SproutsIO Inc.

SproutsIO Inc. was established in 2013 to shift the dependence on industrial agriculture and reposition people from the end of the supply chain to the center of their food cycle.

SproutsIO empowers us to participate in the process of growing our own Personal Produce™. We have learned that involvement through incremental change is most disruptive when scaled. A SproutsIO garden may appear small at first glance, but when millions of us grow together, we reduce our dependence on industrial agriculture, creating a more sustainable feedback loop between people and food.

The primary challenge factor that SproutsIO aims to Solve:

• Support small-scale producers with access to inputs, capital, and knowledge to improve yields while sustaining productivity of land and seas;

The secondary challenge factor that SproutsIO aims to Solve (explanation below in “Explain how the problem...Challenge and your selected dimension.”):

• Promote the shift towards low-impact, diverse, and nutritious diets, including low-carbon protein options.

In 2015, according to the World Bank and UNFAO, we reached a global inflection point where the population exceeded the cropland needed to sustain it. With population increasing and finite arable land decreasing due to land degradation, food security is at risk. Alternative solutions are necessary now that focus on providing reliable access to quality, affordable produce.

SproutsIO enables people to become producers of their own food with a focus on plant based diet. This makes our food system more participatory, and in doing so addresses global challenges such as waste, water, and energy. By anticipating ideal conditions for each plant varietal, SproutsIO cares for plants automatically and in half the grow time as soil, using 40% less nutrients and only 2% of the water while eliminating the industrial supply chain that leads to >50% of food waste.

The SproutsIO system makes it easy for anyone to enjoy the pleasure of gardening. By integrating the high performance device, SproutsIOGrow software, and comprehensive sIO seed refills, SproutsIO enables anyone to cultivate a wide range of produce from leafy greens and herbs to fruiting plants, rapidly and efficiently. No green thumb required – just water and WiFi. 

The SproutsIO device uses our proprietary hybrid hydroculture technology and provides everything your plants need throughout their lifecycle. Wavelength tuned LEDs and adjustable lamp arm mean the light source is efficient, flexible and adaptable to a wide range of plants. Onboard camera and environmental sensors keep an eye on your plants 24-7.

SproutsIO uses a combination of behind-the-scenes automation and intuitive controls. SproutsIOGrow transforms your mobile device into a versatile gardening tool, enabling you to steer your Personal Produce™ towards your preferred flavor and schedule cultivation to meet your needs with intelligent Growing Profiles to optimize plant growth. Push notifications remind you when to add water, taste, and what is next in your queue to grow with your sIO refills. Delivered on-demand, sIO refills contain everything you need to grow with SproutsIO – organic seeds, media, and nutrients in a fully compostable package.

SproutsIO has shipped 294 devices to customers and has grown 1000+ sIO seed refills over the past year to track their use and growth data. We are focused on the US market, with plans to expand globally. We are currently shipping new production units with orders to new customers.

SproutsIO technology has been tested with professional clients and home growers alike to grow consistent and reliable produce. Professional and hospitality validation aids our expansion into corporate and education environments as well as the mass consumer market.

Every step of the way we have worked with our customers to develop the SproutsIO solution, from an extensive beta testing program with home growers, to pilot programs with world class hotels and restaurants. We continue to learn from our customers daily what is most useful for their specific needs. The flexibility of our solution and the data we collect allows us to continuously improve our service. For example we are developing a learning dashboard for students in schools and a harvest/yield calculator for restaurants.

According to the International Food Information Council, 86% of consumers cite taste as the key driver in food purchasing and over the last 30 years we have seen a 350% increase in diabetes rates which can be largely attributed to the absence of fruits and vegetables in our diets.

SproutsIO promotes healthy eating with focus on a diverse plant based diet. We offer a variety of produce, from root vegetables to leafy greens and herbs to fruiting plants. Because produce is picked fresh off the vine when ripe without transit the taste is of the highest quality.

SproutsIO sets the bar with a high performance, space efficient and holistic system for growing Personal Produce™ at a great value.

Typical Indoor Growing components in the industry are not optimized for efficiency, ease of use or reliability. 

Growing Technologies available on the market are comprised of components for growing rather than a system approach. Frequently this technology is reserved for greenhouse or industrial applications and is costly.

