A Year-Round, High Yield, Resource Lean, SMART Organic Indoor Farming Company
Why This Project Is Important
Unfavorable environmental conditions pose fundamental challenges in growing fresh vegetables all year-round, creating a scarcity of safe, dependable, and nutritious local produce. To meet these needs, fresh food is required to be transported from different parts of the globe, deteriorating its nutritional value and taste, increasing the cost all the while having a larger carbon footprint along the way.
Project Description
From seed to produce, we plan to regulate every facet of the growing process by optimizing the temperature, humidity, and nutrients, limiting the dependability on traditional resources. We aim to grow vegetables in a fully controlled, pesticide-free indoor environment, without the use of soil or sunlight. The closed-loop watering system incorporated will utilize 95% less water whereas the LED lighting system will provide the light-recipe with the necessary spectrum, frequency, and intensity. Our efficient growing system will improve the harvest predictability, reduce the harvest time, and supply fresh, flavorful vegetables with minimal environmental impact. https://www.yooperag.com/
Meet the Researchers
Oudumbar Rajput
Oudumbar is a second year Ph.D. student at Mechanical Engineering-Engineering Mechanics (MEEM), Michigan Tech. His research is focused on computational analysis of six-stroke gasoline compression ignition engine combustion.
Apurva Baruah
Apurva is a 2nd year Mechanical engineering PhD student who joined Tech in Spring 2015(initially for his MS). His doctoral research involves working with a novel aeroelastic model to optimize the aerodynamic and structural aspects of rotor blades to develop "smart" hybrid wind turbines which can be operated over a wide range of wind conditions with minimal human supervision. He loves cooking, regularly plays badminton, tennis & table tennis, is passionate about Sailing and is crazy about anything aviation!
Casey Majhor
Casey Majhor is a PhD student in Mechanical Engineering-Engineering Mechanics at Michigan Technological University. He received his B.S degree in Mechanical Engineering in 2016 from St. Cloud State University in St. Cloud, MN. His research interests include controls, dynamics, and optimization.
Lisa Casper
Innovation Center for Entrepreneurship Program Manager, Michigan Technological University
Master of Business Administration, University of Oregon
Bachelor of Science Aeronautical Science, Embry-Riddle Aeronauitical University
days left
funded
last
What Your Donation Can Help Us Do:
- Rent a warehouse/indoor growing space.
- Set up a pilot system.
- Support operational costs of the pilot system.
$100+ (0/20)
A personalised 'Thank you' note with email updates on the project progress
$250+ (0/4)
A key-chain with 3D printed company logo
$1,000+ (0/2)
Free monthly supply of up to 2 kg of produce, for first two months, upon succesful scale production
Recent Donors
Some donors may be hidden.
Gifts to projects listed on SUPERIORIDEAS.ORG are received and processed by Michigan Tech Fund. Michigan Tech Fund is a tax-exempt organization under Section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code acting on behalf of Michigan Technological University. It is the policy of Michigan Tech Fund that a portion of the gifts and/or income therefrom may be used to defray the costs of raising and administering the funds.