What if the future of farming didn’t require vast fields, massive water consumption, or long-haul transportation? VentureLabs member company, SkyAcres is making that vision a reality, transforming underutilized spaces into high-yield vertical farms. Founded by Ishaan Kohli, the company bridges the gap between expensive commercial vertical farms and small-scale home systems, making sustainable farming more accessible than ever.

From MedTech to AgriTech: A Journey Rooted in Innovation

Ishaan’s journey into vertical farming was unconventional. With a background in medical technology and an initial ambition to pursue cancer research, he pivoted towards entrepreneurship, developing a drug delivery device that turned medicine into an inhalable mist for lung cancer patients.

In 2021, Ishaan’s extended family and friends who are blueberry farmers in Abbotsford, faced significant setbacks due to severe floods. Witnessing these challenges firsthand, he saw an opportunity to bring technological advancements from the medtech sector into agriculture, ensuring greater resilience and sustainability for farmers. This led to Ishaan repurposing his drug delivery device into an irrigation system that operated without pumps, which became the foundation of Skyacres’ technology.

The “Airbnb for Vertical Farming”

SkyAcres operates on a unique model that Ishaan likens to an “Airbnb for vertical farming.” Instead of requiring multimillion-dollar investments in new facilities, SkyAcres enables farmers to retrofit existing structures into high-yield, energy-efficient farms. These operations are then connected to a digital marketplace, linking growers directly with grocery stores and restaurants.

“We want to give farmers a way to monetize their underutilized spaces,” Ishaan explained. “With SkyAcres, they can turn an empty barn into a productive vertical farm without massive upfront costs.”

Addressing Key Challenges in Traditional Agriculture

SkyAcres is tackling major inefficiencies in North American agriculture, particularly the declining nutritional value of produce and the vulnerabilities of conventional farming to climate change and supply chain disruptions. Ishaan highlighted that North American produce often travels long distances before reaching grocery stores, resulting in substantial food waste-amounting to $600 billion in spoilage losses annually. “By the time food gets to the shelves, it has lost a significant portion of its nutritional value” Ishaan noted.

SkyAcres directly addresses this issue by enabling farmers to grow fresh, high-quality produce closer to where it is consumed. “Our record time from harvesting to a grocery store shelf is just 42 minutes,” Ishaan shared. By repurposing underutilized spaces like barns and warehouses into vertical farms, SkyAcres significantly reduces the need for long-haul transportation, ensuring fresher and more nutritious local produce.

Addressing Key Challenges in Traditional Agriculture

One of the most compelling aspects of SkyAcres’ technology is its impact on food quality. In a controlled study comparing SkyAcres-grown cherry tomatoes with those from a local Walmart, the former demonstrated 260% higher nutritional content. This stark contrast stems from SkyAcres’ ability to precisely control nutrient levels, optimize growing conditions, and eliminate the need for pesticides. This differentiates SkyAcres produce from conventional organic products, offering consumers a superior, locally-grown alternative that supports sustainability and food security.

“We believe we’re offering something even better than traditional organic produce,” Ishaan explained. “We grow in controlled environments with zero pesticides, and the results show in both nutrition and taste.”

Challenges and the Road Ahead

While SkyAcres has made impressive strides, scaling the business presents challenges. One major hurdle is the classic “chicken-and-egg” problem of growing both the supplier and customer bases simultaneously. To address this, SkyAcres is initially targeting smaller, independent grocery stores that require lower volumes of produce. By distributing free samples and creating a waitlist of interested buyers, the company aims to establish demand before expanding its network of growers.

Another challenge Ishaan noted is the high failure rate of vertical farming startups. Many of these startups which raised hundreds of millions in funding, have shut down due to unsustainable unit economics and biosecurity risks. SkyAcres differentiates itself through a low-cost, modular approach, ensuring financial viability and reducing the risk of widespread crop failure by keeping systems independent from one another.

Advice for Aspiring Entrepreneurs

Ishaan’s journey offers valuable insights for other entrepreneurs looking to start a business. His key advice include:

• Start Small: Contrary to the belief that startups require quitting a job and taking huge risks, Ishaan recommends testing ideas as side projects before committing full-time.
• Leverage Government Grants: Many startups fail due to lack of funding. Ishaan emphasized the importance of securing government grants, which not only provide financial support but also indicate market trends and areas of national interest.
• Build a Strong Network: Networking with mentors, industry leaders, and other entrepreneurs is crucial for navigating the challenges of building a business.

What’s Next for SkyAcres?

SkyAcres recently celebrated the opening of its new showroom facility in Surrey, which serves as a demonstration space for potential growers and partners. The company is also planning community engagement events to promote its vision further and expand its marketplace.

As SkyAcres continues to grow, its mission remains clear: to make vertical farming more accessible, sustainable, and profitable. By integrating advanced technology with a community-driven approach, the company is poised to redefine the future of agriculture.

For more updates, visit SkyAcres’ official website and social media channels.