BONUS - Season 10 Recap & Season 11 Preview!

[00:00:00] [SPEAKER_01]: Special thanks to our Season 10 title sponsor, Bio 520. In a world where industrial methods have taken a toll on plant health,

[00:00:06] [SPEAKER_01]: Bio 520 is a beacon of hope. Drawing from ancient agricultural wisdom and modern biophysics,

[00:00:12] [SPEAKER_01]: this all-natural additive is a powerhouse of essential minerals sourced from Japan's rich mountain ranges.

[00:00:17] [SPEAKER_01]: It's more than a nutrient, it's a lifeline to your plants. Bio 520 is incredibly easy to use.

[00:00:22] [SPEAKER_01]: Just add it to your existing irrigation system and watch the magic happen. The results? A chemical-free shorter growth cycle, robust plants,

[00:00:30] [SPEAKER_01]: and significantly reduced water usage. Bio 520 doesn't just boost growth, it builds resilience.

[00:00:35] [SPEAKER_01]: Plants become more resistant to pests and diseases, ensuring healthier yields. Whether you're a commercial grower or hobbyist,

[00:00:41] [SPEAKER_01]: Bio 520 fits right into your setup, enhancing everything from germination to harvest. To learn more,

[00:00:47] [SPEAKER_01]: visit Bio520USA.com and join the movement towards a greener, more sustainable future in agriculture. With Bio 520,

[00:00:53] [SPEAKER_01]: you're not just growing plants, you're nurturing a legacy.

[00:01:10] [SPEAKER_00]: Welcome to the Vertical Farming Podcast, weekly conversations with fascinating CEOs,

[00:01:16] [SPEAKER_00]: founders and ag tech visionaries. Join us every week as we dive deep into the world of vertical farming with your host,

[00:01:24] [SPEAKER_00]: Harry Duran.

[00:01:26] [SPEAKER_01]: Hey, Harry here for a solo episode, Something Different for a Change.

[00:01:29] [SPEAKER_01]: I've got so many updates to share with you about what's coming up for season 11 now that we've wrapped up season 10.

[00:01:34] [SPEAKER_01]: I wanted to do a quick recap for you and also an invite for a new special

[00:01:39] [SPEAKER_01]: project that I'm cooking up, which I can't wait to share with you. Lastly, I'll be teasing out the roster of

[00:01:45] [SPEAKER_01]: confirmed guests for season 11, so stay tuned for that.

[00:01:49] [SPEAKER_01]: But before we jump into my update this week, a few words from the amazing partners that support this show.

[00:01:54] [SPEAKER_01]: Don't miss the premiere event of the year for everyone involved in greenhouse operations, controlled environment agriculture, and vertical farming.

[00:02:00] [SPEAKER_01]: Indoor AgCon, now in its 12th year, heads to its new location at the West Gate Las Vegas from March 11th to 12th, 2025.

[00:02:08] [SPEAKER_01]: Join grower operators, investors, startups, tech leaders, academics, government officials, food service retail suppliers, and more

[00:02:15] [SPEAKER_01]: from across the USA and over 30 other countries.

[00:02:18] [SPEAKER_01]: Explore an expanded expo floor filled with the latest product resources and business solutions and gain insights from top industry experts including CEOs,

[00:02:25] [SPEAKER_01]: growers, and investors at this full-scale educational conference. Plus take advantage of invaluable networking opportunities.

[00:02:32] [SPEAKER_01]: The team at Indoor AgCon has been generous enough to provide vertical farming podcast listeners with an additional 20% off

[00:02:39] [SPEAKER_01]: of the full access conference passes. Just use promo code

[00:02:42] [SPEAKER_01]: VFP at checkout. Visit indoor.ag and be part of the largest CEA industry gathering in Las Vegas in 2025.

[00:02:50] [SPEAKER_01]: Mark your calendars for the CEA Summit East in Danville, Virginia from October 1st to 2nd,

[00:02:55] [SPEAKER_01]: 2024. This two-day event co-hosted by Indoor AgCon and the Virginia Tech IALR,

[00:03:01] [SPEAKER_01]: Controlled Environment Agriculture Innovation Center, brings business and academia together to help you grow your business. Immerse yourself in a full lineup of research

[00:03:08] [SPEAKER_01]: showcases, panel discussions, and keynotes featuring top experts, grower operators, and other thought leaders.

