Vertical Farming Podcast

Harry Duran

1 Creator

Vertical farming is a revolutionary approach to produce production leveraging controlled environment agriculture (CEA) technology and systems in innovative ways. It facilitates production of huge quantities of nutritious and quality fresh food without relying on favorable weather, high water usage, skilled labor, and high soil fertility. This ensures reliable yield and consistency in crop production year-round with climate control, and no effects of external environment factors such as diseases, pests, or predator attacks. Join Harry Duran, Host of the Apple-recommended Podcast Junkies and Founder of FullCast, as he explores the world of controlled-environment agriculture (CEA). Tune in every week for fascinating conversations with CEOs, Founders and luminaries from the exciting and fast-growing world of Vertical Farming. If you've been interested in the world of Indoor AgTech and want to hear inspiring stories from the innovators on the frontlines of this fast-moving industry, then this most definitely the show for you! Subscribe and learn more by visiting http://verticalfarmingpodcast.com/

#15 in the Top 100 Indie nature All time chart

...more

3 Listeners

All episodes

Best episodes

Seasons

Top 10 Vertical Farming Podcast Episodes

Goodpods has curated a list of the 10 best Vertical Farming Podcast episodes, ranked by the number of listens and likes each episode have garnered from our listeners. If you are listening to Vertical Farming Podcast for the first time, there's no better place to start than with one of these standout episodes. If you are a fan of the show, vote for your favorite Vertical Farming Podcast episode by adding your comments to the episode page.

S3E38: Marc Oshima - Business as a Force for Good: Indoor Farming

Vertical Farming Podcast

07/10/21 • 52 min

Episode Summary

Join Harry Duran, host of Vertical Farming Podcast, as he welcomes to the show, co-founder and Chief Marketing Officer at AeroFarms, Marc Oshima. AeroFarms is an award-winning indoor farming company that is on a bold mission to grow the best plants possible for the betterment of humanity. Today, Harry and Marc talk about Marc’s background in marketing and how it has impacted his work at AeroFarms. Marc provides his thoughts on the concept of ‘speed breeding,’ speaks to his passion for food and expounds on the concept of utilizing business as a force for good

Episode Sponsor

CULTIVATD

Key Takeaways

02:37 – Harry welcomes to the show Marc Oshima, who discusses the impact COVID-19 has had on his business, his background in marketing and the power of telling the story behind the food
08:23 – Marc talks about the value of AeroFarms being a Certified B Corporation
11:51 – Marc explains the concept of ‘speed breeding’ and how he got involved in marketing and food
17:22 – Marc reflects on the work he did at Toys R’ Us
20:54 – Marc expounds on the vision and mission of AeroFarms and the importance of food literacy
27:30 – Marc talks about the journey of AeroFarms and potential future expansions
29:06 – Marc speaks to the experience of AeroFarms going public
32:23 – Marketing trends Marc has noticed throughout his career and the impact of social media marketing
35:43 – Where Marc sees companies get it wrong in their approach to customer relations
37:48 – Marc speaks to some of the initiatives AeroFarms prioritizes
43:49 – A tough question Marc has had to ask himself recently
46:22 – Harry thanks Marc for joining the show and let’s listeners know where they can learn more about AeroFarms and connect with Marc

Tweetable Quotes

“This idea that business can be a force for good expands beyond just the world of agriculture. This is about other verticals and we’re hoping that we can be an inspiration and a catalyst for other companies as well.” (09:04) (Marc)

“Thinking about key genetic traits plus the rapid growing process, that’s really leading to this rapid cultivation, this speed breeding. This is what we think about as the next generation of the indoor farming opportunities that we continue to unlock.” (12:15) (Marc)

“For us, what we’re doing and have been doing in the category of leafy greens is we’re creating different flavor experiences.” (20:54) (Marc)

“We’ve been very specific about how to build our brand. And I think that’s a very important part of the equation today without question. And part of that is the journey with the consumer hand-in-hand and how do we collectively get them to be our brand advocates and brand ambassadors.” (33:30) (Marc)

