Grace Ashiru
PixelBlue, the company that owns South African agritech startup Homefarm, says it raised R1.7 million (about $104,000) in seed funding to make it possible for people, communities, and businesses to grow more fresh food where it is eaten.
CapaciTech, a company that invests in new businesses, is one of its investors.
In a media release, Homefarm says its fully automated indoor farms and farming-as-a-service model means anybody can grow their food anywhere. Its systems are built on concepts and technologies exclusive to the company, and all its products are conceived of, designed, and produced within South Africa.
Michael Currin, the chief executive officer of Homefarm, stated that the seed capital would assist the startup company in scaling its operations, improving its service offering, and rolling out its marketing and distribution channels. The firm also sees opportunities to sell its farms to people in South Africa who want easy and reliable ways to grow food indoors all year long for their families, communities, and customers.
CapaciTech’s chief executive Matthew Emanuel explains, “We are optimistic about the good trend in the smart indoor farming technology field, and we feel very positive about playing an active part in Homefarm’s journey. “Michael and his colleagues have put in a lot of effort to establish a portfolio of essential technologies and goods that will significantly impact a market that is expanding.
The company’s first product, the Homefarm appliance, was designed to meet the requirements of urban households in South Africa. Since then, the company has expanded its market reach and product line to include providing indoor farming systems to businesses and customers located within urban and peri-urban areas.
According to Currin, Homefarm has the ambition to penetrate foreign markets. He also points out that many places in the world do not have an appropriate agricultural economy, making it difficult or expensive to ship fresh products there.
These can be countries that are islands, areas that have a very harsh climate, or just places that are very isolated, remote, or rural. He thinks that Homefarm’s “easily shippable and swiftly deployable systems” are an excellent alternative for small firms, particularly those located in these locations, and that international orders for the commercial product have already been placed.
Along with the rest of his team, Currin, a pioneer in urban farming, established Homefarm in 2017. The company was established to introduce fast deployable, completely automated food farming systems to the mainstream consumer and commercial to make possible the introduction of small-scale indoor farming to those markets.
When Currin first conceived of the idea that would later become Homefarm, he saw an opening in the market for consumer-oriented indoor farming systems that were both user-friendly and aesthetically pleasing.
The company’s first product, the Homefarm appliance, was designed to meet the requirements of urban households in South Africa. Since then, the company has expanded its market reach and product line to include providing indoor farming systems to businesses and customers located within urban and peri-urban areas.
Additionally, the company has introduced its Homefarm commercial system, which is geared mainly toward commercial establishments that wish to cultivate their fresh fruit on the premises.
This system is supported by Homefarm’s farming-as-a-service offering and has the potential to generate up to 15 kg per month’s worth of fresh food. Customers may now be found worldwide with Homefarm, including in Europe, The United Kingdom, and Australia.
