Tag: agtech

Indoor Ag-Con, CEA Innovation Center Partner To Launch CEA Summit East

Written by Indoor Ag-Con on July 27, 2022. Posted in Press Releases.

NEW CEA TRADE EVENT TO BRING INDUSTRY, ACADEMIA TOGETHER
OCTOBER 25-26, 2022 IN DANVILLE, VA

DANVILLE, VA (July 28,2022) — Indoor Ag-Con and the Controlled Environment Agriculture (CEA) Innovation Center — a joint project of the School of Plant and Environmental Sciences at Virginia Tech and the Institute for Advanced Learning and Research (IALR) — have partnered to launch the CEA Summit East, October 25-26, 2022. Designed to bring the CEA industry and academia together to share research, business strategies and build partnerships to drive future growth for the sector and its stakeholders, the event will debut at the IALR Conference Center in Danville, VA.

During the one and one-half day event, industry members will have the opportunity to attend the conference featuring CEA thought leaders, researchers and experts leading keynotes, panels, and breakout sessions; explore tabletop exhibits presenting the latest CEA innovations and services; and enjoy a host of networking opportunities ranging from meals and coffee breaks to an evening social event.

THE TEAM
The event hosts are especially qualified to bring the CEA industry and academia together for an event focused on business, educational and networking growth opportunities.

The Controlled Environment Agriculture Innovation Center is a joint project between the School of Plant and Environmental Sciences at Virginia Tech and the Institute for Advanced Learning and Research (IALR). Housed primarily within a modern indoor agricultural complex on the campus of IALR in Danville, the center features various hydroponic and soilless systems/production systems and facilities, including indoor growth rooms, greenhouses, growth chambers and vertical growing racks. The center’s scientists and technology teams are currently working closely with the industry’s top growers and suppliers on a number of key projects. Learn more at www.ialr.org/cea.

The Indoor Ag-Con team of seasoned event professionals produces the premier trade show & conference for indoor |vertical farming | controlled environment agriculture. Experiencing record year-on-year growth, its events touch all sectors of the business — covering produce, legal cannabis |hemp, alternate protein and non-food crops – and attract decision-making growers, investors, real estate developers, agtech leaders, produce buyers, academics, policymakers, industry suppliers and advocates from across the US and 20+ other countries.

THE AUDIENCE
The CEA Summit East is custom-tailored for new and well-seasoned CEA industry members from throughout the Eastern US, including indoor and greenhouse growers, facility owners and operators, educators, government officials, real estate developers, architects, construction specialists, sales and marketing teams and others.

The event will include tabletop displays from manufacturers and suppliers of AI and automation, control systems, sensors, equipment/accessories, greenhouse structures/supplies, lighting, irrigation, HVAC and more.

THE VENUE
Part of the IALR campus, the Institute Conference Center is a full service, state-of-the-art meeting facility – just steps away from Controlled Environment Agriculture Innovation Center’s modern indoor agricultural complex. What’s more, the Danville, VA venue is easily accessible — located in south-central Virginia along the North Carolina border, within a day’s drive of two-thirds of the nation’s population.

“From the incredible work researchers are doing at its Innovation Center to its state-of-the-art meeting venue, IALR is such a rich resource for the CEA industry,” says Brian Sullivan, CEO, Indoor Ag-Con. “We’re excited to bring our event experience and industry resources together with the expertise of IALR and Virginia Tech to create a showplace of innovation and educational opportunities for growers and other CEA industry members throughout the Eastern US.”

“This partnership between IALR and Virginia Tech has brought together diverse professionals from industry and academia including many people not traditionally working directly in controlled environment agriculture,” states Dr. Michael Evans, Director of the School of Plant and Environmental Sciences at Virginia Tech.

“This conference offers an exciting opportunity to bring people together for exchanging new and diverse ideas to help move the industry forward and into exciting directions,” says Dr. Kaylee South, Assistant Professor in the School of Plant and Environmental Sciences at Virginia Tech.

“By developing strategic partnerships with both industry and academia, the goal of the Innovation Center is to conduct research and educational programming to develop, promote and advance the controlled environment agriculture sector,” adds Dr. Scott Lowman, Director, Controlled Environment Agriculture Innovation Center. “The new partnership with Indoor Ag-Con perfectly aligns with our goal and promises to deliver a top-notch event experience for CEA industry stakeholders.”

