TAKE YOUR CULTIVATION TO THE NEXT LEVEL

VIVIDGRO ® LED GROW SYSTEMS

 PFAL (Plant Fa ctory w / Artificial Light
Prim er & O verview
C RUN C H NETW O RK
Ne c essity Is Driving A gricultural Innov ation Indoors
Post e d J a n 15, 2016 b y Josh u a B a t e m a n

The Next Food Frontier: How A gTe ch C an Sa ve The World

Post e d S e p 7, 2015 b y Dror B e rm a n & S a m a nth a W a i

Eric Schmidt’s Farm2050 C olle ctive Will Ba ck

A griculture Te ch To Fe e d Earth’s Growing Population
Post e d N o v 20, 2014 b y Josh C o nstin e
He alth & Wellness
Environm ental Imp a ct
Tr a d iti o n a l a gri c ultur e t a k es a m a ssiv e t oll o n th e p l a n e t’s n a tur a l
r e so ur c e s. In d o or h orti c ultur e tr a nsf orms a gri c ultur e t o fli p th e p a r a d i g m
of e x p loit a ti o n t o o n e of pr es e rv a ti o n a n d c o ns erv a ti o n.

Water
70% o f o ur w a t e r su p p ly g o e s to a gri c ultur e . 70% o f w a t e r c o nt a min a tio n c o m es fro m a gri c ultur e .
C urr e nt e v e nts, futur e pr e d i c tio ns, a n d c o m m o n s e ns e t e ll us w e c a n n o t c o ntin u e o n this p a th. In d o or
pro d u c tio n us e s 95% l ess w a t er th a n fi e l d f a rmin g a n d a c los e d lo o p w a t er c ir c ul a tio n syst e m
r e c ir c ul a t es w a t e r t o th e p l a nts. Im a gin e th e im p a c t if e v e n 10% o f o ur pro d u c e w a s gro w n this w a y.

Pesticid es
O v erus e o f p esti c i d e s h a s d e c r e a s e d th e b e n e fi c i a l mi c ro org a nisms in th e soil a n d a llo w e d b a d
o n es t o prolif er a t e . O ur soil is n o lo n g er h e a lth y e n o u g h t o filt er o ut p esti c i d e s a n d r e n d e r th e m
in ert, l e a d in g t o toxi c ity a n d ru n o ff. Ru n o ff l e a ds t o a l g a l b lo o ms a n d o c e a ni c d e a d zo n e s. Syst e ms
h a v e b e e n d e v e lo p e d t o pro vi d e a c o ntroll e d w a y o f gro win g in d o ors with o ut a n y p e sti c i d es,
h e rb i c i d es, fu n gi c i d es, or ins e c ti c i d es. Th e pro d u c ts a r e s a f e , h e a lth y, d e li c io us pro d u c e th a t’s
c l e a n a n d r e a d y to e a t.
Environm ental Imp a ct
Land
25% o f th e w orl d ’s l a n d is n o w “ hi g hly d e gr a d e d ,” with soil e rosio n, w a t e r d e gr a d a tio n a n d
b io d iv e rsity loss. A r a b l e l a n d is a pr e c io us r eso ur c e a n d a s soil h e a lth d e p l e t es, so d o e s th e n utritio n o f
o ur f o o d . In d o or f o o d pro d u c tio n us e s l ess th a n 1% o f th e l a n d r e q uir e d b y c o n v e ntio n a l gro win g .
Th a t m e a ns gro w e rs a r e o v er 75 tim es m or e pro d u c tiv e p e r sq u a r e f o o t vs. tr a d itio n a l a gri c ultur e ,
w hil e a lso e nsurin g th a t th e p l a nts g e t a ll o f th e m a c ro a n d mi c ro n utri e nts th e y n e e d a ll y e a r ro u n d .

C arbon Emissions
W h a t w e think o f a s f a rmin g h a s c h a n g e d a lo t. Fro m drillin g f or w a t er, p u m p in g fro m d e e p er r e s erv e s
th a n e v e r b e f or e , o p e r a tin g tr a c t ors, till ers, a n d h a rv e st ers, t o w a shin g thr e e tim es in l a rg e s c a l e
pro c essin g f a c iliti es th a t o p er a t e 24 / 7, tr a d itio n a l c o m m er c i a l f a rmin g is q uit e e n e rg y int e nsiv e . Plus,
95% p er c e nt o f A m e ri c a ’s s a l a d gr e e ns a r e gro w n in e ith er S a lin a s, C a lif orni a or Yu m a , A rizo n a –
tr a v e lin g th o us a n ds o f mil es t o g e t t o y o ur p l a t e .

