In 2021, the Yield Lab Institute launched Space for Food, inspired by NASA and the Canadian Space Agency funding deep tech innovation for feeding humanity as it spreads beyond Earth through their Deep Space Food Challenge.
This isn’t science fiction - many innovations like controlled environment agriculture (aka “vertical/indoor farming”), food printing, microbial and cellular proteins, and remote sensing for precision agriculture got their inspiration from thinking about growing food in the harshest food desert of them all - space and the surfaces of our moon and other planets. Innovations in how we feed humanity in space and how we feed it on Earth are integrally related. We’re all better off with the perspective and inspiration the Deep Space Food Challenge and other initiatives provided.
The Yield Lab Institute held several online events for innovators in this area under the Space for Food name. We were able to understand the stakeholders, what they needed, and where we could add value - not necessarily in food and ag literally going into space, but turning those ideas into meaningful and viable innovations for our Earth-based ag and food systems. This led directly to our new GroundBreakers collaborative innovation program between early stage innovators and corporate and institutional supporters.
Space for Food is on a short pause as we prepare new ways for it to help identify, inspire, and develop talent for the future of ag and food.
Stay tuned for new initiatives and developments!