For more information on the CEA Summit East, including conference programming, exhibit/sponsorship opportunities and to register, visit www.ceasummit.com.

ABOUT INDOOR AG-CON
Founded in 2013, Indoor Ag-Con has emerged as the premier trade event for indoor | vertical farming | 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 | 404.991.5186

ABOUT THE SCHOOL OF PLANT AND ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES AT VIRGINIA TECH
The School of Plant and Environmental Sciences at Virginia Tech trains the next generation of professionals in the fields of plant breeding and genetics, agronomic and horticultural crop production, plant protection, soil and water systems management, agricultural technologies, environmental restoration and agro-environmental stewardship. It conducts research to improve agricultural productivity, reduce negative impacts on the environment and improve soil and water health. Through extension programs, it provides science-based information to stakeholders to help them feed the world while protecting the environment. More information — https://spes.vt.edu/

ABOUT IALR
The Institute for Advanced Learning and Research (IALR) serves as a regional catalyst for economic transformation. Core focus areas include research that provides a clear path to commercialization, advanced learning opportunities where education meets experience, training and rapid-launch space for advanced manufacturers, and economic development through conferencing and a partnership with the Southern Virginia Regional Alliance. It is located in scenic and historic Danville-Pittsylvania County on the VA/NC state line, within a short drive of Roanoke, Greensboro and Raleigh. More information – www.ialr.org | 413.766.6700

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For Farmers. By Farmers. Q & A With Cultivatd Managing Partner Eric Levesque

Written by Indoor Ag-Con on April 11, 2022. Posted in Blog.

For farmers. By farmers. That’s how Cultivatd, the Cornwall Ontario-based indoor farm brokerage, describes its dedicated team of experts and the services they provide. Founded in 2020 by agtech industry veterans Eric Levesque and Eric Bergeron, this startup helps clients get into the vertical farming space by guiding them through the process of selecting the best technology for their needs, and recommending the best solution depending on budget, type of growing, location and knowledge.

With more 40 partnerships with some of the controlled environment agriculture (CEA) industry’s biggest technology providers, Cultivatd has over $250 million in active projects in its portfolio and expects that number to increase substantially this year. Indoor Ag-Con had a chance to check in with Eric Levesque to learn more about his company’s service offerings, growth plans and ag tech trends in this month’s Q&A.

As an Indoor Farm Broker, Cultivatd says it can help farmers by providing agtech solutions and farm planning at no cost. How does that work and what are the advantages?

Our service offering is quite simple; we help people understand which technology is best suited for what they are trying to do. Our team will work with clients and based on the type of plants to grow, the budget, the location etc, we will recommend different technologies as a solution. We have experience as growers, technology developers and have operated farms, so our team really gives clients a deep understanding of what is involved in growing food indoors. There is no cost because we earn a commission when a farm project comes together.

How does Cultivatd choose its partners?

Cultivatd Partners — Cultivatd partners with leading agtech companies. Click image above to learn more.

We don’t have an exact process here, although we tend to work with companies that we know have a solid reputation, good people, have detailed financials models and typically we like to go and see the technology working somewhere so we can vet it for ourselves. We also spend a great deal of time and effort building relationships with the people at our technology partners. It is important for us to have real, in depth knowledge of the teams behind the products we represent.

Is there new tech on the horizon that has you particularly excited about the future of agtech?

There are several – but mainly – we are excited to see new technology that allows different products to be grown indoors such as mushrooms, potatoes, animal feed, and even insects etc. The amount of food we are going to need to grow in controlled environments is massive and it has to extend far beyond leafy greens and herbs.

At the end of 2021 Cultivatd announced it had raised more than $3 million in a series A round. Can you share more about how you’re using/will be using these funds?

This was mainly to help us grow a team, open two new offices (Hello Austin!) and to market ourselves in the industry. We are also aware that large farming projects can take months to get going, so we also have some operating capital to ensure we are able to grow for years to come.

We have to ask, what is the story behind the name/spelling of your company?

We were looking for a modern name that fit the industry and this option really stood out to us when we went through our branding exercise. We really wanted a .com domain name so had to be a bit creative on spelling.

To learn more about Cultivatd and its service offerings, visit the website or call 1.877.258.8283.

Jonathan Webb CEO AppHarvest Indoor Ag-Con 2022 Keynote

Farm of the Future: Q&A With AppHarvest CEO Jonathan Webb

Written by Indoor Ag-Con on January 16, 2022. Posted in Blog.

