May 24, 2021

OnePointOne, Sakata Seed America accelerate vertical farming options

OnePointOne and Sakata Seed America announced today a game-changing collaboration in the acceleration of vertical farming. Together, the two leading entities will share intelligence and analysis focused on maximizing plant outputs while minimizing environmental impact.

The large-scale research program began May 24 at OnePointOne’s facility in San Jose, California. Its 25-foot vertical structure uses LED lights to supplant the sun, a nutrient-rich mist to replace the soils and a clean-room environment, akin to a computer lab, as the production field. OnePointOne’s system consists of advanced aeroponics and a fleet of robotic growers to perform most of the day-to-day production functions – from planting, to watering, to harvesting.

Sakata’s wide array of state-of-the-art genetics coupled with OnePointOne’s industry-leading, proprietary tech promises to drive further innovations and discovery.

“We are taking the controlled environment agriculture arena very seriously. By working with OnePointOne on product research and development, we aim to push the segment’s development in a real-world vertical production environment,” Dave Armstrong, president/CEO of Sakata, said in a news release. “Working together directly and fully sharing information enables both sides to capture data that might otherwise take years to generate.”

“Working with OnePointOne gives us the opportunity to test many of our varieties in a true vertical system and highly precise indoor environment. The performance data we’ll collect will help us continue to refine our varieties and fine-tune our breeding programs for the CEA space,” said Tracy Lee, Sakata’s Controlled Environment Agriculture (CEA) Lead.

“We are on a mission to unleash the power of plants to feed, fuel and heal the world,” said Sam Bertram, CEO and co-founder of OnePointOne. “As we launch Willo, the world’s first personalized vertical farming experience, this Sakata partnership will help amplify our ability to bring an exciting list of cultivars to our members. Furthermore, it will drive the innovations and advances needed to bring a more sustainable growth platform to the market at scale.”

Headquartered in Morgan Hill, California, Sakata Seed America is a major research, seed production and marketing-distribution subsidiary of Sakata Seed Corporation, established in 1913. Sakata Seed America, which recently celebrated its 40th anniversary, serves as the headquarters for the North American/Central American operations. Its mission is to quickly and efficiently meet industry expectations for quality seed, innovative genetics and excellent greenhouse and field performance.

Founded in Silicon Valley, OnePointOne is revolutionizing vertical farming by building the most technologically advanced plant cultivation platform on the planet through innovations in automation, AI and plant science.

In 2020, OnePointOne launched Willo (www.willo.farm) the world’s first personalized vertical farming program designed to amplify human health.