In this episode, Peter interviews Conner Tidd, co-founder of Just Vertical, a Toronto-based company bringing vertical farming into homes, communities, and commercial spaces. The conversation begins with relatable banter about unpredictable spring weather before diving into Conner’s path from grad school research to launching an agricultural startup. Just Vertical was born out of a desire to address instability in both urban and rural food systems—giving city dwellers a way to grow their own food and providing farmers and nonprofits tools to produce consistent yields.
Originally focused on the consumer market, Just Vertical launched indoor vertical gardens designed to be as attractive as furniture—something people would actually want in their kitchens and living rooms. COVID-19 supercharged demand as people looked for ways to control their food supply and try new hobbies at home. However, as digital advertising costs rose and the market shifted post-pandemic, the company pivoted to commercial applications.
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Peter and Conner explore the realities of scaling a physical product: bootstrapping, early customer feedback, and the game-changing investment from “Crazy Thomas,” an unlikely but loyal angel investor and landlord. They talk about the challenges of producing hardware versus software, the energy demands of commercial-scale vertical farms, and the bottlenecks posed by retrofitting older buildings. Power consumption, labor, and HVAC systems are major concerns—but so are opportunities, like leveraging Iowa solar energy to offset energy costs.
The episode also covers who Just Vertical’s ideal commercial clients are—organizations with an “unfair advantage” like low-cost energy, existing infrastructure, or labor availability. Examples include food banks, Meals on Wheels providers, and seasonal farmers looking to diversify. The technology is not limited to lettuce—cherry tomatoes, peppers, and cucumbers are common, while root crops remain a challenge due to space constraints.
Peter and Conner delve into the social impact of vertical farming, from improving food security to enabling fresh produce in literal frozen food deserts like Canada’s Arctic communities. One standout example is a project in Moldova, where Just Vertical partnered with a charity to build a training kitchen and vertical farm to serve refugees and locals alike.
They wrap up with a candid discussion on the sudden imposition of U.S. tariffs, which caused confusion for a Connecticut nonprofit mid-shipment. While the chaos of policy changes can hurt nonprofits and companies alike, Conner remains optimistic. Vertical farming isn’t here to replace traditional ag—it’s a complementary tool that helps fill in the gaps, especially for those who want local, fresh food year-round.