vGreens: Data-Driven Systems for Resilient Food Production

vGreens: Data-Driven Systems for Resilient Food Production

Global food production faces growing pressure from climate change, resource scarcity, and increasing demand for fresh produce in urban regions. Conventional agriculture often depends heavily on weather conditions, seasonal cycles, and long supply chains, which can make food systems vulnerable to disruptions. In response, new agricultural technologies are emerging that aim to produce high-quality crops more efficiently and closer to consumers. vGreens, an agri-technology startup based in Essen, Germany, develops data-driven systems designed to enable predictable and resource-efficient fruit production. The company focuses on controlled-environment agriculture, combining proprietary sensors, software, and automation to monitor plant growth and metabolism in real time. Instead of relying on static cultivation recipes, the system continuously analyses plant signals and environmental conditions to optimise irrigation, nutrients, lighting, and climate control. This approach allows growers to produce fruit year-round with consistent quality while reducing resource consumption and dependence on weather conditions or global supply chains.

Technology and Product

The vGreens platform integrates sensor technology, automation modules, and artificial intelligence into a unified farm management system designed for controlled-environment agriculture. Proprietary optical sensors read plant metabolism directly, providing physiological insights into crop development and performance. Machine-learning models analyse these biological signals together with environmental data to optimise growing parameters in real time. Rather than focusing only on climate settings, the system interprets plant responses and translates them into actionable production decisions for growers. The software converts plant signals into forecasts, recommendations, and — where integrated — automated steering of irrigation, lighting, and nutrient supply. Through this plant-centric approach, growers may be able to improve consistency in yields and harvest planning across locations and seasons, while supporting the transition from pilot facilities to larger-scale operations.

AI-based image analysis monitoring strawberry growth in a vertical farming system. (© vGreens)

Industrial Fit and Applications

Controlled-environment agriculture is gaining importance as food producers seek more resilient and sustainable production systems. Vertical farming and sensor-based cultivation methods enable crops to be grown with lower water consumption, minimal pesticide use, and reduced land requirements compared with conventional farming. vGreens focuses initially on high-value fruit crops such as strawberries, using them as a prototype for automated, plant-centric cultivation systems. By translating plant metabolism into measurable production indicators, the technology enables growers to produce fruit locally throughout the year while improving planning reliability. Because the system is modular and data-driven, it can be integrated into vertical farms or greenhouse environments and adapted to different climates and production setups.

Vertical farming facility designed for data-driven, year-round crop cultivation. (© vGreens)

Founding Team

vGreens was founded by Claas Ahrens, Dr. Maximilian Hartmann, Dr. Stefan Hey, and Assist. Prof. Dr. Caspar Krampe. The founding team combines expertise in supply chain management, crop science, business strategy, and sustainable market innovation. Their interdisciplinary backgrounds support the development of data-driven vertical farming systems designed to enable scalable, year-round crop production independent of climate conditions.