Key Takeaways
- Infinite Acres, a subsidiary of 80 Acres Farms, is opening a pioneering vertical farming research center in The Hague.
- The Infinite Acres Experience Center aims to foster collaboration and innovation in sustainable agriculture.
- The facility will partner with leading technology companies and academic institutions to advance vertical farming.
- The center will support research on reducing food waste, shortening supply chains, and producing food with fewer resources.
- This initiative addresses global challenges like population growth and climate change by promoting digitalization and cutting-edge technologies.
Infinite Acres, a technology-focused subsidiary of the American vertical farming company 80 Acres Farms, has announced the opening of a groundbreaking research center at its Dutch headquarters. This facility, known as the Infinite Acres Experience Center, is set to become a hub for industrial innovation and sustainable agricultural solutions.
The Infinite Acres Experience Center
For nearly a decade, 80 Acres Farms has been a leader in the vertical farming industry, with operations in the United States and Europe. The company’s production farms supply fresh produce and grab-and-go meals to over 1,500 retail locations across the eastern United States. The Infinite Acres team, working with top-tier technology partners, identified the need for a collaborative research space to further enhance their innovations.
The Infinite Acres Field Lab and Experience Center is located near the renowned Dutch greenhouses, which have long been at the forefront of high-tech agriculture. “Innovation requires collaboration,” says Tisha Livingston, CEO of Infinite Acres and co-founder of 80 Acres Farms. “By bringing partners into our research center, we’re closing a feedback loop and accelerating our learnings, for the benefit of farmers everywhere. This is a collaborative space where we can innovate to solve global problems.” Vertical farming, with its promise of shortened supply chains, reduced food waste, and efficient food production, aims to create a healthier and more sustainable future.
Collaboration with Technology Partners and Academic Institutions
At the Field Lab and Experience Center, Infinite Acres will work alongside partner companies, including Siemens, Signify, SICK, and TTA, which are directly supporting the project. The facility will also be open to student researchers, fostering educational collaboration. Infinite Acres is a member of Wageningen University’s Club of 100 and aims to strengthen its partnership with Wageningen while engaging with TU Delft and other Dutch and American universities.
Dirk De Bilde, CEO of Siemens Nederland, highlighted the importance of this initiative: “With challenges like a growing population and climate change, which, amongst many other severe consequences leads to soil degradation, we must rethink traditional food production. Digitalization and cutting-edge technologies such as AI are key to scale the sustainability impact in food production and vertical farming industry, and it is people who develop this technology to positively impact others. The opening of the Field Lab and Experience Center is an important milestone and sets a new standard for collaboration in vertical farming. It shows our shared commitment to a more sustainable future.”
Image provided by Infinite Acres