In d o or v e g e t a b l e pro d u c tio n r e d u c es h a rm ful tr a nsp ort a tio n e missio ns b y 98% o n a v er a g e . Th a t is

b e c a us e in d o or f a rms a r e b e in g b uilt o n m a jor d istri b utio n c h a n n e ls a n d n e a r p o p ul a tio n c e nt ers t o
brin g lo c a l, fr esh gr e e ns t o c o m m u niti es w h o w o ul d n ’t n orm a lly h a v e th e m .
Te chnology
• A eroponics/Hydroponics
• Sm art plant nutrition
• Energy efficient LED lighting
• Intuitive analytics
• Pest m ana g e m ent
• Sc ala ble utilization of fa cilities

A e ro F a rms is th e c o m m er c i a l l e a d e r in
in d o or f a rmin g . W e gro w with o ut su n or soil
in a fully- c o ntroll e d in d o or e n viro n m e nt. W e
h a v e o p ti miz e d o ur p a t e nt e d a ero p o ni c
gro win g syst e m f or f a st er h a rv est c y c l e s,
pr e d i c t a b l e r e sults, su p eri or f o o d s a f e ty
a n d l ess e n viro n m e nt a l i m p a c t.
Sm a rt A ero p o ni c s
W e us e a e ro p o ni c s t o mist th e ro o ts o f o ur gr e e ns with
n utri e nts, w a t er, a n d oxy g e n. O ur a ero p o ni c syst e m is a
c los e d lo o p syst e m , usin g 95% l e ss w a t e r th a n fi e l d f a rmin g ,
40% l ess th a n h y dro p o ni c s, a n d z ero p esti c i d e s.
Sm a rt Li g ht
W e us e LED li g hts t o c r e a t e a sp e c ifi c li g ht r e c i p e f or e a c h
p l a nt, givin g th e gr e e ns e x a c tly th e sp e c tru m , int e nsity, a n d
fr e q u e n c y th e y n e e d f or p h o t osy nth e sis in th e m ost e n erg y-
e ffi c i e nt w a y p ossi b l e . This e n gin e e r e d li g htin g a llo ws us t o
c o ntrol siz e , sh a p e , t e xtur e , c olor, fl a v or, a n d n utritio n with
r a zor-sh a rp pr e c isio n a n d in c r e a s e d pro d u c tivity.
Sm a rt N utritio n
W e a r e c o nst a ntly m o nit orin g a ll o f th e m a c ro- a n d
mi c ro n utri e nts f or o ur p l a nts to pro vi d e th e m with e v erythin g
th a t th e y n e e d t o thriv e . W e a r e a b l e t o t a k e th e e x a c t
s a m e s e e d fro m th e fi e l d a n d gro w it in h a lf th e tim e a s a
tr a d itio n a l fi e l d f a rm er, l e a d in g t o 75 tim es m or e
pro d u c tivity p e r sq u a r e f o o t th a n a c o m m er c i a l fi e l d f a rm .
 Sm a rt P e st M a n a g e m e nt
Ev e ry a sp e c t of o ur gro win g pro c ess h a s b e e n
o p ti miz e d t o miti g a t e p e st prolif e r a ti o n with n o n e e d
f or p esti c i d es. In a d d iti o n t o o ur c o ntroll e d , in d o or
Retailer And Food Servic e Benefits e n viro n m e nt, o ur gro win g m e th o ds d isru p t th e
• Y e a r-Ro u n d A v a il a b ility n orm a l lif e c y c l e of c o m m o n in d o or p ests so th a t
• C o nsist e nt Pri c in g th e y n e v er g e t st a rt e d . With o ur p e st-r esist a nt d esi g n,
• Lo n g e r Sh e lf Lif e p e sti c i d e s, h e rb i c i d e s a n d fu n gi c i d e s a r e
• L e ss Shrink u n n e c ess a ry.
• S a f e ly G ro w n
• Wi d e V a ri e ty Sm a rt S c a lin g
• H a rd-t o-Fin d a n d H e irlo o m V a ri e ti es Th e siz e a n d c o nfi g ur a ti o n of a n A ero F a rms syst e m
• C ust o miz a b l e Mix es a r e hi g hly c ust o miz a b l e . Th e syst e ms a r e c o m pris e d
• N o W e a th e r Issu es of m o d ul e s th a t s erv e a s b uil d in g b lo c ks th a t c a n b e
st a c k e d v erti c a lly or l e n g th wis e . This a llo ws us t o gro w
in v a ri e d lo c a ti o ns a n d a c hi e v e ulti m a t e yi e l d p e r
sq u a r e f o o t, n o m a tt er th e sp a c e , with q ui c k
inst a ll a ti o n.
Fully- c o ntroll e d a gri c ultur e m e a ns th a t w e c a n c o ntrol,
a n d p e rf e c t e v e ry a sp e c t of th e c olor, t e xtur e , n utriti o n
a n d m ost i m p ort a ntly, fl a v or of o ur gr e e ns. W e c h o os e
th e m ost fl a v orful v a ri e t a ls of e a c h gr e e n w e gro w a n d
th e n w e us e d a t a t o m a k e it t a st e e v e n b e tt e r. O ur
k a l e is sw e e t er. O ur a ru g ul a is sp i c i er. O ur h erbs a r e
bri g ht e r. To p c h e fs a gr e e th a t o ur gr e e ns h a v e su p e ri or
fl a v or, a n d w e h a v e 30,000 d a t a p oints t o pro v e it.