Links Mentioned

Sponsor Info:

🎙️🎙️🎙️

Podcast Production and Marketing by FullCast: https://bit.ly/3sxZ34y

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

1 Listener

S4E52: The Deal and PR Blueprint for Launching Successful Vertical Farm Projects with Michael Sichenzia

Vertical Farming Podcast

02/12/22 • 53 min

Episode Summary

Join Harry Duran, host of Vertical Farming Podcast, as he welcomes to the show Michael Sichenzia. Michael is the Managing Director at Go Global Advisors and today, he shares his passion for bringing food to communities and what led him to pursue work in the vertical farming industry.

Specifically, Michael speaks to the intricacies of developing container farms, everything from getting zoning approval from the local or city government to what he looks for when building a team. Michael is highly mission-focused and wants to leave a legacy of making the world a better place, or at the very least trying to. Michael touches on his involvement in the From Mary With Love project, his relationship with Freight Farms and his belief that education about the vertical farming industry comes through empowerment.

Thanks to Our Sponsors

Cultivatd

Indoor Ag-Con

Key Takeaways

03:41 – Harry welcomes to the show Michael Sichenzia who talks about his background in real estate and how he made the connection between public storage facilities and modular hydroponic space

08:46 – What Michael looks for when developing farms and when building a team

12:01 – From Mary With Love

15:09 – A budding relationship with Freight Farms

16:38 – Zoning and effectively communicating with your local government and community

19:39 – Empowerment through education

26:34 – Michael speaks to an exciting new project he’s working on in Buffalo

31:16 – Identifying the ideal investor

34:36 – Why Michael is so passionate about bringing food to the community

37:44 – Speculating on the future of vertical farming and why Marketing and PR are key

44:52 – Harry thanks Michael for joining the show and lets listeners know where they can connect with Michael

Tweetable Quotes

“Having owned and operated restaurants in my past, I saw that that was an area that I wanted to get back to. And I saw that my real estate experience would play into that because I knew how to put together deal structures. And I felt that farming, and urban farming in particular, had a tremendous opportunity with the right deal structure. And that’s how I got into it.” (05:51) (Michael)

“I looked at the hydroponics space and saw it’s really a play on storage. Public storage facilities and the way those deals are structured are ideally suited for modular, containerized, hydroponic space in an urban setting. And that was the connection for me.” (07:32) (Michael)

“Passion, sticktoitiveness, the idea that we’re gonna make this work no matter what the obstacle is, that’s very important in any entrepreneurial venture.” (13:32) (Michael)

“Attacking that and making sure that the city has a variance process, whatever that process is, get it started sooner rather than later. That issue will affect everything. The last thing that you want to do is take delivery of your farm and deploy it and not be able to grow. To me, you need to understand the zoning, communicate with the city, and really work that process effectively.” (17:45) (Michael)

“I’m a big believer in good PR and I’m a believer that you make things happen with good PR and good communications.” (22:28) (Michael)

“We have to remember that social enterprise is still an enterprise. The key word there is ‘enterprise.’ We tend to forget that. These [containers] need to be self-sustaining otherwise they will fail.” (33:37) (Michael)

“I’m not in this for the deal. I’m in this because I want to bring food to the community. And I think that there’s probably never been a better time to marry good deal structure with delivery and production of food. We need it now more than ever. It really is the time to own our own food again. I really believe that.” (34:36) (Michael)

“I’ve always tried to be a year ahead of The New York Times. My whole career has been focused on if I can be a year ahead of The New York Times, I’m gonna be doing something.” (40:51) (Michael)

“You have to self-promote. If you’re not gonna promote yourself, who is? So, you gotta get out there. You gotta talk about your things. You gotta fail. I fail all the time. There’s that saying, ‘If you want to succeed then double your failure rate.’ Well, I’ve probably quadrupled my failure rate, but that’s part of the process.” (44:20) (Michael)

Resources Mentioned

1 Listener

S5E62: Building A Future Together: From The Air Force to Pioneering Technology with Jamie Burrows

Vertical Farming Podcast

07/15/22 • 54 min

Episode Summary

Founder and CEO of Vertical Future, Jamie Burrows is a passionate leader with extensive knowledge of the indoor AgTech space. Vertical Future is the world’s leading vertical farming technology and research company, providing revolutionary products and services that enable people and nature to thrive. Today, Harry and Jamie talk about Jamie’s passion for health, life sciences, and addressing critical issues like climate change, food inequalities and population health. Jamie expounds on his leadership style, the focus and mission of Vertical Future, and key milestones he’s reached along the journey.