Indoor Ag-Con is pleased to announce that AppHarvest CEO & Founder Jonathan Webb is joining our CEO Keynote line-up for the February 28-March 1, 2022 edition at Caesars Forum, Las Vegas. His presentation, “How Tech In Farming Can Build A Resilient Food System,” will be on Monday, February 28, from 11 — 11:50 am.

From building an AgTech hub in Central Appalachia to launching the “Fight the Food Fight” campaign to investing in and supporting high school AgTech education, learn more about how Jonathan and the AppHarvest team are working to solve today’s food and agriculture challenges in this month’s CEO Q&A.

It’s your home state, what are the conditions– efficiencies of scale, workforce, available water and other benefits that make Kentucky and Appalachia an ideal location for AppHarvest?

Kentucky is my home state and I do love it. But, it also makes sense strategically to build an AgTech hub in Central Appalachia for a few reasons:

Kentucky’s climate is well-suited for the industry. We grow using 100% rainwater and climate change is making the region wetter. In fact, the past decade has seen the most rainfall in Kentucky history with three of those years being the wettest on record. If you’re growing products that are up to 95% water like fruits and vegetables, you need to be where water is available.
The strategic location of our flagship farm in Morehead, Ky., allows AppHarvest to provide sustainable produce to up to 70% of the United States population within a day’s drive.This approach gets food closer to where it’s consumed, shortens transportation time significantly and reduces diesel use by as much as 80%.
Labor is another reason. With industries such as coal and tobacco going away, the region needs more jobs for a skilled workforce, and we are able to tap into that labor pool for our high-tech farms.

What historic milestones are comparable to what AppHarvest is attempting with the Farm of the Future? Automotive assembly line? 1960s space race? Why?

At AppHarvest, we believe that controlled environment agriculture (CEA) is the third wave of sustainable infrastructure. In my experience working on major solar projects with the U.S. Department of Defense, the first wave was 20 years ago with renewable energy. The second wave came 10 years later when Tesla made electric vehicles popular in the mainstream. Now, we’re in the third wave and it’s CEA using a combination of nature supported by technology to produce a lot more food with fewer resources. We’re using artificial intelligence and robotics to make data-driven decisions to farm more efficiently and better predict crop yield.

What was the rationale behind the “Fight the Food Fight” campaign and how are sales going with your “Food Fight“ salsa?

Change begins with education. We recognized the need for a consumer movement to encourage folks to learn where their food comes from and understand that their purchases matter. The Fight the Food Fight campaign is a call to action that asks consumers to join us in creating a more resilient food system designed for the long-term wellbeing of people and planet by supporting products that promote sustainable farm operations and good, living-wage jobs in agriculture.

In early November 2021, we introduced our first product tied to the campaign, called the Food Fight Salsa. The main ingredient is AppHarvest tomatoes and all other ingredients are U.S.-grown. The salsa sold out within a few weeks and is back in stock on our direct-to-consumer website at shop.appharvest.com. We ask you to Fight the Food Fight with us!

Can you share a little about what AppHarvest is doing on the AgTech education front to help train the next generation of farmers, specifically with regard to your collaboration with Eastern Kentucky High Schools.

As we work to build a hub of sustainable agriculture in Central Appalachia, we know we need to create an AgTech ecosystem with good education at all levels. That’s why we are investing in the next generation of farmers and futurists by supporting high school AgTech education. We have launched seven container farms since the start of our program, with a goal to have 20 across Central Appalachia to serve as a model across the U.S.

These free-standing training facilities are made from shipping containers retrofitted with the latest sustainable agriculture technology, including energy-efficient LED grow lights and a closed-loop irrigation system that teaches students how to use up to 90% less water and grow up to 30 times more food in the same amount of space compared to traditional open-field agriculture. One container farm classroom can produce the equivalent of three to five acres of traditional agriculture, and the technology in each unit is a good example of what AppHarvest employees use every day on a larger scale.

Where do you see AppHarvest 5 or 10 years from now – what’s your ultimate goal?

The world’s food and agriculture problems are not going to be solved in the short-term. The AppHarvest team sees our journey to create a resilient food system taking decades. We’re at the beginning and working hard to create shareholder value now that will still be there in decades two and three. We want to help build a sustainable organization that will be able to go toe-to-toe with the larger incumbents globally.