“Th e fl a v or is p ur e a n d u n a d ult er a t e d—it ’s a m a jor

br e a kthro u g h fro m a c ulin a ry p ersp e c tiv e .”
-A nth o ny M or a e s, f orm erly of El e v e n
M a d iso n P a rk a n d n o w a C h e f a t
F a c e b o o k’s N e w Y ork offi c e
Bri g htF a rms fin a n c e s, d e si g ns, b uil ds a n d o p e r a t e s
gr e e n h o us e f a rms a t or n e a r su p e rm a rk e ts, c uttin g ti m e ,
d ist a n c e , a n d c ost fro m th e pro d u c e su p p ly c h a in.
O UR HIST O RY

Bri g htF a rms gr e w o ut of n o n-profit N e w Y ork Su n W orks (NYSW), l a u n c h e d b y urb a n

f a rmin g visio n a ry— a n d Bri g htF a rms b o a rd m e m b er—Dr. Te d C a p lo w. NYSW c r e a t e d th e
r e n o w n e d S c i e n c e B a rg e , a pro t o ty p e , sust a in a b l e urb a n f a rm a n d e n viro n m e nt a l
e d u c a ti o n c e nt er o n th e Hu dso n Riv er. F ollo win g its su c c ess, w e w er e flo o d e d with
r e q u e sts t o b uil d sc i e n c e-b a rg e-lik e proj e c ts. In 2007 w e c r e a t e d a f or-profit gr e e n h o us e
c o nsult a n c y, Bri g htF a rm Syst e ms, t o r e sp o n d t o th e d e m a n d .

A s Bri g htF a rm Syst e ms, a n urb a n gr e e n h o us e c o nsult a n c y, w e w ork e d o n a d oz e n f a rms

o v e r t w o y e a rs, in c lu d in g th e ro oft o p gr e e n h o us e a t Th e M a n h a tt a n S c h o ol f or C hil dr e n,
a n d th e ro oft o p gr e e n h o us e a t F or est H o us es, a n a ff ord a b l e h o usin g proj e c t in th e Bro nx.
P a ul Li g htf o o t b e c a m e C E O of Bri g htF a rms o n J a n u a ry 1, 2011, a ft e r his mi d lif e
c risis insp ir e d hi m t o c o m b in e his c a r e er in su p p ly c h a in m a n a g e m e nt with his
p a ssi o n f or brin gin g f o o d t o p e o p l e th a t t a st es b e tt er, is h e a lthi er a n d is b e tt er
f or th e e n viro n m e nt. Te d C a p lo w h a s c o ntin u e d a s th e C h a irm a n of th e
c o m p a ny's Bo a rd of Dir e c t ors.

It w a s P a ul’s i d e a t o a p p ly th e lo n g-t erm p ur c h a s e a gr e e m e nt m o d e l th a t

r e v oluti o niz e d th e sol a r in d ustry t o th e pro d u c e in d ustry. By si g nin g lo n g-t e rm
p ur c h a s e a gr e e m e nts with su p erm a rk e ts, Bri g htF a rms fin a n c es, b uil ds, a n d
o p e r a t es gr e e n h o us es a t n o c ost t o th e r e t a il er.

