SOSV is a global, deep tech venture capital firm that operates the HAX and IndieBio startup development programs focused on human and planetary health. SOSV invests $500,000 in startups at their inception as they onboard either HAX or IndieBio for a 4-6 month period designed to accelerate the raise of their next institutional round. SOSV joins the later rounds of HAX and IndieBio graduates.  HAX, based in a 35,000 sq ft facility in Newark, NJ, is equipped with machine tools, 3D printers, chemical, electrical and mechanical engineering labs, as well as on-staff engineering and design experts. SOSV's IndieBio has locations in NYC and San Francisco, both of which offer extensive services and facilities to founders including on-site BSL-2 labs, well equipped lab benches and hoods, and advanced lab equipment, such as chromatography equipment.

SOSV

URBAN-X is the platform for startups reimagining city life. Built by MINI, we partner with founders to build bold technology solutions for a sustainable planet. URBAN-X provides world-class engineering and design resources, investment capital through our venture partner JVP, a global network of investors, and premier educational content.

URBAN-X

She1K is a first global private corporate executive women network and collective angel fund.

She1K

We are in a moment in history where entrepreneurs have disproportionate influence on everything from the social problems they work on to what they consume, practice, believe, and desire. As Jack Dorsey, founder of Twitter and Square, recently declared on the cover of Forbes, ''the most efficient means to spread an idea today is corporate structure.'' Moreover, according to the Kauffman Foundation, 54% of millennials have started an organization or have the desire to start one. Given all of this, we believe the future of our world depends largely on the ventures the next generation creates.   To create an institution for this context, we've created Praxis as a venture group, structured as a non-profit, that focuses on equipping and resourcing a growing portfolio of faith-motivated entrepreneurs who have committed their lives to cultural and social impact, renewing the spirit of their age one organization at a time. Praxis was conceived in 2010 by Dave Blanchard, then a Principal Designer at IDEO and Josh Kwan, the Director of International Giving for the David Weekley Family Foundation, and developed in collaboration with Q, a learning community that mobilizes Christians to advance the common good in society.  Each year, Praxis welcomes 12 businesses and 12 nonprofits into their two Accelerator programs, where they provide the top-decision makers in these organizations with the knowledge, network, and personal discipleship necessary to build sustainable, high-impact organizations. In summer of 2014, they'll also launch Praxis Academy, a summer program focused on training Christ-following undergraduates at the intersection of faith, startups, and culture. Academy graduates will have a chance to apply for their Future Founders program, where they'll have an unique opportunity to do a summer apprenticeship with their Accelerator alumni.

Praxis

1st Course Capital invests in exceptional entrepreneurs who are transforming our food system.

1st Course Capital

Farmshelf

Farmshelf provides an automated indoor farm solution. Its bookcase-sized farms are small enough to fit into a home or restaurant and powerful enough to provide pounds of fresh produce every week. The company brings the outdoors inside and grows food three times faster than conventional farming, using 90 percent less water.

Based in New York, Farmshelf produces and sells plug-and-play hydroponic vertical farming systems and related control software that can grow lettuce, leafy greens, herbs, and edible flowers for F&amp;B companies and personal use. The Farmshelf unit is a compact solution with a height of 6.1 ft and width of 3.3 ft that has integrated LED lighting, IoT sensors, and cameras to monitor and automatically control variables such as pH, nutrients, and temperature.&nbsp;

Bringing fresh produce closer to consumers with efficient, advanced technology.

Vertical Farming

UVI Research and Technology Park Inc. (RTPark) Announces First Catalyst Fund Loan; Will Bring AgTech Company Farmshelf Labs to Territory

Based in New York, Farmshelf produces and sells plug-and-play hydroponic vertical farming systems and related control software that can grow lettuce, leafy greens, herbs, and edible flowers for F&amp;B companies and personal use. The Farmshelf unit is a compact solution with a height of 6.1 ft and width of 3.3 ft that has integrated LED lighting, IoT sensors, and cameras to monitor and automatically control variables such as pH, nutrients, and temperature.&nbsp;The company claims that its solution can grow crops 2-3x faster than traditional farming, taking 4 weeks to grow crops from seed to maturity. Its Farmshelf Business solution can produce 3-4 lbs of crops weekly, while you can expect 8 heads of lettuce, 8 bunches of greens, and 8 bundles of herbs weekly from its Farmshelf home solution. Farmshelf can be pre-ordered for a price of USD 3,950 and also offers access to its control software, unlimited supply of seed pods and nutrients for USD 67/month. As of 2019, over 250 Farmshelf units have been sold to businesses across the US and it has partnered with popular hotels and companies including Hilton, Marriott, and Unilever and with celebrity chefs such Marco Samuelsson and Jose Andres.Key customers and partners<a href="https://sp-edge.com/updates/8768">In February 2022, </a>Farmshelf partnered with Compass Group to supply its Farmshelf units to the latter’s foodservice locations across the UK, where it would be used to serve customers including schools, businesses, healthcare facilities, and event venues.Funding and financialsFarmshelf’s last funding round was a USD 2.3 million convertible note from SOSV and URBAN-X in January 2021&nbsp;

Based in Germany, Agrilution produces and sells small container farms (known as Plantcubes) that can be placed inside kitchens. Its growing system is suitable to grow lettuce, microgreens, and herbs. The farm can be controlled via a mobile phone.

