with friends and meet new business partners.

QUICK FACTS:

WHEN: Monday, February 27 – Tuesday, February 28, 2023
WHERE: Caesars Forum, 3911 Koval Lane, Las Vegas, NV 89101
INFO: For information on exhibiting or attending visit www.indoor.ag or email suzanne@indoor.ag

ABOUT INDOOR AG-CON LLC

Indoor Ag-Con is the largest US trade event for vertical farming | indoor agriculture |controlled environment agriculture, the practice of growing crops in indoor systems, using hydroponic, aquaponic and aeroponic techniques. Its events are crop-agnostic and touch all sectors of the business, covering produce, legal cannabis | hemp, alternate protein and non-food crops. More information: www.indoor.ag