One way we’re doing this is by growing to scale. In addition to our 60-acre high-tech farm in Morehead, which can produce an estimated 40 million pounds of tomatoes per year, we are expanding our farm network to include three more farms expected to be operational by the end of 2022. The 15-acre Berea, Ky., leafy green facility and the 60-acre Richmond, Ky., tomato facility are both approximately 60% complete, and the 30-acre Somerset, Ky., berry facility is more than 40% complete. A fifth farm, the 10-acre Morehead North leafy green facility has an expected 2023 delivery. The company is working toward a longer-term goal of up to 12 farms by 2025.

AppHarvest isn’t going to save agriculture on its own. We know that a number of large companies will be working to solve our food and agriculture problems, and we intend to be one of them.

Learn more about AppHarvest by visiting their website — www.appharvest.com — and register today to join us for the Indoor Ag-Con to hear Jonathan’s keynote address!

Jonathan Webb Keynote Indoor Ag-Con 20222

AppHarvest CEO Jonathan Webb Joins Indoor Ag-Con 2022 CEO Keynote Line-Up

Written by Indoor Ag-Con on January 11, 2022. Posted in Press Releases.

How Tech In Farming Can Build A Resilient Food System

AppHarvest Founder and CEO Jonathan Webb will lead the Indoor Ag-Con keynote presentation, “How Tech In Farming Can Build A Resilient Food System,” on Monday, February 28, 2022 from 11:00 am – 11:50 am. A headliner event at the February 28 – March 1, 2022 edition of the trade show and conference for the indoor|vertical farming industry at Caesars Forum in Las Vegas, Webb’s discussion will focus on what needs to be done to truly fix the world’s food system. And that, according to Webb, is the Farm of the Future, which he is creating at AppHarvest by investing in robotics, artificial intelligence and tele-operation, while developing the types of technologies that were required for Amazon to transform retail.

Themed “Growing Your Business,” Indoor Ag-Con will give attendees the opportunity to explore new resources on the expo floor and hear from Webb, other CEOs, thought leaders and industry experts from today’s cutting-edge farms and other innovative companies.

During his keynote presentation, Webb will dive deep into what new technologies can deliver quality produce with safe, more efficient growing methods– which is good for all stakeholders — and how AppHarvest’s AI and robotic technology allows the company to make data-driven decisions on plant health, productivity and better predict crop yield.

Webb will also discuss how AppHarvest is bringing these technologies to market with its TechCo business, which is expected to serve the entire controlled environment agriculture sector.

Jonathan Webb is the Founder & CEO of AppHarvest, a sustainable foods company developing and operating some of the world’s largest high-tech indoor farms to build an efficient food system.

Before founding AppHarvest, he spent years developing massive solar projects for the U.S. Department of Defense. During this time, Webb learned about the Netherlands’ modern, tech-forward system of hydroponic agriculture. This research, coupled with reports that global food production would need to nearly double by 2050 and news of expanding drought and wildfire across the country, led him to realize that the American food system required change – fast.

He returned home to Kentucky to start AppHarvest. Jonathan knew that, by harnessing the best of nature’s capabilities with future-forward technology to grow delicious produce at scale, we could tackle systemic supply chain issues while also advocating for modern methods of sustainable farming. He also knew that AppHarvest could reduce environmentally costly diesel emissions incurred during the shipping process by locating closer to consumers, all while delivering more reliably fresh and nutritious fruits and vegetables.

Learn more about Jonathan Webb and his Indoor Ag-Con keynote session here.

“Jonathan Webb’s vision for the future of agriculture and the steps he is taking with AppHarvest to get there are inspiring and exciting, “ says Brian Sullivan, partner/owner, Indoor Ag-Con LLC .”We are thrilled to have him join the Indoor Ag-Con keynote stage in February and know our audience will be eager to hear from him.”

ROBUST 2022 CONFERENCE SCHEDULE NOW IN DEVELOPMENT
Webb’s presentation joins the Indoor Ag-Con 2022 CEO keynote line-up, which also includes the opening morning kick-off session with Steve Platt, CEO, BrightFarms and Steven Bradley, VP, Cox Cleantech, Cox Enterprises. Look for additional announcements coming soon on other headliner keynote presentations planned for the February edition. The 2022 conference will also include a full roster of panel discussions offering a deep dive into three core tracks – Grower, Business & Technology.