Thanks to Our SponsorsBio520

Indoor AgTech NYC

Key Takeaways

07:14 – Harry welcomes Founder and CEO of Vertical Future, Jamie Burrows, to discuss culture shock, his eclectic background, and his experience serving in the Air Force

14:17 – Jamie’s passion for health and life sciences and how he got involved in vertical farming

16:57 – Leadership styles and building an effective team as a first time CEO

24:45 – Key milestones of Jamie’s vertical farming journey

30:57 – The importance of developing in-house tech stack

37:31 – Jamie’s specific focus on the UK

47:19 – A tough question Jamie has had to ask himself recently and

50:53 – What keeps Jamie motivated and excited about the future

53:31 – Harry thanks Jamie for joining the show and let’s listeners know where they can follow Jamie and Vertical Future

Tweetable Quotes

“Looking back seven to ten years, I’d had a tremendous amount of exposure to what a good leader is and what a bad leader is at the Air Force Academy. I saw many examples and was mentored personally by Colonels.” (17:31) (Jamie)

“The unit economics of vertical farming demand that it’s all about space and scale. And, if you want to compete then you need big farms and you need a lot of capital.” (20:37) (Jamie)

“I think that on our side of the equation, you’ve got the growers over here and the tech providers over here. You have a lot of companies that are building street components. So it might just be lights and great lighting companies. But then you’ve got what I would call systems integrators, where they’ll piecemeal tech from different people, position it as a system of their own, and sell it.” (31:12) (Jamie)

“I think people underappreciate that, even in the UK, we still need to spend a helluva lot of money on building out vertical farming.” (40:06) (Jamie)

“From a personal standpoint, I do really believe in the fact that what we are doing is addressing very important topics and will continue to.” (51:16) (Jamie)

Resources Mentioned

Vertical Future – https://verticalfuture.com/

Jamie’s Linkedin – https://www.linkedin.com/in/jamie-burrows-12890817/?originalSubdomain=uk

Vertical Future Email – [email protected]

Sponsor Info

Cultivatd’s Website – https://cultivatd.com/

Cultivatd’s Instagram – https://www.instagram.com/cultivatdco/

Cultivatd’s Twitter – https://twitter.com/cultivatd

Cultivatd’s Facebook – https://www.facebook.com/cultivatd/

🎙️🎙️🎙️

Podcast Production and Marketing by FullCast

1 Listener

S6E77: Nadun Hennayaka / GAIA Project Australia - Creating a More Symbiotic Relationship Between Mankind & Planet Earth

Vertical Farming Podcast

12/13/22 • 54 min

Episode Summary

Nadun Hennayaka is the Founder and CEO at GAIA Project Australia, an organization with a vision to combine the most developed technologies to produce sustainable food & electricity to every human on this planet. Nadun has over twenty years of experience in engineering and technology and is well-versed in the global technology arena. Today, he and Harry discuss the current offerings of GAIA Project Australia, their recent partnership with NASA, and the ways in which Nadun is shining a light on hydroponics and vertical farming.

