G2V Optics, a fast-growing Edmonton-based firm revolutionizing smart lighting technology around the world, is embarking on several new commercial agricultural partnerships after closing a round of seed financing that raised CA$1.875 million (US$1.4 million).
“Our technologies optimize the nutritional efficiency and chemical content of the crop while reducing the cost and environmental impact of agricultural production,” explained Michael Taschuk, G2V’s Chief Technology Officer (CTO) and Founder. “We are actively seeking additional partnerships with innovative controlled-environment growers to commercially demonstrate the value of this technology for valuable crop families like soft fruits, spices, and medicinal crops.”
G2V produces patented, state-of-the-art grow lights for indoor farming and testing tools for solar-related technologies. The company’s LED-based technology mimics seasons, different geographies and accelerates growth rates, helping to dramatically reduce the overall environmental footprint of a crop, including water usage, by growers.
On the research side, G2V’s clients include leaders in aerospace, research centers and universities that use the company’s technology to test and refine the performance of photovoltaics, solar fuels, and satellites.
G2V’s financing was led by a group of angel investors via Radar Endeavour Group and joined by Accelerate II Fund (managed by Yaletown Partners with the support of The A100), Bluesky Equities, Ashif Mawji, Douglas Gray (NOM Investments), Dr. Ray Muzyka (Threshold Impact), and Blaine LaBonte (DJI Capital).
“Despite the economic uncertainty in Alberta right now, we continue to see investors step up to take advantage of technology opportunities with a global impact. Our ‘cleantech’ business is changing the game when it comes to the untapped potential of artificial intelligence and agriculture,” said Ryan Tucker, G2V Optics’ CEO. “This new funding helps us create the next generation of digital cultivation, and forge more partnerships with new customers and investors.”
Arden Tse, investment manager for Accelerate Fund II, said their venture capital fund was impressed by the continual growth of G2V and its growing catalog of ground-breaking, data-driven tech products and innovations.
“Their precise lighting technology addresses a very large market opportunity and has already attracted international clients,” said Tse. “We anticipate the business will continue to perform well in the rapidly-expanding indoor horticulture and solar markets.”
G2V Optics originally grew out of research first conducted at the University of Alberta and NRC’s National Institute of Nanotechnology. The private company recently won a Start Alberta Fast Growth award and conducts business around the world.
About G2V Optics:
G2V Optics is an emerging leader in smart lighting, monitoring, and data science solutions for advanced cultivation and solar research applications. G2V is committed to supporting controlled environment agricultural producers of food, spice, and medicinal crops to grow more using less – by maximizing output, chemistry, and efficiency with the proprietary Engineered Sunlight™ platform.
G2V is headquartered in Edmonton, Canada and is an established innovator in software-controlled, adjustable-spectra technologies for aerospace and solar energy applications. For more information come find us at www.g2voptics.com.