Attendees will find more new initiatives and show highlights to explore in February, including:

CO-LOCATION WITH NATIONAL GROCERS ASSOCATION SHOW
New for 2022, Indoor Ag-Con will 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 access to all exhibits, and discounts will be available for cross-over educational event attendance. Look for more details coming soon.

EXPANDED EXHIBIT FLOOR
2022 will also welcome the largest expo floor yet for Indoor Ag-Con. 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 some of the biggest names in the business, as well as emerging leaders.

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, Feb. 28 – Tuesday, Mar. 1, 2022
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
Founded in 2013, Indoor Ag-Con has emerged as the premier trade event for vertical farming | indoor 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. In December 2018, three event industry professionals – Nancy Hallberg, Kris Sieradzki and Brian Sullivan – acquired Indoor Ag-Con LLC, setting the stage for further expansion of the events globally. More information: https://indoor.ag

ABOUT APPHARVEST
AppHarvest is an applied technology company in Appalachia developing and operating some of the world’s largest high-tech indoor farms designed to grow non-GMO, chemical pesticide-free produce, using up to 90 percent less water than open-field agriculture and only rainwater while producing yields up to 30 times that of traditional agriculture on the same amount of land without agricultural runoff. The company combines conventional agricultural techniques with world-class technology including artificial intelligence and robotics to improve access for all to nutritious food, farming more sustainably, building a domestic food supply, and increasing investment in Appalachia. The company’s 60-acre Morehead, KY facility is among the largest indoor farms in the world. For more information, visit https://www.appharvest.com/.

Cultivatd Raises $3 Million Series A Round

Written by Indoor Ag-Con on December 23, 2021. Posted in Exhibitor News.

Cultivatd has raised $3.5M in the past year and is actively expanding into the USA, UAE and Australia.

Cultivatd Inc, a Cornwall Ontario based indoor farm brokerage (and Indoor Ag-Con 2022 exhibitor!), announces the closing of a Series A round of investment of $3M USD led by Malcolm Bean of Resilient Earth Ventures (REV) Fund, a California-based firm focused on climate smart solutions and food security projects.

The funds will primarily be used to fuel the company’s expansion plans with new offices coming to Austin Texas, Dubai UAE and Perth Australia in 2022.

Cultivatd was founded in 2020 and the company’s Managing Partners, Eric Levesque and Eric Bergeron are both industry veterans who have been involved in Agtech for several years. Cultivatd has secured over 40 partnerships with some of the controlled environment agriculture (CEA) industry’s biggest technology providers such as IGS, Elevate Farms, Artechno, Cubic Farms, AmplifiedAg, Netled, RotoGro, and Delta9 in the past year, and intends to continue to expand its roster of partners over the coming year.

“These funds will allow us to service our growing list of clients, partners and projects and will help us get right into the middle of the CEA industry”, says Eric Levesque, Managing Partner and co-founder. “We did not anticipate the market would be this open to our service offering and we have now raised a seed round and a Series A in the same year to expedite that growth.”

The company currently has over $250 Million in active projects in it’s portfolio and expects that number to increase substantially in 2022. “The industry is growing quickly and more and more people need a better understanding of which technology provider is best for their project. It’s a massive capital commitment to open a vertical farm and we provide the expertise to help with planning and technology selection on behalf of our partners”, says Eric Bergeron, the company’s other co-founder and an AgTech industry veteran since 2014.

Malcolm Bean, Principal at REV Fund says “This investment is strategic in that it allows our fund access to the projects Cultivatd is brokering, helping speed up the process of their clients completing their vertical farming projects. We are very excited to see where this company is headed and to be part of it.” Malcolm will also hold a Board Seat at Cultivatd and help with strategy and growth.

Cultivatd is primarily a broker of technology but also offers a Farming-as-a-Service program in which the company will manage a farm’s operation for their clients. “We believe that success in this industry doesn’t just come from having the right technology (which we can help with) but also in having the right people running that technology. Our client’s success is ultimately our business model”, says Levesque.

The company intends to hire a few more staff to fill some major roles but is planning on staying lean – focusing instead on marketing and sponsorship opportunities to grow the brand into the $50 Billion dollar vertical farming equipment market.