Thanks to Our SponsorsBio520 Key Takeaways

07:13 – Nadun Hennayaka joins the show to discuss his educational background, the unpredictable weather of Melbourne, and the origins of GAIA Project

15:32 – Nadun speaks to the eclectic projects he’s working on, from renewable energy to hydroponics

17:52 – The current offerings of GAIA Project Australia

20:26 – Partnering with NASA

25:25 – Shining a light on hydroponics and vertical farming

28:05 – The role that mentors played in Nadun’s career and how Nadun thinks about team building

33:21 – Nadun’s goal for GAIA Project Australia and Nadun’s ‘Why’

40:15 – What Nadun does to relax and unwind

41:43 – A tough question Nadun has had to ask himself recently, something he’s changed his mind about recently, and what he’s most looking forward to

48:36 – A specific ask Nadun has for his peers and colleagues in this space

49:29 – Harry thanks Nadun for joining the show and lets listeners know where they can go to connect with her and learn more about GAIA Project Australia

Tweetable Quotes

“Happiness is a byproduct of service. So, doing something for the betterment of mankind truly was something I wanted to do.” (12:15) (Nadun)

“As you know, hydroponics is not a fix for everything in the food sector. We can fix approximately fifteen to twenty percent of the food sector, maximum. But, if you can fix twenty percent, you only have eighty percent to fix. So the problem is lesser.” (25:10) (Nadun)

“My original plan, two years ago, was truly to build a full turnkey supply, to go from everything from the channels, to the Hvac, to the automation. What I have learned is you don’t have to reinvent the wheel. There’s someone who’s already invented certain components and are really great at it. And, if you have something great, why don’t we just collaborate with each other’s companies and come up with a single solution?” (33:36) (Nadun)

“I’m glad I have chosen a path that I think there’s a potential for it [GAIA Project] to be something really great that can truly change or help mankind. For me, I want to make sure the world is a better place because I was here.” (39:38) (Nadun)

Resources Mentioned

Nadun’s LinkedIn – https://www.linkedin.com/in/nadunhennayaka/?originalSubdomain=au

GAIA Project Australia – https://gaiaprojectaustralia.com.au/

GAIA Project Australia Instagram – https://www.instagram.com/gaiaprojectaustralia/

GAIA Project Australia Facebook – https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100077527422613

GAIA Project Australia LinkedIn – https://www.linkedin.com/company/gaia-project-australia/

Connect With Us

VFP LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/company/verticalfarmingpodcast

VFP Twitter - https://twitter.com/VerticalFarmPod

VFP Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/direct/inbox/

VFP Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/VerticalFarmPod

Subscribe to our newsletters!

AgTech Digest - https://agtechdigest.com

The Indoor Farmer - https://www.indoorverticalfarm.co...

S7E81: Tim Hade / Scale Microgrid’s - Tackling Climate, Energy, & Hunger Through Vertical Farming

Vertical Farming Podcast

01/20/23 • 66 min

Episode Summary

Tim Hade is Co-founder and COO of Scale Microgrids, an organization that builds and invests in the world’s most cutting-edge microgrid solutions. Today, Harry and Tim discuss the importance of making our energy infrastructure cleaner, more affordable, and more resilient. Tim speaks to the vulnerability of our power grids, the concept of decentralization, and the actions we must take to address the biggest problem facing humanity: climate change.

Thanks to Our SponsorsBio520 Key Takeaways

07:13 – Tim Hade joins the show to recall his time serving in Air Force and his passion for solving the biggest problem humanity has ever faced: climate

15:09 – The vulnerability of our power grids

19:23 – Decentralization and Tim’s career in the energy industry

25:16 – Challenges to overcome as a first-time founder and the impact Elon Musk has had on climate

32:29 – Microgrids, explained and the work Tim and his team are doing at Scale Microgrids

35:35 – How Tim got involved in vertical farming and the story behind collaborating with Fifth Season

45:02 – What vertical farmers should consider when it comes to energy usage

49:24 – Lithium-ion batteries and other innovations that are exciting to Tim

52:58 – The tribal lands initiative and the genesis of the capital solutions business

1:00:50 – Future opportunities for Scale Microgrids

1:03:14 – A specific ask Tim has for his colleagues in the energy and vertical farming industries

1:04:12 – Harry thanks Tim for joining the show and lets listeners know where they can go to connect with him and learn more about Scale Microgrids

