Oxfordshire-based agri-tech company, Gardin, has been named one of the fifteen trailblazing companies in the region by WIRED. The award recognizes forward-thinking approaches that drive business growth and positive outcomes for both people and the planet.
Of the news, Sumunta Talukdar, the Founder and CEO of Gardin says, “It’s important to recognize pioneering startups across a range of industries. Gardin was founded after finding an urgent need for innovation in the agri-tech space. Gardin tackles these challenges - excessive food waste, outdated metrics and time-heavy processes - with a cost-effective sensor that provides real-time, data-backed results.”
The news comes as Gardin, who has recently been named a Rising Star by the Times, announced research around their work to improve farmers’ yields. During a research project funded by InnovateUK, Gardin’s team of scientists were able to use their technology to increase annual yields in an indoor farm by a staggering 30-40% for three species of leafy greens; basil, lettuce and pak choi.
Head of sustainability and lead data scientist on the project, Julian Godding notes, “Increasing yield has been a focus at Gardin since inception. In this project, we were able to demonstrate substantial improvements to the economics of indoor farming using chlorophyll fluorescence measurements to optimize LED lighting. We’re excited to take this approach to more farms and help support a resilient and sustainable food system.”
Gardin is a phenotyping solution that allows growers to increase crop yield, reduce resource usage, decrease crop variation and improve forecasting. Its mission is to produce cost-effective technology for the industry and empower food producers by monitoring plant health versus growth environment.
After securing clients in the UK and around Europe, Gardin plans to expand to North America next year.
For more information:
Gardin
Sumanta Talukdar, Founder and CEO
www.gardin.co.uk