Flex Farming: Farms as a Battery Technology - Investment opportunity
Opportunity for
- Investors, VC, Family offices, corporate.
- Strawberry producers and vertical farmers interested in trialling new technologies, and exploring new farming systems.
^This opportunity is only for professional and sophisticated investors.
Opportunity description
Industry challenge
Strawberries are a highly demanded fresh produce due to their delicious taste and numerous health benefits. Consumers expect year-round availability, but traditional strawberry farming is highly dependent on specific climatic conditions. As a result, strawberries often need to be imported for half the year, which can increase environmental and logistical costs. Additionally, strawberry farming requires a significant amount of water and, due to the plant's sensitivity to pests, heavy use of agrochemicals is needed to maintain yield.
Flex Farming has developed a cutting-edge technology called Farm as a Battery (FAB), which seamlessly integrates strawberry cultivation with renewable energy generation. This innovative system dynamically adjusts the growing environment in response to fluctuations in renewable energy supply. When there's an oversupply of electricity, which would typically be curtailed or stored using expensive batteries, the system takes advantage of the surplus by intensifying the growing process, simulating "sunny days." Conversely, during low electricity periods, it simulates "cloudy days" to conserve energy.
This breakthrough significantly lowers the primary cost driver in vertical farming—electricity—making sustainable indoor farming of medium-value crops like strawberries financially viable. FAB not only offers a sustainable food production solution but also supports renewable energy deployment in areas with limited grid access or capacity, improving food security by optimizing energy use for agriculture. This creates a win-win situation by enhancing energy efficiency while ensuring consistent, year-round strawberry production.
Flex Farming's layered, vertical setup enables us to produce high-quality, flavourful strawberries all year round, independent of the seasons. This method uses 95% less water and 90% less land compared to traditional farming, while also significantly reducing the use of pesticides. In fact, the system has the potential to become pesticide-free. Moreover, our strawberries have an extended shelf life, reducing food waste. With its sustainable approach, our method offers the potential to achieve net-zero emissions, presenting a groundbreaking solution to meet consumer demands while protecting the environment.
Current opportunity
Flex Farming are seeking forward-thinking investors and field trial participants to partner with us in revolutionising the Australian strawberry market. This is a unique opportunity to be part of a sustainable solution that meets consumer demand for fresh, high-quality produce year-round, while significantly reducing environmental impact. Together, we can scale this innovation and transform food production
Flex Farming is partnering with SA Produce Market and SARDI to establish Australia’s first scalable, sustainable strawberry production facility. SA Produce Market has provided prime real estate at its central hub, where growers and buyers converge, and access to renewable solar energy, ensuring a sustainable, eco-friendly operation. This strategic location is perfect for integrating with South Australia’s agricultural economy. The Government of South Australia and SARDI have also committed R&D funding to help us adapt and optimize our system for local strawberry varieties.
Our innovative Total Controlled Environment Agriculture (TCEA) method can grow strawberries year-round, using 95% less water, 90% less land, and minimal pesticides, with the potential to be pesticide-free and net-zero. With a longer shelf life and consistently high quality, Flex Farming addresses the current challenges in strawberry production, reducing reliance on imports and countering climate-related risks.
Potential other applications
Flex Farming's innovative Farm as a Battery (FAB) solution can be adopted by any vertical farm grower, allowing them to significantly reduce their primary input costs—particularly electricity. By dynamically managing the growing environment in response to renewable energy availability, FAB offers a cost-effective, sustainable approach that can benefit a wide range of indoor farming operations. Beyond strawberries, Flex Farming is also exploring the application of this technology to other high-demand berries, such as raspberries. Our scalable and adaptable solution positions us to revolutionize vertical farming by optimizing both energy usage and food production, offering a sustainable pathway for growers worldwide.
^Professional and sophisticated investors as defined in the Corporations Act 2001 (Cth). The content of this opportunity is intended for use by persons having professional experience in matters relating to investments and must not be acted or relied upon by any other person including, without limitation, retail clients.