Tweetable Quotes

“Being in the military is what also got me very inspired to work on climate. It’s one of the things we don’t talk about a lot, but for the last twenty-five or thirty years, the Department of Defense has looked at climate change as the number one national security threat over time.” (10:40) (Tim)

“We want to be a little piece of this global effort to try to solve the biggest problem humanity has ever faced, which is climate.” (14:55) (Tim)

“If you’re going to build decentralized electric generation, solar and storage weren’t really at the maturity point from a technology standpoint that they needed to be at in order to do it in an economically viable way.” (22:50) (Tim)

“The reality is that Elon Musk is the most important climate-tech founder of all-time. Tesla is the most important clean-tech company that’s ever come.” (29:56) (Tim)

“You think about how people have always received electricity and it’s been from the grid. So, there’s a powerplant a few hundred miles away that generates electricity which comes through the wires and that’s what you use. And a microgrid is really taking that electricity generation and making it locally.” (32:52) (Tim)

“I think vertical farming represents at least a partial solution to that problem. If we can figure out how to sustainably grow crops in a controlled environment, we don’t have to have a population that starves.” (38:39) (Tim)

“If you’re gonna build a vertical farming system, energy needs to be a core competency of what you do.” (45:26) (Tim)

Resources Mentioned

Tim’s LinkedIn – https://www.linkedin.com/in/timothyhade/

Tim’s Twitter – https://twitter.com/timothyhade

Scale Microgrids – https://www.scalemicrogrids.com/

Scale Microgrids Twitter – https://twitter.com/ScaleMicrogrids

Books Mentioned:

Lights Out – https://www.amazon.com/Lights-Out-Cyberattack-Unprepared-Surviving/dp/0553419986

Connect With Us

VFP LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/company/verticalfarmingpodcast

VFP Twitter - https://twitter.com/VerticalFarmPod

VFP Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/direct/inbox/

VFP Facebook - https://w...

S7E87: Emiliano Gutiérrez / Raiz Farms - Creating a Decentralized Food System & Exploring Blockchain Technology

Vertical Farming Podcast

03/03/23 • 52 min

Episode Summary

In this podcast, Emiliano Gutierrez shares his entrepreneurial journey of creating a sustainable food system through vertical farming. He discusses his vision for using technology, such as solar energy, LEDs, blockchain, and NFTs, to transform the way we think about growing food. Gutierrez shares his personal experiences of building a business from the ground up and the challenges and opportunities that come with it. He also talks about his plans for leveraging blockchain and other technologies to power a decentralized food system. This podcast is a must-listen for anyone interested in startups, agriculture, or global solutions and who wants to become an agent of change for a better planet.

Thanks to Our SponsorsBio520 Key Takeaways

Learn how Emiliano’s diverse background and experience inspired him to innovate and create an impact in the food industry
Find out how his entrepreneurial journey led him to create a vertical farming business with a hybrid energy model using LED lights and natural lights
Discover how Raiz Farms is leveraging technology, including blockchain and NFTs, to create a decentralized and traceable food system
Hear about their innovative modular 3D printed farm wall made of biomaterials, intended for local communities, co-working spaces, and regenerative villages
Learn about Raiz’s mission to provide sustainable bamboo housing in Myanmar and a co-working space in Lisbon that grows crops for communities
Find out how Emiliano is constantly challenging himself and his team to ask tough questions about their purpose and impact, and how you can connect with him and his team to learn more.

Tweetable Quotes

“I felt I had the right expertise or at least the right perspective to be able to tackle it in a different manner and actually make something worthwhile that could be made different and take it to market effectively.”

“I think people are constantly looking to give to solid causes and to have animpact. So it's been, I would say, not easy, but easier to bring on boardtalented people to join the mission, because it's something that peoplebelieve in.”

“We went on the hunt, researching for lights that were able to be dimmableand that could be dynamically adapted and adjusted to the intensity of thesolar light on any given day. And then also installed our own little microgrid. So we have ten solar panels installed that can feed almost all of ourenergy needs.”

