Citified Farms, a pioneering agritech venture dedicated to promoting urban farming solutions, recently participated in the prestigious 10-Day Delta40 Venture Studio and Novo Nordisk Foundation AgTech Innovation Basecamp & Scale Summit, held in collaboration with BioInnovation Institute. Running from the 1st to the 10th of October 2024, the event brought together leading entrepreneurs, investors, and experts in the agricultural technology sector to explore the future of sustainable farming in Africa.
Representing Citified Farms at the summit, CEO Winny Okoth shared her experiences, emphasizing the transformative nature of the event and the valuable insights gained. Over the course of ten days, participants engaged in panel discussions, expert-led workshops, and field visits designed to foster collaboration and innovation in the AgTech space.
Exploring Investment Trends and Opportunities
One of the key takeaways from the event was a deep dive into investment trends shaping the AgTech sector in East Africa. Through panel discussions, industry leaders explored the unique challenges and opportunities faced by agritech startups, highlighting investment gaps, scaling hurdles, and success stories from across the region. For Citified Farms, these discussions provided critical insights into navigating the financial landscape and positioning its vertical hydroponic solutions for growth.
Winny Okoth noted the importance of these insights, stating, “Understanding the investment landscape allows us to tailor our strategies and align our mission with investor priorities, ensuring that we can scale our impact effectively.”
Strengthening Business Models and Scaling Strategies
The event also featured workshops led by industry experts on key aspects of business development, including refining product-market fit, scaling strategies, and long-term sustainability. These sessions provided Citified Farms with actionable strategies to optimize its approach to urban farming and meet the growing demand for sustainable food production in urban areas.
“We gained invaluable knowledge on product development and scaling,” said Okoth. “The workshops have refined our approach and empowered us with strategies to take our vertical hydroponic farming solutions to the next level.”
Through these sessions, Citified Farms strengthened its commitment to providing cost-effective and efficient farming solutions that address food security challenges in rapidly urbanizing areas.
Strategic Partnerships for Sustainable Growth
A major highlight of the summit was the opportunity to establish strategic partnerships with investors, corporate stakeholders, and fellow entrepreneurs dedicated to advancing sustainable agriculture. These partnerships are expected to drive collaboration, resource sharing, and market expansion for agritech startups like Citified Farms.
Winny Okoth expressed her excitement about the networking opportunities, emphasizing that, “Collaboration is key to driving impact. The connections we have made here will help us expand our reach, refine our solutions, and ultimately, contribute to sustainable urban food systems in Africa.”
The partnerships forged at the basecamp will play a crucial role in expanding Citified Farms’ presence, enhancing distribution channels, and introducing new technological advancements in urban farming.
Field Visits Offer Hands-On Learning
Beyond workshops and discussions, the summit offered immersive field visits, allowing participants to interact directly with farmers and agricultural stakeholders. These visits provided a hands-on opportunity to gather feedback from end users and tailor product offerings to better meet market demands.
Having visited Forest Foods, Citified Farms took full advantage of these interactions, gaining valuable insights into how urban farmers and small-scale growers perceive sustainable farming practices. This feedback will be instrumental in refining product designs and enhancing user experience.
“The field visits were an eye-opener. They provided us with direct market insights and helped us understand the real challenges faced by sustainable urban farmers. This will allow us to further tailor our solutions to their needs,” said Winny.
A Transformative Experience for the Future of Urban Farming
Citified Farms’ participation in the Delta40 AgTech Innovation Basecamp & Scale Summit marks a significant milestone in the company’s mission to revolutionize urban farming. With a refined business model, strengthened partnerships, and greater market understanding, the company is better positioned than ever to drive sustainable urbanization and contribute to food security in Africa.
Expressing her gratitude, Okoth stated, “A huge thank you to Delta40, Novo Nordisk Foundation, and BioInnovation Institute for curating such a transformative experience. We leave this summit equipped with the tools, insights, and networks to scale our impact and bring sustainable urban farming solutions to more communities.”
As Citified Farms continues to innovate and expand, the insights gained from the summit will play a pivotal role in shaping its strategic direction and helping more people access fresh, organic produce in urban spaces.
Looking Ahead: Scaling Sustainable Solutions
With the knowledge and connections acquired from the summit, Citified Farms plans to:
- Expand its footprint in urban areas by introducing hydroponic solutions to more households and institutions.
- Enhance its product offering with insights gained from field visits and customer feedback.
- Foster collaborations with key stakeholders to drive awareness and adoption of urban farming technologies.
As cities across Africa continue to grow, Citified Farms is determined to be at the forefront of sustainable urban food production, offering practical and accessible solutions to address the challenges of limited space and food insecurity.
For more updates and insights on Citified Farms’ journey, follow us on our social media platforms.
