As part of my support for the development of new innovative products for Vivent, I attended GreenTech 2016 in Amsterdam. We’re about to launch our Kickstarter crowdfunding campaign for Phytl Signs Explorer: a plant monitor that’s unlike any other – because it specifically listens to what the plant itself is communicating rather than simply measuring the air or soil around it.

At Vivent, we decided that this innovative and unique piece of wearable tech for plants would be of real interest to those attending GreenTech 2016 – being a ‘global meeting place’ for all professionals involved in horticulture technology.

The event was full of global market leaders and young companies too, talking about trends and the latest innovations in technology for horticulture and agriculture. All in all there were 415 exhibitors from 30 countries, including all the market leaders (crops, water, energy and ‘Biobased’). There was even a ‘Vertical Farming Pavilion’ and a demo area for heavy equipment and machinery.

What a great day it was. We learnt a lot about applications for our innovative Phytl Signs technology and how it fits in the rapidly changing world of ‘agtech’, or agricultural technology.

I was struck by the amazing and incredibly positive strides being made by this industry towards making the growing of food for the world more sustainable – something that affects all of us. From vertical growing and urban farming through to large-scale energy-free growing in arid zones of the planet, the future is bright… and it’s green(tech)!