For more information –

Eric Levesque
Managing Partner eric.levesque@cultivatd.com 613-360-5195

ABOUT CULTIVATD

Cultivatd Inc is a startup that connects people and businesses with the proper vertical farming technology for their needs. The company utilizes its years of experience in the indoor farming industry to assess needs and recommends the best solution for a clients’ budget, type of growing, location and knowledge. The company also offers services such as Farming-as-a-Service, where they deploy farmers to your location and general consulting services through a network of vertical farming experts throughout the world. Cultivatd helps clients get into the vertical farming space by guiding clients through the process of selecting the proper technology solution for their needs.

https://cultivatd.com

ABOUT REV FUND

Resilient Earth Ventures is a fund that accelerates sustainable energy and food systems in islands and remote communities. Managed by partners Malcolm Bean and Mark Higgins, the mission is to accelerate clean, sustainable, resilient energy and food. REV does this by investing risk capital in project developers, projects and technologies that can address the unique challenges of islands and remote communities.

We’re unique because we’re willing to take carefully considered business model, market and technology risks.

https://rev.fund

Overcoming Obstacles In Starting An Indoor Farm

Written by Indoor Ag-Con on December 14, 2021. Posted in Exhibitor News.

Story sourced from AgritechTomorrow

In this Q&A, Cultivatd Co-Founder & VP of Business Development Eric Levesque talked about the indoor farming industry — and how to overcome obstacles when startning an indoor farm — with AgriTechTomorrow.

Tell us about yourself and what inspired you to start Cultivatd.
I entered the ag tech space approximately 5 years ago when I joined ZipGrow Inc in a leadership role as Head of Sales and Business Development. After acquiring a minority stake in the company, I helped to grow the company to 10 million in sales and from only a few employees to 20 or so in the first 24 months. The outpouring of support from potential clients was astounding but the solution offered was niche for most projects, leading us to turning away potential buyers on a regular basis. With that in mind, Eric Bergeron (Co-Founder of ZipGrow and Cultivatd) and I set out to flip the industry on its head by partnering with a wide range of companies in order to have a solution for every project. A year later and Cultivatd now has nearly 50 partnerships with some of the world’s leading ag-tech companies; from hydroponics, aquaponics, LED light manufacturers (etc) and we are working on projects around the world.

What is Cultivatd’s mission?
Our mission is to be at the center of the indoor ag industry connecting our clients, partners and funders to create successful vertical farm projects. Our business model is unique in that our primary role is to be a connector. We accomplish this by working with some of the best tech companies in the industry, with funders and by teaching people how to operate their indoor farms.

Why is it so important for AgTech companies to coexist and work together to improve the industry.
The world has a huge problem to solve in the coming decades; Growing more food, for more people, with less space and less resources. Localizing the supply chain is a global problem and AgTech companies are getting pretty good at solving some of these issues. We feel like there is some pretty good collaboration amongst our partnerships, although we do see quite a few of the larger ‘big names’ in our industry making some bold claims that I believe are detrimental for the industry. Large mergers, over-valuations etc hurt our industry and so we are focused instead on helping projects become profitable and successful by finding the best companies in the industry that are looking to help be part of the solution to recommend to our clients. There is a reason we work with the companies we do, and collaboration is one of those traits.

What are some of the biggest obstacles to entry for a person or company looking to start up an indoor, vertical or container farm?
Cultivatd was founded with the goal of addressing what we feel is the biggest issue in entering the vertical farming industry; knowledge. Our team has experience as growers, product manufacturers, start-up founders and we have seen the industry from many sides (investors, clients, growers etc) and we look to share that every time we work on a project. We’ve seen too many people buy the wrong technology and be stuck trying to make a business work because they only spoke to one company – they simply didn’t know what else was available.

Capital is also a big barrier to entry for many. We get hundreds of calls from people that want to impact their communities with vertical farms only to be put off by the true cost of a system (CAPEX) so we are always very clear with people early on. We also work with partners to help lower this barrier to entry as technology is now at a more profitable state than when our industry was just beginning.

How does your indoor farm brokerage work to help solve some of these start-up issues.
Our business model has a 3-pronged approach to solving the issues we see from our clients;

1. Brokerage: We help clients’ select the best technology for their project and walk them through which different AgTech solutions work with their budget, market and type of products they are looking to grow. While every agtech company can offer only their solution, we can offer almost 50 options.

