Bever Innovations’ Horticulture division is one of the top 100 most innovative Dutch SMEs. This was announced at the 14th KVK Innovation Top 100, which was presented on 27 June.
‘Our nomination is a fantastic token of recognition, as well as confirmation that we’re on the right track as an organisation’, says Johan Katerberg, Business Development Manager Urban Farming. ‘With our Leaf Carrier, we’ve developed a product that’s not only distinctive but also adds value at a time when we’re changing our approach to food.’
The world’s population is growing strongly, which means there’s increasing demand for fresh food that must be cultivated in an increasingly sustainable manner. Local, without pesticides and with as little water as possible, adds Katerberg. ‘Our Leaf Carrier is making an excellent contribution in this respect.’ The Leaf Carrier is a cultivation trolley featuring 7, 10 or 15 layers, which distinguish themselves by way of a minimum thickness (9 mm) and maximum load-bearing capacity in terms of plant trays. ‘The fact that we’ve integrated LED lighting into the trays that contain the seedlings has resulted in maximum cultivation surface per square meter of floor space. Each trolley (2.27 meters tall) can easily hold up to 15 plant trays, giving the horticulturalist no less than 14 m2 of cultivation surface in just 1 m2 of floor space. Correct placement of the LEDs and a clever structure to the translucent plant trays ensure uniform lighting. Both in the middle and at the edge of the plant trays, meaning seedlings emerge uniformly and their growth is stable.’
The Leaf Carrier is fully plug-and-play. Major investments are not required. A room with power supply is all you need to be able to get growing, says Katerberg. ‘We’re not only homing in on burgeoning demand on the part of horticulturalists but also providing a solution for such entities as hotels and supermarkets that are keen to grow their food in a different, sustainable way.’
In total, the Dutch Chamber of Commerce (KvK) received in excess of 400 submissions for the 14th KVK Innovation Top 100. A panel of innovation experts assessed all nominations in terms of their impact on the industry and on society, originality, availability as well as turnover achieved and growth potential. The precise ranking is set to be announced on Wednesday 25 September.
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