Resources Mentioned

Emiliano's Website - www.raiz.farm

Emiliano's Linkedin - https://www.linkedin.com/in/emgtzj18/

Emiliano's Twitter - https://twitter.com/RaizFarms

Emiliano's Email - [email protected]

Raiz Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/raizverticalfarm/

Raiz Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/raizverticalfarms

Raiz Linkedin - https://www.linkedin.com/company/raiz-vertical-farms/

Raiz Twitter - https://twitter.com/RaizFarms

Connect With Us

VFP LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/company/verticalfarmingpodcast

VFP Twitter - https://twitter.com/VerticalFarmPod

VFP Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/direct/inbox/

VFP Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/VerticalFarmPod

Subscribe to our newsletters!

AgTech Digest - https://agtechdigest.com

The Indoor Farmer - https://www.indoorv...

S7E80: Dr. Isaac Berzin / Vaxa Life’s - The Complexity of Algae & A Quest for Sustainability

Vertical Farming Podcast

01/13/23 • 47 min

Episode Summary

Dr. Isaac Berzin is the Founder and CTO at Vaxa Life, an organization that is developing sustainable algae-based feed and food ingredients. He was named one the 100 most influential people in politics, business, and science in 2008 by the Time Magazine for his work in sustainability and climate change. Today, Harry and Dr. Isaac discuss the biology of algae and its role in the food chain, his experience working with supplements at Qualitas Health, and the work he is doing at Vaxa Life to create alternative foods rich in vitamins, minerals and proteins.

Thanks to Our SponsorsBio520 Key Takeaways

07:07 – Dr. Isaac Berzin joins the show to discuss his passion for sustainability, what brought him to Iceland and what he learned from his time at Qualitas Health

15:19 – The origins of Vaxa Life

19:55 – Unforeseen roadblocks and challenges faced along Dr. Isaac’s journey

21:48 – The different strains of algae

25:35 – Vaxa Life’s current product offering and their ideal customer

30:01 – Dr. Isaac talks about Örlö, the world's most sustainable Omega-3 supplement

32:55 – The similarities between Iceland and Israel

37:04 – Future opportunities for Vaxa Life

40:13 – A tough question Dr. Isaac has had to ask himself recently

41:14 – Dr. Isaac’s experience as an adjunct professor at Reykjavik University and what keeps him motivated

44:48 – Harry thanks Isaac for joining the show and lets listeners know where they can go to connect with him and learn more about Vaxa Life

Tweetable Quotes

“One of the challenges of agriculture is inconsistent quality, especially with a crop that you harvest every day.” (11:30) (Dr. Isaac)

“Remember how we started this journey. It’s a quest for sustainability and it’s a quest for superior user experience.” (15:43) (Dr. Isaac)

“There are hundreds of strains in the nature of microalgae. Out of these, there are a handful of strains that are approved for human consumption.” (22:38) (Dr. Isaac)

“Vaxa is a technology company that creates alternative foods rich in vitamins, minerals and proteins. We use algae as a vehicle, but we are not an algae company. And we do it in a sustainable way.” (25:45) (Dr. Isaac)

“I have to tell you, the more time I spend with algae, the more I appreciate the complexity. And I understand why they are the baseline of the food chain because they are so versatile and so adaptable. It’s pretty fascinating.” (39:22) (Dr. Isaac)

Resources Mentioned

Isaac’s LinkedIn – https://www.linkedin.com/in/isaac-berzin-17386428/

Vaxa Life – https://www.vaxa.life/

Qualitas Health – https://iwilife.com/

Visit Reykjavik, Iceland – https://visitreykjavik.is/

Connect With Us

VFP LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/company/verticalfarmingpodcast

VFP Twitter - https://twitter.com/VerticalFarmPod

VFP Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/direct/inbox/

VFP Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/VerticalFarmPod

Subscribe to our newsletters!

