A St. John’s-based company that has developed an aeroponic appliance for growing herbs and vegetables indoors is receiving support from the Provincial Government to grow its business.

Andrew Parsons, Minister of industry, energy and technology announced $146,531 today for Aera Agriculture to support the development of its smart farming device known as Victory.

Aera’s goal is to revolutionize food production through automated aeroponic farming appliances. Victory is a fridge-sized appliance that uses innovative aeroponic technology allowing users to grow and maintain a consistent level of produce in a commercial setting. It can grow a wide variety of plants, from leafy greens to root vegetables, and it has software that includes a proprietary crop management system, remote access capabilities, and comprehensive dashboard analytics.

Aera’s first commercial product will be strategically aimed at restaurants, with a particular focus on mid-to-upscale independently owned restaurants encountering significant obstacles in sourcing affordable, high-quality fresh produce. Currently, Aera has secured commitments from five customers, comprising local restaurants within the St. John’s area to participate in trials of pre-production iterations of Aera’s smart farming appliances. In addition, the company is receiving advisory services and up to $57,168 in research and development funding from the National Research Council of Canada Industrial Research Assistance Program (NRC IRAP) to support growth trials using its smart farming appliance.