[00:03:14] [SPEAKER_01]: Explore the latest CEA innovations from tabletop exhibitors and enjoy quality networking opportunities as well.

[00:03:20] [SPEAKER_01]: Don't miss this unique opportunity to attend a conference at a research facility where you can get a firsthand look at cutting-edge research projects happening right now

[00:03:27] [SPEAKER_01]: and explore ideas for collaboration with Virginia Tech and IALR researchers too.

[00:03:31] [SPEAKER_01]: I'm grateful to the CEA Summit team for providing vertical farming podcast listeners with an additional 20% off the standard passes

[00:03:38] [SPEAKER_01]: with promo code VFP. Visit ceasummit.com for more details and to buy your ticket today. Vertical farming podcast,

[00:03:46] [SPEAKER_01]: welcome back regular listeners. This is something different that I don't get to do very often.

[00:03:51] [SPEAKER_01]: It's a bonus episode and it's just me.

[00:03:54] [SPEAKER_01]: And so this is a bit challenging sometimes because it feels like I'm just sitting in this room talking to myself,

[00:03:59] [SPEAKER_01]: but I realize there's a listener, specifically you, at the other end of this conversation.

[00:04:04] [SPEAKER_01]: And I just want to take a second to thank you for everything you've been doing to support the show. If you're back here,

[00:04:09] [SPEAKER_01]: then likely you've heard one or many of the past episodes recently.

[00:04:13] [SPEAKER_01]: And I just wanted to do a quick recap of everything that's been happening specifically with season 10

[00:04:18] [SPEAKER_01]: and just for folks that are brand new, to share some of the past guests in case you missed them. We kicked off

[00:04:23] [SPEAKER_01]: season 10 with Felipe Hernandez of Hexagro and we talked about the rise of urban aeroponics.

[00:04:30] [SPEAKER_01]: That was followed by Victor Koksar.

[00:04:33] [SPEAKER_01]: He's the co-founder of Veles Farming and they're doing amazing things in Slovakia

[00:04:38] [SPEAKER_01]: with saffron of all things. Such an exotic crop. We then had a conversation with an indoor farming OG, Joe Schwartz of AM Hydro.

[00:04:46] [SPEAKER_01]: That was a really insightful view of just how much this industry has grown,

[00:04:51] [SPEAKER_01]: which has been really fascinating to get his perspective.

[00:04:54] [SPEAKER_01]: Daniel Plant on episode 125 talked about his unconventional path from the armed forces into becoming an ag tech consultant.

[00:05:02] [SPEAKER_01]: We then got deep into the world of microgreens with Alex Babich on episode 126.

[00:05:06] [SPEAKER_01]: And then we spoke to

[00:05:09] [SPEAKER_01]: Freight Farms new CEO, Rick VanZura, who had a chance to say hi to and shake hands with at Indoor Ag Tech Chicago.

[00:05:16] [SPEAKER_01]: Following up on another connection I made at Indoor AgCon, I spoke to Katherine Sol.

[00:05:22] [SPEAKER_01]: She runs Teens for Food Justice and she's a powerhouse of knowledge

[00:05:26] [SPEAKER_01]: in the realm of urban agriculture. And it's so inspiring to see what she's doing

[00:05:30] [SPEAKER_01]: with youth in inspiring them to learn more about the benefits and the potential for indoor farming.

[00:05:37] [SPEAKER_01]: Episode 129, I spoke to Whit Allen of Spectra Grow.

[00:05:40] [SPEAKER_01]: We got to jam out a little because of all things if you've been listening to this episode, you know that I love

[00:05:45] [SPEAKER_01]: house music. That's a big passion of mine and Whit is also a DJ.

[00:05:49] [SPEAKER_01]: So that was fun. He actually had his turntable set up in the background as we spoke during that conversation.

[00:05:55] [SPEAKER_01]: 130, we spoke to David Flynn of Amplified Ag.

