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A connected vegetable garden for growing food at home
CategoriesSustainable News

A connected vegetable garden for growing food at home

By Zarkon Group,

Spotted: With food price inflation remaining at historically high levels, many consumers are seeking savings wherever they can find them. While the isolation of the Covid-19 pandemic has largely eased, some of the habits acquired during that time, such as grow-your-own herbs and veg, remain strong. To help new growers access the advantages of home-grown, organic produce, French company Urban Cuisine designed a stylish indoor hydroponic garden container that makes it fun and easy to cultivate fruits, vegetables, and herbs.  

Named Liv, the connected garden comes with an app and the choice of over 17 different plants. The app guides growers through the set-up and planting process, provides regular advice on the growth of each variety, and includes an FAQ section and connections to Urban Cuisine’s horticulturalists for urgent queries. The garden’s sleek design fits a self-contained water tank, a micro-climate, ventilation controlled by integrated sensors, and a low-power LED light panel.  

When setting up a garden, growers choose Grow Pods based on how long they want to wait for a harvest and what they want to use the produce for. Each organic Grow Pod contains the essential substrate and nutrients for the seeds to grow. Liv is available as the garden alone, as a subscription of monthly deliveries of Grow Pods, or as a garden and subscription together.  

Other ways that Springwise has spotted innovators improving local food systems include an automated indoor herb garden and a no-smell countertop compost system.

Written By: Keely Khoury 

Reference

Building an inclusive network of sustainable, connected farms
CategoriesSustainable News

Building an inclusive network of sustainable, connected farms

By Zarkon Group,

Spotted: For farmers in Africa and the Middle East, reliance on an increasingly volatile climate is making it more and more difficult to achieve a stable, predictable income. And, according to The Carnegie Endowment for International Peace, aridity in parts of the Middle East/North Africa (MENA) region will increase in the next century, shrinking arable lands and disrupting agricultural patterns. This worrying trend inspired the foundation of Jodoor, a Rabat-based startup that designs, builds, and installs hi-tech connected greenhouses for farmers.

The company’s greenhouses are internet-of-things-enabled and can be used by farmers to produce 10 high-quality salad staples and herbs – from iceberg lettuce to basil. By producing leafy greens in a controlled environment, farmers are protected from the vagueries of climate and are able to produce crops year-round. The technology ensures consistent productivity and quality as well as a fixed price for farmers throughout the year. Moreover, the vegetables and herbs grown in the hi-tech greenhouses require no pesticides or herbicides.

The startup plans to use a franchise model to drive the implementation of its technology. Each greenhouse will be tailored to the exact local needs of each farmer, and by building a network of farmers, Jodoor is hoping to match local production to local demand.

Currently in the early stages of its development, Jodoor has nonetheless piqued the interest of several institutions including the Mohammad VI Polytechnic University (UM6P). At the end of 2021, the startup launched its first greenhouse on a 200-square-metre plot in Skhirat, a seaside town between Rabat and Casablanca. Its second greenhouse, which is intended to showcase the commercial potential of the technology, will be installed at UM6P.

Longer-term, the startup plans to hone its model in Morocco before expanding across the Middle East and North Africa. Many of Morocco’s neighbours share similar challenges when it comes to water scarcity and food sovereignty, making them prime candidates for Jodoor’s technology.

Other innovations spotted by Springwise that improve the prospects of small farmers include a startup that provides software and hands-on assistance for farmers in Nigeria and solar-powered irrigation pumps for farmers in East Africa.

Written By: Matthew Hempstead

Reference

The world’s first fully connected e-bike
CategoriesSustainable News

The world’s first fully connected e-bike

By Zarkon Group,

Spotted: The e-bike revolution is here, and it is growing stronger. According to the Shimano Steps e-bike Index, a quarter of Europeans already own an e-bike, with the majority saying they will be mainly using it for leisure, hinting that the appeal of the-bike is moving past commuting. As e-biking grows in popularity, the engineering of e-bikes is becoming more sophisticated. This is where Greyp Bikes comes in, with its line of high-end, fully-connected e-bikes.

From humble beginnings with a one-off ‘e-moto’, Greyp now designs, engineers, and produces e-bikes using a blend of artificial intelligence (AI), gamification, and augmented reality. The company’s bikes are built around the electronics, starting with an integrated eSIM and built-in communication module for internet connectivity. The bike comes with two cameras, which are always recording and can be remotely accessed. Greyp claims the connectivity will eventually allow competition and content sharing in real-time, “turning the sensor-packed bikes into a gaming platform”.

The bikes come in a variety of models, including mountain bikes and hardtail. They feature a powerful 700-watt-hour battery, a carbon fibre composite frame and 150-millimetre travel front and back enduro geometry. One model, the G12S, combines features from both motorcycles and bicycles, along with regenerative braking and a planetary gearbox, and can reach speeds of 70 km/h.

Not content with simply building a better bike, Greyp aims at a bike that is as connected as any other e-vehicle – but with more outdoors. The company describes itself as “a wild bunch of bikers, gadget geeks and outdoorsy types, and we incorporate all those passions into each product we create,” adding, “Our number one advantage / asset is our creativity. We just want to create stuff constantly.”

The growing popularity of e-bikes is being driven by a number of factors, including environmental concern, a desire for exercise and the high cost of commuting on public transit. So, it’s no surprise that Springwise is seeing a big influx of innovative e-bikes, from multi-use e-bikes that can transport both people and goods to e-rickshaws.

Written By: Lisa Magloff

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