Agrilution

Agrilution, founded in Munich in 2013 by Maximilian Loessl and Philipp Wagner, developed and marketed a personal vertical farming ecosystem for home kitchens. Loessl's background, having witnessed food scarcity in China and worked with Greenpeace, fueled his passion for creating consumer access to fresh food, leading to the creation of Agrilution. The company's core product was the Plantcube, a fully automated, self-contained appliance resembling a small refrigerator, designed to be integrated into kitchens. This system managed lighting, climate, and watering to cultivate greens, herbs, and microgreens year-round.

The business model centered on a hardware-plus-consumables strategy. Customers would purchase the Plantcube unit and subsequently buy proprietary "Seedbars"—mats made from upcycled fabric waste containing non-GMO seeds. The entire process was managed via a companion app, which allowed users to monitor growth, receive maintenance alerts, and order new Seedbars. Agrilution targeted urban consumers seeking fresh, pesticide-free produce with a focus on sustainability by reducing water usage, transportation, and food waste. After initial sales, the company faced financial difficulties when a funding round did not materialize, leading to insolvency proceedings in late 2019.

In December 2019, premium appliance manufacturer Miele acquired Agrilution's assets, brand, and most of its employees through an asset deal, transferring them to the newly formed Agrilution Systems GmbH. This acquisition was intended to integrate the Plantcube concept into Miele's portfolio, leveraging Miele's market presence. Despite the backing and efforts to develop a lower-priced model to attract a wider audience, the business struggled. Demand fell short of expectations, and the high price point of over 3,000 euros remained a barrier. Ultimately, citing a lack of economic viability, Miele announced the cessation of Agrilution's business operations as of June 30, 2023.

Keywords: personal vertical farming, home farming system, smart kitchen appliance, automated greenhouse, indoor gardening, Plantcube, Seedbars, urban farming, hydroponics, agtech, controlled environment agriculture, Miele subsidiary, food tech, microgreens, sustainable food, home cultivation, smart garden, kitchen appliance, consumer agtech, indoor farming technology, vertical farm