2. FAAS: We are aware that operating a vertical farm is a much more complicated and involving venture than just growing food. That said, we launched a service called Farming As A Service where we will send experienced farmers to our clients locations to help manage the farm.

3. Funding: One of the biggest hurdles in our industry is the CAPEX cost of setting up a farm. We have partnered with groups like Contain.ag to help our clients get off the ground with funding. We are also in the midst of setting up our own capital fund (announcement coming soon) that is specifically geared towards our clients and their capital needs.

Where do you see indoor farming going over the next 10 years and how do we get there?
We think we are still at the beginning of this industry, even though our team is now 8 years in, and that the need for indoor farming is going to continue to grow exponentially over the next decade. The global food supply need is getting bigger while the ability to grow food outdoors is changing quickly. We see vertical farms solving a lot of the issues facing mankind in the next 10 years through a variety of technological advances (LEDs, automation, aquaculture, plant varieties (proteins, hops, medicinal etc), localization of supply chain etc) and we are proud to be at the center of it. The farm of the future is a hybrid model with multiple technologies and we are positioning ourselves to be core to the industry’s evolution.

Interview realised by agritechtomorrow.

Trendlines Is Supporting Farmers With AgTech Developments | Agritecture Xchange Sneak Preview

Written by Indoor Ag-Con on November 14, 2020. Posted in Blog.

AgritectureXChange Trendlines Agrifood Innovation Center CEO — Source: Arabian Reseller

Indoor Ag-Con is a proud media sponsor of Agritecture Xchange, a virtual conference connecting key innovations in the field of AgTech to the future health of our cities coming up in December! Agritecture sat down with Anton Wibowo, CEO of Trendlines Agrifood Innovation Centre, prior to Agritecture Xchange. Anton will be speaking on the panel, Investor Viewpoint: Most Impactful AgTech Developments of 2020.

Meet Anton Wibowo at Agritecture Xchange, buy your tickets today and save with our Indoor Ag-Con Promo Code -IAC10.

Tell us a little about yourself! What sparked your interest in the field of agriculture and led you to work for Trendlines Agrifood Innovation Centre?

I come from Indonesia, with a family business background in the agricultural commodities trading industry. So, in some ways, I’ve always had interest in agriculture. Before joining Trendlines, I worked in a Singaporean tech startup that developed an agricultural waste recycling technology, a rapid composting process. 9 years in that startup gave me regional exposure to the field of agriculture. In short, my career to date has always been related to agriculture.

What can we expect to hear about in your intervention at the “Investor Viewpoint: Most Impactful AgTech Developments of 2020” panel?

To keep the suspense going, I’ll only reveal a little bit for now. I have been seeing a rapidly increasing trend for the utilization of big data and analytics in almost every aspect of agtech development this year. From biotech (seeds genetics, active ingredients screening) to automation (robotics, farm management), and even “fintech” (yield prediction, microloans to farmers).

What limitations have you seen the financing front causing for farmers? In relation to this, why do you believe it’s important to educate and aid farmers in this aspect?

This is a topic that is very close to my heart. Almost 80% of the farmers in the Southeast Asia region are smallholder farmers who live hand to mouth and are often just one bad harvest away from falling below the poverty line. Sadly, big organisations are unwilling to provide financing, understandably due to the perceived high risk. The farmers become vulnerable to “unlicensed and unregulated moneylenders” that charge exorbitant interest, making it incredibly difficult for the farmers to come out of that cycle.

In your experience, how have farmers and AgTech businesses been challenged financially and otherwise during this pandemic? How does the current Covid-related agricultural landscape compare to that of the past?

In my opinion, Covid has exposed the many vulnerabilities of the food supply chain, especially those affecting farmers. The problems that have been around for several years are brought to surface because people are beginning to realize that if we don’t support farmers, there is no sense in having seamless logistics and food manufacturers.

How has the management and investment experience in the Singaporean biotechnology and agribusiness communities been for you during these unprecedented times? Do you think there is a stronger need for such work given the growing agricultural challenges?

Yes, I definitely think that the need for tech will only grow here onwards. Working with the various stakeholders in agriculture is also extremely important. For instance, I see that the adoption of tech is much more complex than just having brilliant technology. The business model has to adapt, the big corporates who often have the distribution channel have to buy-in, and the regulators have to approve.

Is there anything else you’d like to tell our audience prior to watching you address the panel?

There is no more pressing and yet exciting time like today for you to make a positive impact in this industry.