Agrilution

Based in Belgium, Urban Crop Solutions produces growing systems inside shipping containers (called PlantFactories). The company also builds custom farms inside buildings (e.g. warehouse, basement). The company's modular " PlantFactories " are deemed ideal for highly urbanized areas, since they take up little space and can be stacked. As of March 2020, it had 28 projects in operation with its main customers located across Europe and in the US.The company launched an e-shop in February 2023 to better support existing and new customers in the day-to-day and long-term operation of their indoor farming businesses.&nbsp; The e-shop offers from seeds and substrates to sensors and container parts.Key customers and partnershipsIn September 2023, UCS has partnered with <a href="https://www.verticalfarmdaily.com/article/9560840/collaboration-succeeds-in-growing-saline-plants-using-saltwater-sources/">Aixponic</a>, a German aquaponic technology company to cultivate saltwater plants using UCS' indoor farming technology. In April 2023, the company also partnered with <a href="https://sp-edge.com/updates/17741">AlfaTech</a>, an engineering consulting firm, in appointing as the integration and service partner for UCS’s products in the Southeast Asian region.In <a href="https://sp-edge.com/updates/11633">July 2022</a>, The company has has secured an agreement for the sale of its first “ModuleX Plant Factory” to Saudi Arabia. This project comes with several phases and the UCS expects to develop this project into a long-term commercial partnership with the Government of Saudi Arabia.Previously, In <a href="https://sp-edge.com/updates/8950">March 2022</a>, Urban Crop Solutions has partnered with Tiamat Sciences, a biotech startup developing non-animal-based proteins to use the UCS’s vertical farming systems for R&amp;D and to grow animal-free protein vertically.

Urban Crop Solutions

<div>
 
 Based in Massachusetts, Crop One Holdings operates hydroponics-based vertical farming that produces herbicide and pesticide-free leafy greens. As of December 2021, the company operates a facility in Millis, Massachusetts, and serves more than 30 stores in the US through its subsidiary—FreshBox Farms, producing greens such as spinach, kale, and romaine as well as a spicy mix, spring mix, and a power blend.   
 
 
 The company claims to have a longer commercial production history than any other vertical farmer in North America. It further claims that its proprietary technology and plant science help generate among the highest crop yields in the industry, up to 20%–60%, and at 25% to 50% of the capital cost of other vertical farming companies. It is also able to produce output that uses 99% less water compared to outdoor fields.
 
 
 The company states that scaling its production is the most challenging aspect and has now begun expanding its operations seven years after commencement. As part of their expansion plans, the company announced a Joint Venture with Emirates Flight Catering in June 2018, and 
 <a href="https://sp-edge.com/updates/7493">
 in December 2021,
 </a>
 the two companies announced plans to build a 130,000 sq ft farm in Dubai, reportedly the largest vertical farming facility in the world. Crop One also plans to build a new facility every year for the next five years. The Dubai facility is expected to produce about 6,000 pounds of leafy greens per day, which will also serve Emirates’ customers, including 105 airlines and 25 lounges. In July 2022, the company announced the opening of its second farm, “Emirates Crop One” (ECO 1), a 330,000+ sq ft facility that is expected to produce up to 2 million pounds of leafy greens per year.  
 
 
 In 
 <a href="https://sp-edge.com/updates/15395">
 December 2022
 </a>
 , Crop One and Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory received a USD 1.5 million grant from the Foundation for Food & Agriculture Research (FFAR) to develop aquatic plants of the Lemnaceae (Lemna) family to provide high-quality protein for human consumption.
 
</div>

Crop One Holdings

<div>
 
 Agricool, a French startup, operates vertical farms in containers using an aeroponic growing system. The company sells its leafy greens, herbs, and strawberries to grocery stores. It currently operates container farms (which it calls “cooltainers”) in Paris and Dubai. By 2021, it plans to operate around 100 farms. The light-emitting diode (LED) lighting used in its containers are powered by 100% renewable energy. The company claims that its locally grown strawberries contain 30% more vitamin C than supermarket strawberries. 
 
