Key Takeaways:
- Emiliano Gutierrez is building Raise Farms to address food security through modular, energy-efficient vertical farms.
- Raise Farms integrates blockchain for traceability, decentralized financing, and ownership models.
- The company has launched a hybrid farm structure in Lisbon combining solar, LED, and natural light.
- Raise is developing “farm walls” to expand access to hydroponic systems in underserved communities.
- “We aim to build a greener food system and healthier communities,” said Emiliano Gutierrez.
Emiliano Gutierrez: From Mexico to Lisbon, With a Vision for Vertical Farming
Emiliano Gutierrez, co-founder and CEO of Raiz Farms, is working to reimagine the future of food by integrating technology, decentralization, and education into vertical farming. Based in Lisbon, Portugal, Gutierrez draws from a global background that includes entrepreneurial experiences in Mexico, Australia, and the U.S.
“We’re building Raiz Farms to be more than a growing system—it’s a way to empower local communities,” Emiliano Gutierrez said during a recent interview on the Vertical Farming Podcast.
Emiliano Gutierrez Launches Hybrid Farming Model
In July 2022, Raiz Farms launched its first concept farm in Lisbon. The structure features a two-tier system: a translucent upper container for crop cultivation and a lower container for logistics and water reservoirs. The design incorporates a hybrid energy model using solar panels, natural sunlight, and adaptive LEDs to reduce operational energy costs.
“We knew we had to optimize for energy,” Gutierrez explained. “Natural light, combined with dynamic LEDs, made both economic and environmental sense in Lisbon.”
Blockchain and Vertical Farming: A Shared Framework
Gutierrez has been active in blockchain development since 2017 and is now leveraging that background to introduce decentralized financing to vertical farming. Raiz Farms is building a blockchain-based ownership system that allows individuals to hold fractional stakes in farm operations through smart contracts.
“Our goal is to enable people to have a piece of a vertical farming network—whether for impact, traceability, or future returns,” Emiliano Gutierrez noted. The platform, built with the NEAR Protocol, also supports digital membership and resource tracking.
Farm Walls: Democratizing Access to Fresh Food
In addition to container farms, Raiz Farms is developing modular “farm walls”—3D-printed hydroponic units intended for coworking spaces, hospitality venues, and underserved regions. These systems are designed to be low-cost, sensor-integrated, and easy to deploy.
Examples include a regenerative hotel in Italy and a planned installation in Myanmar in partnership with NGOs. “We want to start validating hydroponics at the community level,” Gutierrez said.
Emiliano Gutierrez on the Future of Raiz Farms
Having bootstrapped its MVP and conducted a successful crowdfunding campaign, Raise Farms is now raising a pre-seed round to scale operations across Iberia and build additional software and hardware components.
Emiliano Gutierrez continues to focus on impact, saying, “It’s not just about carbon. Our biggest effect is on people and water. That’s where we’re aiming to make a real difference.”
