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In concrete terms, what does this award highlight? The innovations and promises of 80 Acres Farms are manifold: in the context of a global population boom, the question of agriculture is crucial, but under-addressed. This is where the Ohio-based company comes in, with its indoor vertical farms. Yet many people are still unfamiliar with this modern production method, even though the benefits are indisputable: zero pesticides, local production, vegetables growing in infrastructures powered 100% by renewable electricity and requiring 95% less water than traditional crops. Last but not least, the possibility of growing 300 times more food per square metre than with conventional crops. This is not the first time the company has been recognized for its innovations.
80 Acres Farms has raised over $400 million to date, and in 2024 completed a major $115 million fundraising to expand its distribution network and invest in additional farms. The company also finalized the acquisition of Plantae Biosciences, an Israeli company specializing in plant biotechnology, followed by the purchase of three domestic farms from Kalera Inc. located in Colorado, Georgia and Texas, thus strengthening its production capacity.