SproutsIO Proprietary Technology has category defining performance (described in detail in core technology below).

Indoor Growing Systems have been low performance, lacking sensors and software/networked integration. Recently, a few groups have entered the space on a basic level such as Aero Garden and Click & Grow but have provided a sub-optimal experience for their customers.

Core technology, seamless service, and reliability across the SproutsIO system provides category defining quality necessary for Personal Produce™.

We have patents and patents pending on a number of aspects of the SproutsIO system, including:

• Hybrid Hydroculture - The ability to grow both hydroponically and aeroponically using an electronic ultrasonic misting device that provides micron scale nutrient mist to plants without pumps or nozzles.

• sIO consumable - The sIO consumable contains everything you need to grow with SproutsIO - seeds, growing media, and nutrients, contained in a bio-plastic shell to make the growing process easy. The entire sIO is made from plant-based materials for responsible disposal and positive environmental impact.

• Growing Profile -  Environmental “recipes” for each plant type and phase of growth based on ideal growing conditions for that plant. The system adapts to the plants environmental needs using sensors and outputs. An example is data from the system light sensor triggering the coloration and intensity of LED system light based on environmental light available.

• Networked Growing/Distributed System - The ability to grow multiple plant types within one system, while at the same time limiting the spread of disease, reducing failure and allowing for the adaptability of the system in multiple configurations using remote sensing, monitoring and controls.

We have 300 units out in the field with customers for over one year. Please see our publicly available list of Taste-imonials here: https://www.sprouts.io/tastemaker

A change is necessary to address the strain the global food supply is under. Our theory of change is based on the premise that small, incremental changes can have broad, systemic impact when networked. This theory drove the development of the SproutsIO solution, from form to user experience: each device provides an incremental change to that family’s food consumption, and the devices together provide a systemic change to global food consumption. 

Activities: By participating in the production of the food consumed, we become more thoughtful about food in general. In a survey of 800 consumers in 2014, 77% of responders indicated they prefer a mix of automated and manual growing.

Outputs: Each SproutsIO user becomes an agent of change, simply by participating in growing produce. The obvious consumption of the produce grown reduces the reliance on industrial agriculture. The secondary output is that food becomes more meaningful to the SproutsIO user, changing consumption behavior beyond what he/she is growing at the moment. In 2015 SproutsIO conducted rigorous Beta Testing of the Complete Functional Prototype (CFP) in three different formats under the banner “IO Sessions”.  SproutsIO interacted directly with our customers to test design and interaction features associated with the user experience. A key takeaway was that consumers identified the impact to food waste, that users wanted to participate in the process, that this would reduce trips to the grocery store, and one participant noted that SproutsIO would “become an extension of [his] personality.”

Short-term Outcome: The SproutsIO collective, the network of all SproutsIOs in use, begin to reduce demand in each locale - both through the produce grown in SproutsIOs and in the new perspective on food consumption. Retailers adjust orders with industrial agriculture suppliers, in line with the reduced demand by the consumer. 

Long-term Outcome: The SproutsIO collective continues to grow, and the impact on demand grows along with it. Industrial agriculture suppliers reduce production to align with reduced orders from retailers. Less waste of spoiled produce (in transit and in retail) and less fossil fuels spent from creating and delivering the supply begin improving the overall global health.

We currently have shipped 294 SproutsIO systems to customers in the US. An additional 510 units are currently in production domestically to meet demand this quarter. In one year we anticipate 1000 memberships in the US and Canada. In three years we anticipate 45000 memberships in the US, Canada, LATAM and EU.

Expanding our user base is paramount to scaling the SproutsIO technology and enabling more people to participate in their food. In the next year we will focus on the US and Canada, and over the next five years we plan to have a larger global footprint. In order to facilitate this, we will need to market to different countries and populations, as well as developing variations of the product offering.

The average US household does not grow their own produce. Trends toward growing your own are on the rise, however, and consumers will be choosing which solution works best for them and their lifestyles over the coming years. SproutsIO, along with every solution in the category, faces a challenge to educate the consumer on why our solution can work for that household. Finding the correct marketing channels and media to communicate that succinctly and effectively is a barrier to success. Growing the user base will then fuel the AI engine to create a product that exceeds the competition in performance, both in user experience and consistent yield and performance. Funding those marketing efforts are paramount to accomplishing our goals in the next years.