AgTech Digest - https://agtechdigest.com

The Indoor Farmer - https://www.indoorverticalfarm.com/

Horti-Gen Insights - https://www.hortigeninsights.com/

Sponsor Links

Cultivatd’s Website – https://cultivatd.com/

Cultivatd’s Instagram – https://www.instagram.com/cultivatdco/

Cultivatd’s Twitter – https://twitter.com/cultivatd

Cultivatd’s Facebook –

S7E90: Alexander Kappes / Greener Crop - From Groupon to Green Thumbs: Planting the Seeds of Vertical Farming in Dubai

Vertical Farming Podcast

03/24/23 • 55 min

Episode Summary

Join us as we explore the exciting world of vertical farming with Alexander Kappes, the CEO of Greener Crop. He shares his passion for CEA and explains how Greener Crop provides comprehensive farm management solutions for clients. Alexander discusses the potential for hydroponic farming to address food security issues and his vision for Greener Crop to lead the charge in this growing industry. He also talks about the challenges and opportunities within the industry, the focus on resilient crops, and the need for education and reliable data to shape the industry's reputation, particularly in the Middle East, where Dubai is an ideal location for vertical farming.

Thanks to Our SponsorsBio520 Key Takeaways

Uncover the potential of hydroponic farming in the Middle East and its advantages
Learn about Alexander’s experience at Groupon the origin story of Greener Crop
Explore the market opportunities in the region and why it is ideal for vertical farming
The challenges of securing offtake agreements and the educational pieces needed to generate interest in the industry
How Greener Crop is leading the charge in the vertical farming industry with their comprehensive approach

Tweetable Quotes

“I think Dubai is a great place to call home. There's a high degree of safety. It's phenomenal infrastructure. There's a lot of business opportunities. The weather is always sunny and blue skies now. Dubai has this incredible mentality and this incredible attitude.”

“I think everyone realized how vulnerable these countries are. And so there was an immediate shift in government prioritization in public policy and subsidies that were being granted. There was a very quick shift in the regulations where they, for the first time, allowed foreigners to own farming businesses. Previously, that wasn't possible.”

“My focus has been on growing crops that are as resilient as possible, both from a growing condition point of view, but also from a market dynamic point of view. And so we grow almost exclusively in all of our greenhouses tomatoes, bell peppers, chilies. And we found that that strategy works really well. Those are among the most consumed crops. And the way we build our business plans, the way we build our visibility studies, the way we build our forecasts, is by projecting that we're going to achieve average yields with these, and we're going to sell them into wholesale.”

“I think we just need to as an industry get to a point where we are a bit more conservative with our projections, where we're a bit more transparent about the things that we don't know. My feeling is that with the VC money that had come into the industry over the last two years, people started behaving like tech entrepreneurs.”

Resources Mentioned

Alexander's Website - https://www.greenercrop.com

Alexander's Linkedin - https://www.linkedin.com/in/alexander-m-kappes/

Alexander's Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/greenercrop/

Alexander's Youtube - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2iedFBrqqK4&t=1s&ab_channel=GreenerCrop

Alexander's Email - [email protected]

Connect With Us

VFP LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/company/verticalfarmingpodcast

VFP Twitter - https://twitter.com/VerticalFarmPod

VFP Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/direct/inbox/

VFP Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/VerticalFarmPod

Subscribe to our newsletters!

AgTech Digest - https://agtechdigest.com

The Indoor Farmer - https://www.indoorverticalfarm.com/

Horti-Gen Insights - https://www.hortigeninsights.com/

S8E92: Sonia Lo / Unfold - Understanding the Role of Genetics in Improving Taste & Yield and Leading with Integrity and Focus

Vertical Farming Podcast

04/14/23 • 55 min

Episode Summary

We kick off Season 8 of the podcast, with Sonia Lo, the CEO of Unfold AG and a prominent figure in the vertical farming industry. She shares her insights on the latest developments in indoor farming, including the role of genetics in improving crop yield and taste. We also discuss the importance of profitability for the industry's scalability and the potential of next-generation agriculture. Sonia’s background in law, management consulting, investment banking provides a unique perspective on entrepreneurship and investment in the agriculture industry. Listeners will be inspired by her passion for delicious food and diversity in the investment process. Tune in for a fascinating discussion about the future of agriculture and entrepreneurship in the 21st century.

