Program enables vertical farm leaders to collaborate and spur industry innovation

DAVIS, CA, Feb. 28, 2022 -- Unfold, a company that combines leading seed genetics with crop growing and agronomic expertise to advance the vertical farming industry, today announced the launch of its Innovation Partner Program. The program provides vertical farm leaders with access to Unfold's leading plant biology expertise, digital tools and germplasm. Through industry collaborations, Unfold aims to address the challenges vertical farm operators face today while unlocking new sources of value.

Since launching in 2020, Unfold has been 100% dedicated to the indoor agriculture community, and has worked closely with industry leaders to improve operational efficiencies and create value for vertical farms through new seed varieties. In the past, seed offerings were not optimized for indoor growing conditions -with their precise environmental controls and specialized lighting - and therefore did not create an optimal end-product. Seeds developed specifically for indoor agriculture could help vertical farms reduce production costs by cutting down on time to harvest, for example, which in turn could reduce energy consumption levels thus improving on the cost of goods. Improved genetic offerings could also provide improved quality of the end produce, thus providing vegetables with broad consumer appeal. Working alongside industry leaders, Unfold will leverage its expertise in plant biology, artificial intelligence, and machine learning to develop and launch products that improve our global food system.
"Through the Innovation Partner Program, we are looking to partner with industry leaders who see the value and opportunities that can come from R&D collaborations,'' said John Purcell, CEO and President of Unfold. "As we continue to scale our business, we believe these deeper relationships will drive product innovation and solutions that will have tremendous value for our customers and the industry as a whole."
The Innovation Partner Program illustrates how Unfold is making progress on establishing the long-term relationships necessary to be an important solutions provider globally and to further the indoor farming industry.
Trialing is already underway with multiple partners across three continents, and initial data is showing promising results, including the identification of multiple new varieties. As trialing continues, Unfold expects data sharing to accelerate time to market for new innovations at indoor farms.
"Seed genetics, plant science, data and digital solutions play a large role in bringing vertical farming mainstream,'' said David Nothmann, Chief Operating Officer of Unfold. "That is why we are proud to work alongside the world's vertical farm leaders to grow produce indoors more efficiently and most cost-effectively through our offering of premium seeds and agronomic insights."
To learn more about our Innovation Partner Program please visit https://unfold.ag/partner-program.

About Unfold
Unfold is accelerating the "seed to table" capabilities of vertical farming with an integrated offering of superior seeds, digital services, and agronomic insight. Based in Davis, California, Unfold's mission is to create a world where the freshest, most nutritious, and most delicious produce is available to every person on the planet. For additional information about Unfold or to hear about potential career opportunities, please visit our website at https://unfold.ag/.