 
 
</div>

Agricool

Berlin-based Infarm is a startup that produces herbs and green leaves such as basil, pak choi, coriander, and thyme via a hydroponic vertical farming system. It also produces modular growing systems for grocery retailers, restaurants, schools, and shopping malls in a farming-as-a-service model that sets it apart from competitors. Infarm handles the installation, cultivation, harvesting, and maintenance of its modular farms.&nbsp;&nbsp;The company's cloud-based platform “Growing Centres” is designed to be scalable and can add more modules provided there are no space constraints. Each module can produce 500,000 plants per year using 430 sq ft of space. The farms are monitored and controlled by Infarm’s central control center. As of December 2021, Infarm revealed it was conducting R&amp;D to expand its portfolio with 40 new crops in 2022 including mushrooms, cherry tomatoes, peas, and strawberries, while increasing its presence to 100 growing centers across 20 countries by harvesting a variety of fruits and vegetables by 2030.&nbsp;<a href="https://sp-edge.com/updates/14648">In November 2022</a>, the company announced that it has successfully grown wheat at its indoor farms without the use of soil, chemicals and pesticides, projecting yields of up to 11.7 kg per square meter per year based on initial results.Infarm strengthened its US presence in February 2022, with plans to open a new <a href="https://sp-edge.com/updates/8415">73,000 sq ft vertical farm</a> in Kyle, Texas with a capacity to produce 2.2 million pounds of salad per year. In June 2022, Infarm said that it would be building a 200,000 sq ft Growing Center in Maryland, its third and reportedly largest farm in its network. In Europe, the company began constructing a 10,000 sq meter (~107,000+ sq ft) vertical farming facility in Bedford in August 2021, which may be one of the largest vertical farming facilities in Europe, with the ability to produce up to 18 million plants per year at full capacity (equivalent to 360,000 sqm of farmland). The facility was opened in June 2022. Infarm also revealed plans to open its first growing center in Qatar in 2023, with a focus on fruits such as strawberries, alongside leafy greens, herbs, and salads (December 2021).In October 2023, Infarm’s <a href="https://sp-edge.com/updates/22462">UK branch</a> entered administration under the laws of England and Wales and the Insolvency Rules following the bankruptcy of its <a href="https://sp-edge.com/updates/22225">Dutch</a> branch in September 2023. Previously in April 2023, the company <a href="https://sp-edge.com/updates/17740">closed its facilities</a> in Frankfurt and Copenhagen due to escalating energy prices, inflation, supply chain disruptions, rising material costs, and tough financial markets.Key customers and partnershipsInfarm expanded in Canada, via its partnership with Sobeys (Canada’s second-largest food retailer), to construct four production facilities in Calgary, Halifax, Winnipeg, and Hamilton by 2023, to supply to over 1,000 Canadian grocery stores (July 2021). It aims to operate a capacity of 3 million sq ft in Canada by 2025. The company also has partnered with the virtual supermarket <a href="https://sp-edge.com/sectors/sustainability/updates/6154">Rohlik.cz </a>to offer its greens in the Czech Republic, marking its foray into the Eastern European market. Infarm also partnered with Swedish multinational ready-to-assemble furniture company IKEA <a href="https://sp-edge.com/updates/11069">in June 2022</a> to supply modular vertical farming solutions to grow herbs at three IKEA stores.&nbsp; Infarm expanded its presence to the Netherlands, where it announced an exclusive supply partnership with online retailer Crisp (<a href="https://sp-edge.com/updates/7874">January 2022</a>). As of February 2022, the company had partnered with over 30 retailers across North America, Europe, the UK, and Japan including Kroger, Whole Foods, Amazon Fresh, and <a href="https://sp-edge.com/updates/8769">Coop Danmark</a>, supplying its fresh produce to over 2,850 stores. It also plans to enter new markets in Asia-Pacific and the Middle East.&nbsp;&nbsp;Funding and financialsIn June 2021, it was reported that it was in talks with <a href="https://sp-edge.com/sectors/sustainability/updates/1022">Kernal Group</a> to go public via the special purpose acquisition company (SPAC) route. The possible transaction was likely to value the combined company at over USD 1 billion.&nbsp; Infarm raised USD 200 million in <a href="https://sp-edge.com/sectors/sustainability/updates/7389">Series D funding</a> in December 2021. The round has brought the company’s total funding to around USD 605 million at a valuation of more than USD 1 billion. The fresh funds were to be used for Infarm’s global growth strategy.

Infarm

A soilless growing method that combines aquaculture with hydroponics. A crop's roots are placed directly in containers of nutrient-enriched water connected to fish farming tanks, allowing crops to absorb a continuous supply of nutrients from the waste produced by the fish.

A soilless growing method that places crops' roots directly in containers filled with nutrient-enriched water.

A soilless growing method that suspends crops in the air with a sprinkler or misting system used to spray the exposed roots with a nutrient-rich solution.

Startups that produce and sell modular growing systems that can be placed within containers (e.g. small containers, shipping containers) and buildings or rooms. The containers can be located in a variety of places, such as retail stores, parking lots, and kitchens.

Urban indoor farming maximizes land use by providing controlled environments for efficient crop production

Certain vertical farming systems use IoT and related sensor technologies

Techniques enable better land use management

Farmshelf

About EDGE

Contact Us

Resources

Area of Focus

Technology Research Made Effortless