Bri g htF a rms’ missi o n is t o i m pro v e th e e n viro n m e nt a l i m p a c t of th e f o o d

su p p ly c h a in a n d in c r e a s e th e r e l a tiv e c o nsu m p ti o n of w h ol e a n d fr e sh f o o ds.
By b uil d in g gr e e n h o us e s a t or n e a r su p e rm a rk e ts, w e ’r e gro win g y e a r-ro u n d
lo c a l pro d u c e th a t pri oritiz es o ur f a rm ers, o ur f o o d q u a lity, o ur h e a lth, a n d o ur
e n viro n m e nt.

Sin c e 2011, Bri g htF a rms h a s p a rtn er e d with m ulti p l e m a jor su p erm a rk e ts
c h a ins a n d h a s a n u m b er of c o m m e r c i a l-sc a l e gr e e n h o us e s in d e v e lo p m e nt.
Th e c o m p a ny h a s r a is e d o v er $20 millio n of c a p it a l.

O ur Bu c ks C o u nty, P A gr e e n h o us e is n o w d e liv e rin g f a rm-fr e sh lo c a l pro d u c e

t o th e gr e a t er P e n nsylv a ni a c o m m u nity, y e a r-ro u n d!
G oodLe af Farms is a wholly owne d
subsidiary of TruLe af.

It produc es cle an and nutritious le afy gre ens

and herbs, 365 d a ys a y e ar, in Truro, Nov a
Sc otia.
Fo cuse d on Growth O p portunities
 Hi g h-v a lu e b i o m e d i c a l m a rk e ts a n d fr esh pro d u c e
 O p p ortu nity t o r a p i d ly sc a l e th e p a c k a g e f o o d br a n d a c ross N orth A m eri c a
 Furth er d e v e lo p li c e nsin g o p p ortu niti e s f or th e TruL e a f Sm a rt Pl a nt Syst e m®,
glo b a lly

Engine ere d for M ass M arkets

TruL e a f is l a u n c hin g a t c o m p e titiv e pri c in g with o p p ortu niti es t o g e n e r a t e
a d d iti o n a l in c o m e in B2 C a n d B2B m a rk e t a t full r e t a il pri c e p oint.
Industry Le a ding Te chnology Platform
Te chnology
TruL e a f h a s a n in d ustry l e a d in g t e c h n olo g y p l a tf orm th a t
c a n b e d e p lo y e d a ny w h er e in th e w orl d t o yi e l d hi g h
q u a lity l e a fy gr e e ns or o th er p l a nts.
De dic ate d R&D Division with International Partnerships
TruL e a f is p a rt a kin g in o n g oin g r es e a r c h t o i d e ntify n e w
o p p ortu niti e s a n d miti g a t e m a rk e t risks b y t estin g a t a
pro t o ty p e sc a l e b e f or e c o m m er c i a l pro d u c ti o n. Th e y
h a v e a w orl d- c l a ss R& D p l a tf orm with c oll a b or a ti o ns a t
Th e N a ti o n a l R e s e a r c h C o u n c il of C a n a d a , Univ ersity of
A rizo n a , D a lh o usi e Univ ersity, A gri-F o o d C a n a d a a n d
m a ny o th ers.
Industry Le a ding Te chnology Platform
Te chnology
TruL e a f h a s a n in d ustry l e a d in g t e c h n olo g y p l a tf orm th a t
c a n b e d e p lo y e d a ny w h er e in th e w orl d t o yi e l d hi g h
q u a lity l e a fy gr e e ns or o th er p l a nts.
De dic ate d R&D Division with International Partnerships
TruL e a f is p a rt a kin g in o n g oin g r es e a r c h t o i d e ntify n e w
o p p ortu niti e s a n d miti g a t e m a rk e t risks b y t estin g a t a
pro t o ty p e sc a l e b e f or e c o m m er c i a l pro d u c ti o n. Th e y
h a v e a w orl d- c l a ss R& D p l a tf orm with c oll a b or a ti o ns a t
Th e N a ti o n a l R e s e a r c h C o u n c il of C a n a d a , Univ ersity of
A rizo n a , D a lh o usi e Univ ersity, A gri-F o o d C a n a d a a n d
m a ny o th ers.
Plant Syste ms
TruL e a f Sm a rt Pl a nt Syst e ms® int e gr a t e pro pri e t a ry in n o v a ti o ns in
e q ui p m e nt d e si g n, f a rm l a y o ut, a n d p l a nt pro d u c ti o n f orm ul a s t o pro d u c e
c l e a n, p e sti c i d e-fr e e , n utri e nt-ri c h l e a fy p l a nts y e a r-ro u n d .