[00:05:58] [SPEAKER_01]: David had a very inspiring story of his time in the military and how that really

[00:06:03] [SPEAKER_01]: transformed his perspective on the potential for vertical farming and tackling food deserts.

[00:06:08] [SPEAKER_01]: 131, he spoke to Kaylee South of Virginia Tech and she shared her passion for indoor farming and how it's inspiring the next generation

[00:06:16] [SPEAKER_01]: of plant scientists.

[00:06:17] [SPEAKER_01]: 132, we spoke to Shlomi Rozel who resides in Israel and he spoke about his

[00:06:22] [SPEAKER_01]: start in the kibbutz fields to the success they're having with GrowTech. And what a pioneer they've been in this space.

[00:06:28] [SPEAKER_01]: They've been doing this for quite some time and flying under the radar and it's been nice to see them get some exposure now.

[00:06:34] [SPEAKER_01]: I had a chance to connect with

[00:06:36] [SPEAKER_01]: Shlomi at Indoor AgTech Chicago.

[00:06:38] [SPEAKER_01]: This is again why I love going to these conferences. And then I also spoke in show cans with episode 133's guest,

[00:06:45] [SPEAKER_01]: Matt Lohr. He's the secretary of agriculture for Virginia.

[00:06:48] [SPEAKER_01]: And Virginia as you may have heard on this show is making a big push

[00:06:51] [SPEAKER_01]: into the indoor AgTech space.

[00:06:53] [SPEAKER_01]: They actually picked the day in March last year as indoor farming day. Episode 134,

[00:06:58] [SPEAKER_01]: we spoke to Rick Langeel of Harvest Today. Rick has a lot of experience as an entrepreneur

[00:07:03] [SPEAKER_01]: and after a successful exit from his previous company,

[00:07:06] [SPEAKER_01]: he decided he needed to get back on the horse again and build another company from the ground up.

[00:07:11] [SPEAKER_01]: And he's had a lot of success with Harvest Today. On episode 135, I spoke to Edwin McClure.

[00:07:16] [SPEAKER_01]: He is the CEO and founder of Bio520 USA.

[00:07:19] [SPEAKER_01]: You may recognize the name as Bio520 has been the platinum sponsor for season 10.

[00:07:26] [SPEAKER_01]: I couldn't say enough great things about the work Edwin and his team are doing.

[00:07:31] [SPEAKER_01]: You may have seen them at Indoor AgCon as well.

[00:07:33] [SPEAKER_01]: They were working with Suzanne as a sponsor there.

[00:07:36] [SPEAKER_01]: And it's a really inspiring story of how Edwin connected with the original founders in Japan for Bio520's

[00:07:43] [SPEAKER_01]: Nutrient Solution and the great feedback and results

[00:07:47] [SPEAKER_01]: clients have been getting as a result of using Bio520.

[00:07:50] [SPEAKER_01]: So I'm always appreciative for all the partners and sponsors of this show, and I was really glad to tell Edwin's story.

[00:07:56] [SPEAKER_01]: We got to peek into what's happening in Taiwan with Jesper Hansen.

[00:08:00] [SPEAKER_01]: He is the CCO of Yes Health Group and he talks about his experience working with the original founder of Yes Health.

[00:08:07] [SPEAKER_01]: Jesper is actually married to the founder's daughter. And so it's been a family affair.

[00:08:12] [SPEAKER_01]: And again, Yes Health is one of those companies that you may not have heard about but they're doing really good things. They've got an innovative

[00:08:19] [SPEAKER_01]: partnership model where they take a seat on the board of directors with companies they partner with which ensures a strong path to success.

[00:08:27] [SPEAKER_01]: 137 we spoke to Max Knight and Eric Roth of Rooted Robotics.

[00:08:32] [SPEAKER_01]: And we learned how they're transforming small-scale farming with their solutions.

[00:08:36] [SPEAKER_01]: I connected with Kendra Armstrong episode 138 of Crop Convergence.

[00:08:39] [SPEAKER_01]: And that was really helpful for me to get a deeper dive into

[00:08:43] [SPEAKER_01]: how Kendra used her experience in plant breeding and found her passion in creating decision-making tools for farmers.

