S2E24: Alexander Olesen & Graham Smith - Farming for a Better Future

Episode Summary

Join Harry Duran, host of Vertical Farming Podcast, as he welcomes to the show co-founders of Babylon MicroFarms, Alexander Olesen and Graham Smith. Alexander and Graham met at the University of Virginia where they first designed a low-cost micro-farm to provide nutritious produce for food-insecure refugees in the Middle East. They were initially inspired by the desire to bring benefits of sustainable hydroponic farming to those who need it the most. In this episode, Harry talks to Alexander and Graham about the genesis of Babylon MicroFarms, why AgTech and vertical farming are critical to the advancement of our society and technological developments that have been made in vertical farming.

Episode Sponsor

Ceres Greenhouse Solutions

Key Takeaways

03:22 – Harry welcomes to the show Alexander Olesen and Graham Smith, co-founders of Babylon, who share their intriguing origin stories
05:41 – Alexander and Graham discuss their initial educational pursuits and what led them to AgTech
11:41 – Where the inspiration came from to start Babylon MicroFarms and challenges and obstacles Alexander and Graham faced along the way
18:46 – How Alexander and Graham decided where to focus their resources in vertical farming
22:38 – Alexander and Graham share how they’ve grown their team and why they chose to set up shop in Virginia
25:17 – The impact COVID-19 has had on Alexander and Graham’s business
27:17 – Alexander and Graham discuss Networking in AgTech
29:09 – Graham talks about his passion for making products that make people happy and Alexander explains why vertical farming is so important in today’s society
38:06 – What excites Alexander and Graham the most about the future of AgTech
41:36 – A tough question Alexander and Graham have had to ask themselves recently and mentors in the AgTech space that they admire
43:48 – Harry thanks Alexander & Graham for joining the show and let’s listeners know where they can connect with them