For Biom e dic al

Th e c o ntroll e d c o n d iti o ns of o ur Sm a rt Pl a nt Syst e ms®, c o m b in e d with o ur pro pri e t a ry e x p e rtis e a n d
f orm ul a ti o ns in p l a nt pro d u c ti o n f orm ul a e , e nsur e a st a b l e su p p ly of p l a nt-b a s e d r a w m a t eri a ls of
th e hi g h est q u a lity a n d c o nsist e n c y. A n d with th e fl e xi b ility t o lo c a t e a m ulti-l e v e l f a rm a ny w h e r e ,
p l a nts c a n b e gro w n ri g ht a t a n e xistin g m a n uf a c turin g f a c ility.
Plus, n o in d ustry c a n b e n e fit m or e fro m o ur o n g oin g in v est m e nt in R& D. Wh e th e r it’s d e v e lo p in g
n e w v a ri e ti e s or m a xi mizin g sp e c ifi c c o m p o u n ds within a p l a nt, TruL e a f’s u ni q u e f a rms off er e x c itin g
n e w o p p ortu niti e s f or th e h e a lth c a r e s e c t or.
Plant Syste ms
For Gro c ery & Wholesale

TruL e a f’s syst e ms off e r th e o p p ortu nity t o gro w a sust a in a b l e y e a r-ro u n d su p p ly of l e a fy

p l a nts t o r e p l a c e or e n h a n c e c urr e nt so ur c es. O ur m ulti-l e v e l f a rms c a n b e b uilt a ny w h e r e ,
off erin g th e k e y a d v a nt a g e of gro win g c los er t o y o ur m a rk e t, w hi c h m a xi miz es fr esh n e ss
w hil e r e d u c in g tr a nsp ort a ti o n c osts a n d sp oil a g e .

O ur g o a l is n o t t o d isp l a c e lo c a l fruits a n d v e g e t a b l e s. O ur g o a l is t o e n h a n c e it with y e a r-

ro u n d a gri c ultur e a n d r e d u c e r e li a n c e o n i m p ort e d pro d u c e .

A lth o u g h e n gin e er e d f or m a ss m a rk e ts, th e o p p ortu niti es a r e n o t li mit e d t o gro c ery a n d

l a rg e -sc a l e f o o d pro d u c ers. TruL e a f’s syst e m c a n a lso fit in th e d e v e lo p m e nt of E-f o o d
b usin e ss, w hi c h is r a p i d ly gro win g .
Plant Syste ms
For Re mote C ommunities

G lo b a lly, th er e a r e m a ny a r e a s d e p e n d e nt o n c ostly i m p ort a ti o n of fr e sh

f o o d . R e m o t e c o m m u niti e s a r e isol a t e d fro m th e tr a nsp ort-d e p e n d e nt
su p p ly c h a in, l e a d in g t o skyro c k e tin g pro d u c e c osts a n d f a mili es th a t
c a n n o t a ff ord th e n utriti o n th e y n e e d .
Th es e s a m e a r e a s oft e n h a v e littl e a r a b l e l a n d or li mit e d gro win g s e a so ns,
p a rti c ul a rly in n orth ern /so uth ern or a ri d p orti o ns of th e w orl d .
TruL e a f Sm a rt Pl a nt Syst e ms® c a n off er r e m o t e c o m m u niti e s th e
o p p ortu nity f or lo c a l v e g e t a b l e pro d u c ti o n, d e c r e a sin g d e p e n d e n c e o n
tr a nsp ort c h a ins, a n d in c r e a sin g a c c ess t o n utriti o us f o o d .
Renewa ble Energy
Re gulatory
Vivid Gro Developm ent Te a m

Mike Ahm a d Randy

Dire ctor of Mortensen
M arketing & EVP
Sp e cial Proje cts A g Business Unit
Vivid Gro by
URBAHN Lighting Scienc e
ARCHITECTS C orp
TAKE YOUR CULTIVATION TO THE NEXT LEVEL
VIVIDGRO ® LED GROW SYSTEMS