Agri-Food-Tech Expo Asia has ended! Being in Singapore for the first time, I had the pleasure of meeting with industry leaders from the Southeast Asian region and representatives from around the world. It was a fantastic opportunity to gain insights into the market situation and future trends, exchange ideas and explore collaborations in the ever-evolving agri-food tech landscape.
My key takeaways:
1️⃣ Although we are seeing a dip in vertical farming globally and Singapore is no exception due to increased electricity prices, people are still energised to drive innovation and make the technology a viable solution for the future.
2️⃣ We are on the right track by focusing on plants. We need to learn how to cultivate more crops, grow them more efficiently and reduce energy demand. It all starts with understanding our crops better. It seems to be a global trend to go beyond edible plants and focus on the medicinal sector.
3️⃣ The market in the Southeast Asian region will take another 2 to 3 years to develop and offer economically viable solutions. Just enough time for us to develop solutions in the European market that can be scaled internationally across continents.
A special thanks to: Galen Zhou, Mandar Godge, Sibel K. Katharina Staske, Thea-Isabella Otto, Christine Zimmermann-Loessl, Silvana Nicola, John Cheung, Bingyu Zhuo, Association for Vertical Farming.
I am more than excited to see what the future will bring. I am more than excited that we are now at a point where we can stop making false promises about the technology. All that matters is a profitable and long-term sustainable business model that can compete with conventional and organic produce from the field.
If we haven’t had a chance to talk yet, or if we’ve already had an initial conversation, connect with me to discuss innovative ideas, collaboration opportunities, and to create a resilient food future together.
