GrowUp! Urban Farming

by Startacus Admin
GrowUp! Urban Farming...
Last week we featured the innovative and inspiring 'Manchester Veg People' and we were really impressed with their local approach to fresh veg and their determination to give people the opportunity to know where their food has come from.
So inspired were we in fact, that we decided to dig a little further into the public’s growing obsession with their food’s journey and we unearthed something very interesting indeed- lettuce fill you in…(ba dum tss)
Sustainable commercial urban farming
Wait a minute...commercial urban farming...surely it’s not possible? Well, actually thanks to innovative new startup GrowUp and its ingenious creators Kate Hofman and Tom Webster, it might just be around the corner! GrowUp aims to demonstrate how sustainable, commercial farming can be achieved in urban areas through the use of vertical growing systems and a method known as aquaponics.
Aquaponics...huh?
Check out the image with the happy cabbages and fish...it really is as simple as it looks. GrowUp are able to produce veg and fish in a closed loop system where the only human input is the food used to feed the fish. In short, the fish eat the food, and then excrete nutrients into the water which in turn feeds the plants - no soil, no chemicals, no fertilisers and no pesticides - just local, eco-friendly, sustainable crops and fish. Best of all, these farms are perfect for locating in disused urban spaces such as brownfield sites or the rooftops of buildings so can even play a role in urban regeneration!
So far GrowUp has been met with great enthusiasm, evidenced by the fact that their recent crowdfunding campaign raised £16,000, which allowed them to create a 'GrowUp Box' an upcycled shipping container furnished with the aquaponic system. This box has given the pair the ability to demonstrate the potential of their system and educate local people about the processes behind commercial food production- the pair have since been showing off their fab new ideas to the public at various events including the Chelsea Fringe Festival in May/June.
We think GrowUp is a brilliant idea and we can think of at least a hundred places where this system could work really well. This is exactly the kind of thinking that we at Startacus like to see - clever people identifying a problem and finding a feasible solution which fits in with the way we live today. Best of luck GrowUp!
For more information on GrowUp, check out their website and if you want to know more about crowdfunding have a look at our previous article.
If you like what you see here on Startacus, why not become a member of our growing community? It's free! And you'll get all this - exclusive access to our Business Toolkit, discounts and offers galore for your business via our member only business deals, the chance to network and connect with loads of fellow self-starters, and maybe even become our celebrated 'Self-Starter of the Week' and tell the world your startup tale! Join right here for free
Subscribe to our newsletter
If you would like to receive our startup themed newsletter, full of the latest startup opportunities, events, news, stories, tips and advice, then sign up here.
The lowdown on the Regional Winners of Tech Nation's Rising Stars competition - some of the UK's most promising early stage tech companies.

Loop Not Luck aims to improve social mobility via its innovative job board designed specifically to connect underrepresented candidates to tailored career opportunities.

75% of LGBTQ+ tech founders and investors actively conceal their gender or sexuality from peers in the ecosystem, says first of its kind report.

Leading AI startup Aiir Innovations secures major investment to support global expansion and help set a new standard for engine inspections.

The lowdown on OneThird, the foodtech startup that's tackling food waste via its innovative solution for predicting the shelf life of fresh produce.

Karen Meager, co-founder of Monkey Puzzle Training shares some insights on how leadership has changed in the last decade, and what it takes to be a great leader today.

Freight rate management platform Freightify raises Series A investment to support further international growth and mission to help more freight forwarding companies digitize their operations.

Crowdfunding success for Omni, the vegan dog food brand, reaffirms the recession-proof growth of the pet nutrition industry.

Want to learn a new language? Weeve is an innovative startup that has created an innovative, creative and effective way to help you do just that.

Want to build an investable, scalable tech startup? The Raise Accelerator programme is now open for applications and will help you do just that.
Published on: 22nd September 2013
If you would like to enable commenting via your Startacus account, please enable Disqus functionality in your Account Settings.







- Tech Nation reveals 33 early stage scaleups to watch in 2023 8th Feb 2023 The lowdown on the Regional Winners of Tech Nation's Rising Stars competition - some of the UK's most promising early stage tech companies.
- Loop Not Luck, the UK’s first intersectional diversity recruiting platform launches 7th Feb 2023 Loop Not Luck aims to improve social mobility via its innovative job board designed specifically to connect underrepresented candidates to tailored career opportunities.
- New report reveals the tech community's LGBTQ+ Crisis 7th Feb 2023 75% of LGBTQ+ tech founders and investors actively conceal their gender or sexuality from peers in the ecosystem, says first of its kind report.
- Aviation startup Aiir Innovations raises over €2M to transform aircraft engine maintenance 7th Feb 2023 Leading AI startup Aiir Innovations secures major investment to support global expansion and help set a new standard for engine inspections.