📋 Tender Overview
A St. Johns-based company that has developed an aeroponic appliance for growing herbs and vegetables indoors is receiving support from the Provincial Government to grow its business. The Honourable Andrew Parsons, KC, Minister of Industry, Energy and Technology, today announced 146,531 for Aera Agriculture to support the development of its smart farming device known as Victory.
Aeras goal is to revolutionize food production through automated aeroponic farming appliances. Victory is a fridge-sized appliance that uses innovative aeroponic technology allowing users to grow and maintain a consistent level of produce in a commercial setting. It can grow a wide variety of plants, from leafy greens to root vegetables, and it has software that includes a proprietary crop management system, remote access capabilities, and comprehensive dashboard analytics.
Aeras first commercial product will be strategically aimed at restaurants, with a particular focus on mid-to-upscale independently owned restaurants encountering significant obstacles in sourcing affordable, high-quality fresh produce. Currently, Aera has secured commitments from five customers, comprising local restaurants within the St. Johns area to participate in trials of pre-production iterations of Aeras smart farming appliances.
Leveraging the financial support provided by the Department of Industry, Energy and Technology, Aera will invest a further 163,118 for this project. In addition, the company is receiving advisory services and up to 57,168 in research and development funding from the National Research Council of Canada Industrial Research Assistance Program (NRC IRAP) to support growth trials using its smart farming appliance.
The Department of Industry, Energy and Technology offers programs to support research and development projects for both commercial and non-commercial applicants. These programs reduce the technical and financial risk of research and development projects where research and development is required to realize the commercial potential of innovative products, processes or services.
