AgroUrbana

AgroUrbana is a Chilean company positioning itself at the forefront of the vertical farming sector in Latin America. Founded in 2018 by Cristián Sjögren and Pablo Bunster, the firm was established to address the challenges of climate change and meet the demands of a new generation of conscientious consumers. Both founders transitioned from the renewable energy industry, drawing parallels between the early stages of renewables and the current state of vertical farming, particularly in technology, data management, and decreasing costs. Sjögren, who serves as CEO, has a background as an Industrial Civil Engineer and holds an MBA from UC Berkeley; he previously founded Solar Chile and was the country manager for First Solar. Bunster, the company's CCO, also has a background in the renewable energy sector.

The company's core business is producing vegetables in climate-controlled, vertically stacked layers using hydroponics, which involves growing plants in water and nutrients without soil. This method allows AgroUrbana to produce crops year-round with significant resource efficiency, reportedly using 95% less water and yielding 100 times more produce per square meter than traditional agriculture. Their produce is pesticide-free and ready-to-eat. The entire operation is powered by renewable energy, aligning with the founders' sustainability-focused backgrounds. AgroUrbana's business model is not centered on developing proprietary technology but rather on being expert farmers who leverage existing technologies to create an efficient and profitable operational business.

AgroUrbana serves a diversified client base that includes major retail chains like Walmart and Cencosud, food service companies such as Aramark, restaurants, and direct-to-consumer sales through a subscription box model. The company began with a 3,000-square-foot pilot facility in Santiago and has since embarked on significant scaling efforts. After raising a $1 million seed round in 2020 and a $4 million Series A in 2021, AgroUrbana secured a $6 million pre-Series B round in May 2024. This latest funding is aimed at expanding its Quilicura plant fivefold to meet growing demand as the company is currently operating at maximum capacity, producing 60 tons of greens annually.

Keywords: vertical farming, agritech, sustainable agriculture, hydroponics, urban farming, food supply chain, controlled environment agriculture, renewable energy, Chile, Latin America, leafy greens, Cristián Sjögren, Pablo Bunster, local food production, water conservation, pesticide-free produce, food technology, direct-to-consumer, B2B food supply, impact investing