![]() ![]() ![]() Traditional HID lights would burn plants if they were as close as they are in these systems. LED lighting has contributed to the viability of this practice as well. This cultivation style uses multiple tiers of growing racks to greatly increase the available square footage for production. Whether the produce is grown in repurposed shipping containers, as with PodPonics, or in urban warehouses, like with FarmedHere, one thing that most of these operations have in common is the use of vertical farming practices. While traditional non-greenhouse methods of indoor cultivation used energy sucking HID lights and necessitated complex HVAC systems, the rise of LED grow lighting has enabled a new generation of significantly more energy efficient indoor farms to emerge. Their research has revealed a number of peptides which target the metabolic pathways of pests and through a patented process Vestaron has advanced three separate products into the late-stage development phase. Based upon their research into peptides found in spider venom, Vestaron has been working to develop environmentally benign insecticides. This provides a natural way for farmers to disrupt the type of outbreaks which would have traditionally required harmful non-targeted pesticides.Īn equally innovative, yet different, approach to control of agricultural pests is being taken by Michigan-based Vestaron. Oxitec’s genetic technology revolves around the insertion of a lethality gene into the target species which will cause all offspring of an Oxitec male and wild female to die early in the lifecycle. Oxitec uses advanced genetics to breed insects which insert a kind of “time-bomb” into the genetic pool of a pest insect population. ![]() At the forefront of the nascent biologic pest control movement is Oxitec. Sustainable animal feed and organic plant fertilizers are just two of the valuable products that Nutrinsic manufactures from these upcycled nutrients.Ī number of companies are also working to develop more environmentally friendly alternatives to traditional pesticides. While the installer of the system will lower their wastewater disposal costs and GHG emissions, Nutrinsic is also able to convert these minerals into protein using an aerobic process for use in a number of products. Nutrinsic works with food and beverage processors, from palm oil producers to brewers, to help recover nutrients from their wastewater streams using its own proprietary technology. There are additional beneficial products created through this bioconversion process including nutrient rich compost. In fact a company called Exo, which makes nutrition filled protein bars using cricket flour, received funding this quarter. This process is significantly more efficient and requires far fewer resources compared to raising cattle or other livestock while providing the same nutritional benefit. ![]() Their system uses pre-consumer food waste to feed insects which are then harvested for their protein. Prota Culture has developed a novel bioconversion process to convert organic waste into nutritional products using insects. These market segments may not have received the most attention from VCs this quarter, but I think they are ahead of the curve and showcase technologies which are tackling big problems and chasing very large opportunities. Three separate and relatively new trends which stood out to me this quarter were: nutrient upcycling, environmentally friendly field treatments and energy efficient indoor cultivation systems. Moreover, this blog posts demonstrates the continued high level of innovation taking place in the agriculture and food space. As we prepare the upcoming Agriculture & Food Quarterly Innovation Monitor, I wanted to provide highlights of the companies which received funding this past quarter. Agriculture & Food, Cleantech & IT, Cleantech Insights | 30 October 2014 Third Quarter Agriculture Innovation Highlights & TrendsĪ number of innovative business models have received venture funding this past quarter. ![]()
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