S2E18: Henry Sztul - Technology, R&D & Building Resilient Food Systems

Episode Summary

Join Harry Duran, host of Vertical Farming Podcast, as he welcomes to the show physicist, entrepreneur and self-proclaimed tinkerer, Henry Sztul. Henry is the Chief Science Officer at Bowery Farming, a modern farming company on an ambitious mission to transform the future of food and change the face of agriculture.

In this episode, Harry and Henry discuss the promise that vertical farming provides to the world and why it resonated so soundly with Henry. Henry shares his personal career journey, his thoughts on the current state of agriculture and what excites him most about the future of hydroponics and the AgTech industry in general. 

Episode Sponsor

Ceres Greenhouse Solutions

Key Takeaways

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• 03:22 – Harry welcomes to the show Henry Sztul, who shares his origin story, inventions he’s collaborated on and his earliest recollection of the AgTech industry  
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• 09:39 – Henry speaks to the promise of vertical farming and why it resonated with him
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• 11:34 – Henry recalls how he met Irving Fain, the Founder and CEO of Bowery
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• 14:49 – Digging into the technology that Bowery utilizes and their commitment to do better
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• 22:26 – Harry and Henry discuss Bowery’s extensive Research and Development process
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• 27:28 – How Covid-19 has affected Bowery’s approach to building resilient food systems
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• 30:04 – Henry speculates on Bowery’s future growth in the AgTech space
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• 34:46 – A tough question Henry has had to ask himself lately, something Henry has changed his mind about recently and mentors who have influenced Henry’s career
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• 39:05 – What excites Henry about the future of vertical farming
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• 41:51 – Harry thanks Henry for joining the show and let’s listeners know where they can learn more about Bowery Farming 
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Tweetable Quotes

“What really clicked with me about vertical farming is that it’s not just feeding people now. It’s feeding people to come in the future.” (09:47)

“People on this planet are moving towards urban areas. And, the agriculture system at large is just taking more and giving less. I think what really strikes a nerve with me is the need to find new ways of doing things.” (10:03)

“At Bowery we’re very committed to constantly doing better – doing better from a yield point of view, from a quality point of view and a sensory point of view.” (17:07)

“There’s a lot that goes into building a modern vertical farm and it’s really exciting.” (21:48)

“How we think about doing research at Bowery is a real differentiator.” (26:16)

“If you approach a problem that you can’t solve, how can you change the problem to one that you can solve. That’s something that I’ve carried with me everywhere I’ve gone.” (37:51)

Links Mentioned

Bowery Farming Website

Henry’s Website

Henry’s LinkedIn

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