[00:08:49] [SPEAKER_01]: Episode 139 I spoke to Stefan Hey, who I connected with originally in Vertifarm last year in Germany.

[00:08:56] [SPEAKER_01]: So it's crazy all these connections that are coming

[00:08:59] [SPEAKER_01]: to fruition and you never know what's going to happen.

[00:09:01] [SPEAKER_01]: It's why I make it a point to get to at least two or three of these conferences a year.

[00:09:06] [SPEAKER_01]: Stefan talked about the experiences and the successes that they're having growing strawberries indoors

[00:09:11] [SPEAKER_01]: and a lot of the great results their partners have been having. And then last episode a great conversation with Chris Corkery of 100 Acre.

[00:09:20] [SPEAKER_01]: Chris's

[00:09:20] [SPEAKER_01]: frankness and passion for

[00:09:23] [SPEAKER_01]: his latest endeavor with 100 Acre really shines through in this conversation.

[00:09:27] [SPEAKER_01]: And I couldn't think of a better way to wrap up season 10 because it just shows the enthusiasm

[00:09:31] [SPEAKER_01]: and the resilience that's needed if farmers are going to succeed in this market.

[00:09:36] [SPEAKER_01]: And I just love the fact that that conversation pulled no punches as a New Yorker Chris really told it like it is.

[00:09:42] [SPEAKER_01]: So that's a quick recap. Thank you for listening to that. I just want to make it a point to share episodes.

[00:09:47] [SPEAKER_01]: I do everything I can to share what's happening in this space

[00:09:50] [SPEAKER_01]: and I don't want you to miss any of these in case you've only been peeking

[00:09:53] [SPEAKER_01]: in here and there to listen to some of those. So if any of those piqued your interest,

[00:09:57] [SPEAKER_01]: please make sure you check those out.

[00:09:58] [SPEAKER_01]: The other thing that's been top of mind for me is to learn more about you the listener.

[00:10:03] [SPEAKER_01]: This is a small but dedicated group of listeners that tune in week in and week out

[00:10:08] [SPEAKER_01]: to hear these conversations.

[00:10:10] [SPEAKER_01]: And I want to actually hear more from you.

[00:10:12] [SPEAKER_01]: So what i'm going to be doing over the next couple of weeks is setting up interviews with my listeners.

[00:10:18] [SPEAKER_01]: So if that's something you'd be interested in

[00:10:21] [SPEAKER_01]: chatting with me about you can start by sending me an email harry at vertical farming podcast.com with the subject line.

[00:10:26] [SPEAKER_01]: Let's chat.

[00:10:29] [SPEAKER_01]: As many of you know, i'm passionate about growing

[00:10:32] [SPEAKER_01]: visibility and awareness for indoor farming and obviously with the work we're doing with seppar on igrow

[00:10:37] [SPEAKER_01]: We're definitely doing a lot to make that a reality

[00:10:40] [SPEAKER_01]: but I also understand that if I don't have a clear picture of who

[00:10:45] [SPEAKER_01]: my listener is at the other end of this conversation

[00:10:49] [SPEAKER_01]: then we're really limiting the success we can have with the show. What's important is that i'm not trying to

[00:10:56] [SPEAKER_01]: do everything I can to make more people want the podcast. That's something that's out of my control.

[00:11:02] [SPEAKER_01]: What I want to do is make a podcast more people want and if i'm being honest

[00:11:06] [SPEAKER_01]: then I know that there are things about this show that I can improve.

[00:11:09] [SPEAKER_01]: But the only way to do that is to get your feedback.

[00:11:11] [SPEAKER_01]: So if you are interested in having that conversation and you are a regular listener

[00:11:14] [SPEAKER_01]: I'd love to have that chat with you and as a special thank you

[00:11:18] [SPEAKER_01]: and if you're up for it, I'd love to give you some credit on a future episode as well.

