Babylon Micro-Farms has raised a $2.3 million seed round led by Virginia-based early-stage investment group CIT GAP Funds and startup incubation group Plug and Play Ventures. The round also includes a $225,000 grant from the National Science Foundation. This brings the company’s total capital to $3 million.
Combining cloud-based technology and what it describes as “remotely-managed growing services,” the Charlottesville-based startup describes its technology as a plug-and-play hydroponics system for indoor ag. The hardware piece of its product is a 32” x 66” x 96” tall machine, according to Forbes. The company claims that its 15 square-foot micro-farms can produce as much produce as a 2,000 square-foot of outdoor farmland.
The software piece of the platform offers fine-tuned nutrient and irrigation systems that can be customized to almost any plant and LED lights take the place of sunlight. It currently offers 227 seed varieties.