SproutsIO is actively pursuing funding to support marketing efforts to grow the user base, which will in turn provide data to improve functionality. We are developing a robust digital marketing plan, to be executed in stages to match our resources. Proceeds from current sales will be cycled back into the marketing team and efforts, so as to drive the user base and gain share in the growing category.

5 Full-time staff

2 Part-time staff

We work with manufacturing and engineering contractors as well.

The SproutsIO team is collaborative and multifaceted. It is my privilege to assemble and lead this extraordinary team, synchronizing all efforts around our business objectives and overarching mission.

Co-founder and CEO Jennifer Farah is committed to realizing a new future for homegrown produce. She holds an M.S. in Architecture from Columbia and an M.S. in Media Arts from the MIT Media Lab where she initiated the study of urban agriculture technology.

Co-founder and COO Kamal Farah holds an M.S. in Architecture from Columbia (where he was also a faculty member) and an M.S. in Media Arts from the MIT Media Lab. He also has ten years experience in the design and construction industry. 

Bill McCartney leads our Technology team with more than fifteen years of experience in design, development and implementation of millions of IoT devices. He holds a PhD in Engineering and an M.S. in Electrical Engineering from Cleveland State.

Cateryn Kiernan leads our Business Development team and holds an MBA from NYU Stern School of Management and a B.S. University of Kentucky. Cat has over 10 years experience working at Time Inc. with focus on consumer marketing and subscriptions, where she was a VP of Strategic Planning and Consumer Marketing.

Regan McLaughlin leads Special Projects across disciplines at SproutsIO. She holds a BA in Environmental Studies from Boston College.

Joseph Bibeau is a R&D Engineer at SproutsIO and is responsible for system maintenance. He holds an Associate of Science and Electronic Engineering Technology from New Hampshire Technical Institute.

The business model is comprised of the device purchase (or finance option) and monthly membership service, which incorporates unlimited sIO seed refills and SproutsIOGrow software services.

As MIT alumni, we believe strongly in MIT’s mission to work together toward solving big problems facing our world today. We believe that the Solve platform is an important way to stay connected with the MIT community and to tap into the vast network of parties that are involved with the Solve platform. The best way to solve for sustainable food systems is to work together towards solutions that will have a great impact.

We are launching SproutsIO to the US consumer market now which is a big step towards our mission of getting SproutsIO technology into the hands of as many people as possible. In order to do this, we are ramping up sales and manufacturing, this requires upfront investment in the production of systems, as well as hiring a strong marketing and sales team to expose the general public to the technology.

We are working on a plan that would involve NSF and potentially NASA. With NSF we are looking at a specific project that would advance the machine learning capabilities of the system. With NASA we are looking at an already established program where SproutsIO systems could be utilized for baseline testing of plant growth on the ISS.

SproutsIO is inclusive from multiple perspectives. Internally, we focus on diversity and supporting women in technology and engineering roles, we are also a female owned company. Externally, we develop participatory technology that fosters biological diversity in plant growth through gardening, and also diversity in its user base. This includes our outreach and work with schools and in particular developing STEAM programs for students to participate in growing their own produce and developing healthy eating habits.

SproutsIO is the first consumer focused, soil-free, indoor growing system that will utilize AI to optimize plant growth through proprietary Growing Profiles. We are developing machine learning tools towards intelligent Growing Profiles that optimize plant cultivation in the SproutsIO system. These AI tools and data have the potential to be used in agricultural and greenhouse applications outside of the SproutsIO system to inform best practices for growing while minimizing inputs such as water and nutrients. 

We are often presented with incredible challenges and led to believe that significant resources and large organizations are necessary to meet them. However, I have always believed that a thoughtful, small scale solution can have a large scale impact when implemented by many in order to affect change.

SproutsIO empowers us to participate in the process of growing our own Personal Produce™. A SproutsIO smart garden may appear small at first glance, but when millions of us grow together, we change our dependence on industrial agriculture, repositioning ourselves from the end of the supply chain to the center of the food cycle.