Indoor AgTech 2021, An Evolving Landscape

Indoor AgTech 2021, An Evolving Landscape

Since the initial release of our Indoor AgTech Landscape in 2019, indoor agriculture has continued to garner tremendous attention and investment because of the compelling benefits of growing food in a controlled indoor environment. Here we present an updated Indoor AgTech Landscape for 2021 (download here) and our accompanying commentary on this evolving production system's role in addressing challenges facing the entire food sector. Indoor Ag *Is* our Food System One of the intriguing aspects of indoor agriculture is that it is a microcosm of our food system. Whether within a greenhouse or a sunless (vertical farm) environment, this method of farming spans production to consumption, with many indoor operators marketing their produce to consumers as branded products. As we explore below, the indoor ag value chain reflects a number of the challenges and opportunities confronting our entire food system today: supply chain, safety, sustainability, and labor. Of course, the COVID-19 pandemic rippled through and impacted each aspect of that system, at times magnifying the challenges, and at others, accelerating change and growth. Our Indoor AgTech Landscape 2021 provides a snapshot of the technology and innovation ecosystem of the indoor food production value chain. The landscape spans from component technology