Bethnal Green Ventures (BGV) is Europe’s leading early-stage tech for good VC.  BGV invests in ambitious teams using technology to tackle pressing social and environmental challenges, helping them launch and scale their businesses through their flagship Tech for Good programme and providing opportunities for follow-on funding and life-long support.

Bethnal Green Ventures

Longwall Ventures LLP is a venture capital firm specializing in growth capital, early stage, and start-up investments. It targets investing in science including physical science, life science, healthcare, security, media, business software, engineering, and technology companies based in United Kingdom. Longwall Ventures LLP was founded in 2011 and is based in Oxford, United Kingdom.

Longwall Venture

Social Tech Trust is a UK's leading dedicated investor of socially motivated tech. They challenge their selves and others to think differently about the relationship between tech and society. Their purpose is to transform lives with tech - The internet has revolutionised their world. They exist to ensure that the ongoing tech revolution delivers positive and equitable social impact: that when their lives are transformed by tech, they are transformed for the better. Their vision is for a world where social transformation is the driving force behind tech - Tech can open up opportunities previously out of reach, creating inspirational change. Their experience shows that when social transformation is the driving force behind tech, it has the greatest potential to improve lives. This is why they want a world where people’s needs inform and shape tech from the outset, to deliver the best return for everyone. They identify where tech has the greatest potential to transform lives, then back people and organisations to demonstrate what’s possible. Building on this knowledge, they seek out and join forces with others to create a supportive environment for those striving to realise the full promise of socially motivated tech. Their core purpose is at the heart of what they do – they transform lives with tech. Whether they are leading the conversation about transformative tech, enabling socially motivated tech ventures to grow, or directly investing in change, they work hard to achieve their vision – and deliver with pride.

Social Tech Trust

University of Bristol Enterprise Fund is a commercial organization that provides in private investors opportunities.

University of Bristol Enterprise Fund

ClearlySo is Europe’s leading impact investment bank, working exclusively with businesses and funds delivering positive social, ethical and/or environmental impact along with financial return. It supports capital raising activity through financial advisory work. Originally founded in 2008, ClearlySo has helped capital raise more than £450 million in impact investment from its extensive network of institutional and individual investors for its enterprise and impact funds clients. ClearlySo is headquartered in London and backed by Octopus Investments, Big Society Capital and more than 40 high-net-worth individuals.  ClearlySo's mission is to bring impact to investment. Our vision is of a world where the financial system is a powerful force for good and the impacts of businesses are considered in all investment decisions.

ClearlySo

Parkwalk is a London-based fund management firm.  Parkwalk invests in UK technology companies that have IP backing and freedom to operate, generally spun out of UK universities. Their funds seek to generate capital gains for their investors, enhanced by the attractive tax relief provided by EIS. Parkwalk entered this investment sector in 2009, anticipating a wave of tax-efficient incentives launched by the UK Government to stimulate innovative emerging technology companies and thereby help drive economic growth. Parkwalk utilises academic, technology transfer, venture capital and personal networks developed over many years to gain access to the highest calibre deal-flow.                                                                                                                 In 2017 Parkwalk joined forces with IP Group plc, a leading intellectual property commercialisation company that is listed on the Main Market of the London Stock Exchange under the ticker symbol IPO. As at March 2019 the combined group has net assets of £1.2bn.

Parkwalk Advisors

LettUs Grow

LettUs Grow is a team of growers, engineers, plant scientists, software developers and business experts, who all care deeply about food and the environment. Together we design and build aeroponic technology and farm management software for greenhouse and vertical farms. We believe careful innovation in farming can make the world a better place. Our technology reduces the environmental impact of agriculture and makes farmers’ lives easier. We are dedicated to making sustainable farming a sustainable business.

Based in England, LettUs Grow produces and sells aeroponic container farms (Drop &amp; Grow farms). The farms are fully automated and can be managed using the company’s farm management software (Ostara). Aside from adding new crop recipes to its Ostara software, the company can also construct custom indoor vertical farms for clients. The company stated that its aeroponics growing system improves productivity due to better irrigation, fewer pests, less need for maintenance, and less clogging nozzle-free.

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

Vertical Farming

Jack Farmer on LinkedIn: LettUs Grow and Valoya India announce partnership to bring advanced…

Based in England, LettUs Grow produces and sells aeroponic container farms (Drop &amp; Grow farms). The farms are fully automated and can be managed using the company’s farm management software (Ostara). Aside from adding new crop recipes to its Ostara software, the company can also construct custom indoor vertical farms for clients. The company stated that its aeroponics growing system improves productivity due to better irrigation, fewer pests, less need for maintenance, and less clogging nozzle-free.Key customers and partnershipsIn <a href="https://sp-edge.com/updates/6845">November 2021</a>, LettUs Grow partnered with the fintech company Contain Inc.'s vendor network and is expected to support LettUs Grow in offering its vertical farming system to an array of new farmers by providing necessary financial assistance. Via the partnership, LettUs Grow expects to scale sales of its “Drop and Grow” container farms to a wide range of consumers. The partnership follows its previous collaboration with <a href="https://sp-edge.com/updates/6126">La Serra</a>, a commercial greenhouse grower, to launch aeroponic tomato propagation trials in October 2021. In <a href="https://sp-edge.com/updates/12328">August 2022, </a>the company delivered the first Drop and Grow container farm to HM Prison Hewell, a UK-based prison, to be used as part of a prisoner rehabilitation program. In <a href="https://sp-edge.com/updates/15656">January 2023 </a>, LettUs Grow collaborated with a research team at the University of York, along with Vertically Urban, aiming to boost the research capabilities of a vertical farm in York, known as Grow it York. Recently, In <a href="https://sp-edge.com/updates/28475">April 2024</a>, The company has partnered with greenhouse equipment producer Innovative Growers Equipment (IGE) to promote ultrasonic aeroponics to greenhouse farmers across the US and Canada.Fundings and financialsIn <a href="https://sp-edge.com/updates/26362">February 2024</a>, LettUs Grow along with Fotenix, Rothamsted Research, Crop Health and Protection (CHAP), and Vertically Urban, have been awarded GBP 757,151 (~USD 954,000) in funding for a Controlled Environment Agriculture (CEA) project from the 2023 Novel Low Emission Food Production Systems competition, backed by Innovate UK and the Biotechnology and Biological Sciences Research Council (BBSRC).&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

PROMINENT_CATEGORY

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 Aeroponic container farming company, LettUs Grow, has formed a partnership with Meteor Systems, a producer and distributor of cultivation and drip irrigation systems for horticulture. The collaboration aims to use nozzle-free ultrasonic sounds to convert water into a nutrient-rich mist.
 Meteor Systems will provide its R&amp;D expertise for water culture products as part of the partnership, while LettUs Grow will bring its ultrasonic technology to the table. The companies contend that this technology is specifically designed for indoor farms and greenhouses. It hopes to create optimal growth conditions for crops with specific nutritional requirements, with the goal of maximizing productivity and growth rates, while also reducing environmental impact.
 
</div>

LettUs Grow

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