Although many would assume the foods on their table come from a farm far, far away, chances are, those fresh veggies and fruits may have also come from a vertical farm near you! With the exponential surge of urbanistic solutions, it was a matter of time before quality farming got its long-awaited revamp, too!

The concept of vertical farms sounded undoable until Osnat Michaeli and the Galonska duo of Guy and Erez brought Infarm to the picture!

Infarm is the haven of quality vertical indoor farms settled in the heart of urban cities. By bringing fresh produce closer to consumers, Infarm explores advanced technological solutions that give vertical farming a fabulous name. Berlin-born, Infarm’s farming process requires 90% less transportation, uses 95% less water, and offers 100% locally grown foods - at 0% waste!

The inventive trio would need a steel mindset and undying courage to break the industry norms with Infarm - but here’s how they set up a sustainable farming example for generations to come!

Osnat and the Brothers

If there was any truth to any saying, it would be that some people are just destined to come into your life. Originally born and raised in Israel, Osnat and the two brothers, Erez and Guy Galonska, had always enjoyed great family times and even greater local food in the very core of Tel Aviv.

Osnat, a true Israeli girl at heart, grew up in a middle-class conservative family. Since she was a toddler, Osnat was inspired to create social change and wanted to partake in the active fight for female rights. In her teenage years, Osnat understood that men are usually favored in business, and hated the fact that she, gender-wise, stood no chance competing with them.

As she believed that every woman had the right to use her voice without fearing losing others’ respect, the lack thereof triggered the young lady to become more rebellious as well as ambitious, and put her primary focus on education and finding career opportunities equal to those enjoyed by men. Although her parents were conservative and disliked Osnst’s exposure to the business climate, they loved their daughter enough to let her pursue her dreams.

For Osnat that meant parting ways with Tel Aviv and commencing a new chapter, for a more hopeful tomorrow. Osnat was open to testing the waters of learning and first enrolled at Camera Obscura School of Arts, where she first met Erez. The two clicked immediately and spent every day together exploring art, sharing, and being creative, which ultimately turned their friendship into a blooming romance that lasts to this day.

From 1996 to 1998, Osnat went to study Traditional Chinese Medicine at the Medicine College in Tel Aviv. There, she met Guy - Erez’s brother - through stunning serendipity, and as he also studied at the facility, the two became immediate friends. Eraz joined them soon, and just like that, two became three and a union was made.

Time to Evolve

Out of the three creatives, Erez was the one actually boasting a given talent for art. Especially skilled with his camera, which he had since he was 13, Erez worked as a cinematographer for most of his solo career, and also experimented with visualization and lightning.

He had solid technical skills, but at the same time, he was keener on reading philosophy, traveling, creating unforgettable adventures, and contributing to positive social changes.

As he got to explore the world, Erez developed a particular love for Berlin, where he stayed for a while and soaked in the dynamic lifestyle. However, as he was soon recruited by his homeland to serve in the army, Erez had no other choice but to leave Berlin and travel back home to fulfill his civic duty.

Whenever Erez visited Tel Aviv, he reunited with his brother Guy, also a travel addict. The brothers loved sharing details of their most memorable trips and drooled over the hundreds of dishes they had tasted abroad.

Whilst Erez was falling for Berlin, Guy dropped out of college and decided to pursue his passion for food and become a chef instead. Aside from his fascination with food, Guy, along with Osnat and Erez’s, gained a sustainable mission in mind, one that deserved its own platform and voice.

Infarm, the City’s Farming Platform

Combining the best of fresh foods, sustainability, sound farming, and tech, Osnat, Erez and Guy launched Infarm in 2013. Initially, the trio wanted to create a company that would put quality food production first; and bring it closer to urban cities. Instead of working the fields all day, Infarm’s uses intelligent software that enables indoor and vertical farming, suitable for growing both individual and industrial produce.

When the inventors first presented Infarm, they wanted to make it environmentally friendly, cost-effective, and accessible. As for farming, Infarm’s team aimed to grow the kinds of products that would stand the test of time, and deliver quality, tastefulness, and freshness to every pantry.

When considering where to nest the company, Osnat, Erez and Guy stepped outside their comfort zone, and in looking for urbanism and modernism, they decided they couldn’t go wrong with Berlin. Erez, who had already lived there once, was all for the idea and considered Berlin to be the epicenter of quality businesses in Europe.

In the first years of its launch, Osnat, Guy, and Erez dedicated themselves to conducting research, experimenting with indoor farming methods, and consulting with the brightest minds in the industry, including renowned investors, designers, data scientists, engineers, bio-experts, quality controllers, food pundits and more.

Essentially, Infarm is an applicable, modern, and refined farming project that gathers the community under its umbrella and offers it a sustainable way of growing and consuming fresh foods in the midst of the urban chaos!

Infarm, Today

To provide the best farming conditions and accomplish its initial idea of sustainable production, Infarm relies on the use of innovative technological tools, such as a hydroponic system that helps elevate agricultural production and boost product quality. The exceptional concept Infarm presented was quickly recognized on the market which meant more investment and financial support for the startup brand.

The company was interestingly noticed by twenty different investors over the years, all of whom eagerly supported the brand’s growth. The company received a total funding of $404.5 million, carried out over 9 funding rounds, and by 6 lead investors.

Today, the company has more than 500 employees and is still headquartered in Berlin, with no plans of leaving. However, ambitious as the company is, they have shown tendencies of expanding all across Europe, North America, and Asia. What’s more, Infarm estimates that, by 2025, the company’s network will exceed 5,000,000 square feet, which will make it the biggest-ever farming distributor globally.

Not that long ago, Infarm’s name was still barely in the making and it all was but a dream of bringing tasty food, smart tech, and doing good in the world together.

A handful of years later, the dream that three unripe innovators once shared became a phenomenal industry trendsetter, unafraid to earn its top spot and proudly state: "We are the new farmers and the city is our farm!"