Fresh off a successful funding round — with backing from the Israeli Innovation Authority, the Israeli Ministry of Economy and a bevy of angel investors — Israeli AgTech startup Growee Smart Hydroponics has its sights set on small-scale North American hydroponic growers. Following the company’s successful distribution of its cloud-connected products to over 20 countries worldwide, a new Florida distribution center puts the U.S. and North American market firmly in Growee’s view.
“Growee is dedicated to providing sustainable, user-friendly tech solutions to small-scale growers,” said Idan Avitan, Grower co-founder and CEO. “The emerging micro hydroponics farm market supports urban farming growth. Millions of home and small-scale growers are leading the way, and we’re privileged to be part of their journey. Our new distribution center in Florida is a crucial step towards making our solutions more accessible to urban farmers in the U.S., and we’re planning additional locations to meet the rising demand in the urban farming and small-scale hydroponics market.”
With this uncommon twist, Growee’s hardware and software platform prioritizes the needs of small-scale growers rather than large commercial operations. The team reports home growers, educational and research facilities, urban hydroponic and vertical farmers, and container farms benefit.
The Growee platform uses proprietary IoT and analytics technology to continuously monitor and balance water chemistry, enabling growers to track and control set points for pH, EC and water temp, effectively managing system pH and nutrient dosing from anywhere. Growers manage collected data via the Growee cloud, gaining real-time insights and control through the Growee app.
“We see hydroponics as the future of both urban and vertical farming,” Avitan explains. “Currently, small-scale growers face the time-consuming and complicated task of manual water monitoring and adjustment. Growee’s automated hydroponics system simplifies this process, enhancing efficiency and increasing yields, as reported by customers worldwide.”
The startup’s support for the local community extends beyond product offerings. “We recently launched a Military Service Benefits Program, and we are proud to honor and support the veteran community,” Avitan adds. “Given my past as a combat fighter and a commander in the IDF Special Forces, I’ve experienced how growing can help heal the soul, whether it’s through growing food or medicinal plants.”
While Growee’s North American expansion eyes small-scale growers, the company’s scalable modular technology provides solutions for growers and farms of all sizes. The Growee team reports their IoT platform can support the growth of 1 to 5,000 plants, allowing extensive customization to accommodate scale as well as varied growing conditions.
Image courtesy Growee