Thanks to Our SponsorsBio520 Key Takeaways

Discover the latest developments in indoor farming and how it's becoming a viable part of agricultural infrastructure.
Find out why genetics are going to play an incredibly important role in indoor farming and how it will make it more attractive to consumers.
Explore how Unfold is using molecular information about plants to improve crop yields and taste through computational breeding.
Understand the importance of profitability for the vertical farming industry to scale and become a viable part of agricultural infrastructure.
Understand how venture funds are starting to embrace diversity and why emotion and bias still exist in the investment process.
Discover Sonia Lo's passion for food, including Korean cuisine and her love for pupusas.
Learn how Sonia martial arts background instilled discipline and physical and mental awareness that stayed with her for life.
Gain insight into how Sonia Lo's extensive background in law, management consulting, and investment banking has prepared her to lead Unfold and to help shape the future of the vertical farming industry.

Tweetable Quotes

“I’ve always believed that the genetics piece of indoor growing is going to be transformative. I think that not just for yield, which of course is the big target, but also for taste and texture.”

“Irrespective of what type of form factor you're growing in, irrespective of where you are in terms of your distance to urbanization, I think that genetics will play an incredibly important role.”

“I think we have a brilliant future as long as we act with integrity and focus on the delicious.”

Resources Mentioned

Sonia's Linkedin - https://www.linkedin.com/in/sonia-lo-27527a/

Sonia's Website - https://unfold.ag/

Sonia's Twitter - https://twitter.com/unfold_ag

Sonia's Youtube - https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCAiDfy7j9WFmsIT39zWQU6Q

Sonia's Email - [email protected]

Connect With Us

VFP LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/company/verticalfarmingpodcast

VFP Twitter - https://twitter.com/VerticalFarmPod

VFP Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/direct/inbox/

VFP Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/VerticalFarmPod

Subscribe to our newsletters!

AgTech Digest - https://agtechdigest.com

The Indoor Farmer - https://www.indoorverticalfarm.com/

Horti-Gen Insights - https://www.hortigeninsights.com/

Sponsor Links

Cultivatd’s Website – https://cultivatd.com/

Cultivatd’s Instagram – https://www.instagram.com/cultivatdco/

Cultivatd’s Twitter – https://twitter.c...

S7E88: Jaz Singh / Innovation Agritech Group - Revolutionizing Farming with Technology

Vertical Farming Podcast

03/10/23 • 46 min

Episode Summary

Join us as we explore the world of vertical farming with Jaz Singh, the founder and CEO of Innovation Agritech Group. In this podcast, Jaz discusses how his exposure to the farming industry in India and his family's generational farming background led him to explore innovative solutions for food security. You will learn about the challenges facing the agriculture industry, including energy costs, and how IAG is working towards reducing them. Singh also shares how IAG's modular and scalable solutions are enabling growers and users to quickly turn a profit while improving sustainability and disrupting the industry. This podcast is a must-listen for anyone interested in the intersection of technology and farming, and the future of food production.

Thanks to Our SponsorsBio520 Key Takeaways

Discover how IAG is revolutionizing traditional farming methods with the help of technology
Learn about the increasing importance of food security and how governments and organizations are partnering with vertical farming companies
Find out about IAG's certifications and how it provides consumers with confidence in the audit trail and traceability
Explore the challenges IAG faces in terms of energy cost and how they are working with renewable energy partners
Discover how IAG is helping their growers and users of their technology become profitable
Understand how the talent pool for the vertical farming industry is widening and how young farmers are disrupting traditional farming

Tweetable Quotes

“The key for us is that any user of our technology is making profit efficiently and utilizing their energy lower than what they should be doing and really achieving those sort of targets and what renewables can plug in.”

“The talent pool is definitely widening up, which is great. New blood within the industry is very, very good. You're seeing a lot of young farmers that are coming into the industry, people that don't want to do things traditionally, definitely seeing the way that AgTech and vertical farming is shaking up and disrupting the industry.”