UrbanFarmers

UrbanFarmers AG was a Swiss-based company established in 2011 as a pioneer in developing commercial urban food production systems. It originated as a technology spin-off from the University of Applied Sciences (ZHAW) in Zurich. The company was founded by Roman Gaus, who served as CEO, and Andreas Graber, who was the Head of R&D. Gaus, with a background in business at companies like Procter & Gamble and Novartis, was inspired by urban farming initiatives in the US and the potential of Swiss-engineered aquaponics technology. Graber brought expertise in aquaponics from his time as an R&D Manager at ZHAW.

The core of UrbanFarmers' business was the design, financing, and operation of urban farms that used aquaponics to grow fish and vegetables. Aquaponics is a closed-loop system where waste from farmed fish provides nutrients for plants grown hydroponically, which in turn purify the water for the fish. This method uses significantly less water than traditional agriculture and eliminates the need for pesticides or antibiotics. The company aimed to address food security challenges by creating decentralized, soil-less farming systems on urban rooftops, thereby reducing transportation distances and CO2 emissions.

UrbanFarmers' business model involved selling its produce, primarily fish and a wide variety of vegetables, directly to local restaurants and consumers under its "UF" brand. They also offered hospitality services, tours, and events at their farm locations. The company developed proprietary software, the "UF Controller," to automate and manage the nutrient balance within their aquaponic systems. Their first commercial pilot, UF001 LokDepot, launched in Basel, Switzerland, on a 250m2 rooftop, with the capacity to produce 5 tons of vegetables and 800kg of fish annually. This was followed by the opening of Europe's largest rooftop farm at the time, UF002 De Schilde in The Hague, Netherlands, in 2016.

Despite initial success, including multiple funding rounds and global interest, UrbanFarmers faced significant operational and financial difficulties. The large-scale project in The Hague proved to be a financial failure, with high costs and lagging revenue. Disagreements among stakeholders regarding strategy further weakened the company. Ultimately, UrbanFarmers AG in Switzerland and its operations in The Hague both went bankrupt in 2018, highlighting the economic and technical challenges of scaling urban aquaponics ventures.

Keywords: urban farming, aquaponics, rooftop farms, sustainable agriculture, local food production, food security, controlled environment agriculture, hydroponics, Roman Gaus, UF002 De Schilde, ZHAW spin-off, urban agriculture technology, decentralized farming, aquaponic systems, Swiss agritech, fish farming, vegetable cultivation, farm-to-table, sustainable food systems, food production innovation, UrbanFarmers bankruptcy