[00:11:22] [SPEAKER_01]: Thanks for listening and again, thank you for everything you do to support the show. I wanted to share some upcoming interviews

[00:11:28] [SPEAKER_01]: we have for season 11. We're going to be partnering with the indoor agcon team. You may have heard some of the promos already but

[00:11:35] [SPEAKER_01]: Shout out to Suzanne and Brian and that entire team. We're excited to give them a push for the upcoming CEA summit in Virginia

[00:11:42] [SPEAKER_01]: in October as well as the indoor agcon conference coming up in Las Vegas in March. So stay tuned

[00:11:49] [SPEAKER_01]: Next week we've got great conversations that I can't wait to share with you. We've got Scott Massey returning for a second round

[00:11:57] [SPEAKER_01]: of the rebranded Anu which was formerly Growpod. Amazing, amazing things. He's so smart and

[00:12:04] [SPEAKER_01]: so innovative in terms of what they're doing with the appliance space and I'm excited to share some of those updates with you.

[00:12:12] [SPEAKER_01]: We've got Joseph Kamek joining us from Farmbox Foods

[00:12:15] [SPEAKER_01]: Janelle Abdi from Gaya.ai, Elmer Marr from NeatLeaf, Direct Carbon's Mathias Carls and Mark Geminani

[00:12:24] [SPEAKER_01]: of Dag Facilities. We also have a return visit from Juan Gabriel Sucar of Verde Compacto.

[00:12:30] [SPEAKER_01]: They've been a bit quiet for the past couple years and it's for good reason. They've recently

[00:12:34] [SPEAKER_01]: raised a new round and they're doing some great things in Mexico on the container farming side so I can't wait to share

[00:12:40] [SPEAKER_01]: that story with you. So many episodes, a lot more CEOs and founders queued up that have not yet been confirmed.

[00:12:47] [SPEAKER_01]: As always we show no signs of slowing down with what's happening in this industry so

[00:12:51] [SPEAKER_01]: as far as conferences I'm looking to see if I can make it out to the CEA summit in Virginia

[00:12:56] [SPEAKER_01]: in October so if you will be attending please let me know and stay tuned for new updates coming

[00:13:02] [SPEAKER_01]: out of our exciting partnership with CEPR and the iGrow News team. I appreciate you all. Have a wonderful week.

[00:13:07] [SPEAKER_01]: Thanks again for listening. Eternally grateful to my guests for spending that precious hour of time

[00:13:13] [SPEAKER_01]: with me and sharing their story. As always full show notes available at verticalfarmingpodcast.com

[00:13:18] [SPEAKER_01]: there you'll find summaries, key takeaways and resources mentioned and also a back catalog of

[00:13:23] [SPEAKER_01]: all our past episodes. Special thanks to our title sponsor Bio 520. Bio 520 is based on the

[00:13:29] [SPEAKER_01]: deep knowledge of plants developed over centuries across Asia extracting some of the very best

[00:13:33] [SPEAKER_01]: minerals in the world from the lush rich mountain ranges in Japan and using highly effective non-chemical

[00:13:39] [SPEAKER_01]: agricultural practices in combination with the most advanced cutting-edge biophysics technology.

[00:13:44] [SPEAKER_01]: Bio 520 is one of the most advanced truly organic mineral compounds your crops will ever

[00:13:48] [SPEAKER_01]: experience. Learn more at bio520usa.com. Podcast production and marketing provided by

[00:13:54] [SPEAKER_01]: Fullcast. To learn about the five key pillars of a successful podcast that every business

[00:13:58] [SPEAKER_01]: owner needs to know prior to launching visit fullcast.co and watch the free video. As a

[00:14:03] [SPEAKER_01]: reminder if you've enjoyed this episode or past episodes do me a favor leave me a rating and a

[00:14:08] [SPEAKER_01]: review at rate this podcast.com forward slash vfp nothing makes me happier than to read those

[00:14:13] [SPEAKER_01]: out on future episodes and don't forget to tune in next week for a conversation with yet

[00:14:18] [SPEAKER_01]: another fascinating leader from the world of vertical farming until we meet again here's to

[00:14:22] [SPEAKER_00]: your health. Thanks for listening. To hear all past episodes and read the episode summaries

[00:14:27] [SPEAKER_00]: which includes any links mentioned in the episode as well as a full show transcription

[00:14:32] [SPEAKER_00]: visit vertical farming podcast.com there you can sign up for our email list to be

[00:14:38] [SPEAKER_00]: notified when new episodes are published.