Vertical Farming World Congress 2026
Event Programme
Bringing together vertical farming operators, investors, suppliers and customers, the 7th annual Vertical Farming World Congress is designed to help develop and advance the sector’s future. It is the most substantial dedicated event of the year, featuring two days of conference sessions, networking with key industry figures.
Discover this years speakers
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Tuesday
9:00 am
MARKET INSIGHTS AND OUTLOOK
Welcome address: roadmap to future growth
Andrew Lloyd, Chief Executive Officer of Intelligent Growth Solutions, United Kingdom
9:15 am
MARKET INSIGHTS AND OUTLOOK
Lessons from experience of plant factories
Dr Eri Hayashi, President of Japan Plant Factory Association
9:30 am
MARKET INSIGHTS AND OUTLOOK
Back to the future for the North American market
Tisha Livingston, Chief Executive of Infinite Acres, Netherlands and President of 80 Acres Farms, United States
9:45 am
MARKET INSIGHTS AND OUTLOOK
Navigating the potential with the investment community
Peter Bachmann, Managing Director – Sustainable Infrastructure for Gresham House, United Kingdom
10:00 am
MARKET INSIGHTS AND OUTLOOK
Discussion panel joined by
Rebekka Boekhout, Founder of Phyto by RCB and Co-founder of Vertical Farm Daily, Netherlands
10:30 am
NETWORKING BREAK
Refreshments and networking
11:00 am
STRATEGIC CHOICES
Lower costs vs premium branding
Speaker to be announced
11:15 am
STRATEGIC CHOICES
Shift from supply led to demand led
Daniele Benatoff, Chief Executive Officer of Planet Farms, Italy
11:30 am
STRATEGIC CHOICES
Serving retail efficiently and profitably
Laura van de Kreeke, Co-founder and Chief Commercial Officer of Growy, Netherlands
11:45 am
STRATEGIC CHOICES
Premium ingredients for fine dining
Roman Ulyanov, Founder of Greeneration, United Arab Emirates
12:00 pm
STRATEGIC CHOICES
Promise and prospects for in-store farming
Anders Eriksson, Chief Executive Officer of Swegreen, Sweden
12:15 pm
STRATEGIC CHOICES
How best to measure and communicate vertical farming sustainability
Professor Francesco Orsini, Department of Agricultural and Food Sciences at University
of Bologna, Italy
12:30 pm
STRATEGIC CHOICES
Questions and discussion
1:00 pm
NETWORKING BREAK
Lunch and networking
2:00 pm
HYBRID OPPORTUNITIES
1+1=3: 16 days vertical, 14 days greenhouse
Karl-Martin Viken, Chief Executive Officer of Viken Gartneri Frosta, Norway
2:15 pm
HYBRID OPPORTUNITIES
Reducing costs, reducing imports
James Lin, Chief Executive Officer of V+ Agritech, Singapore
2:30 pm
HYBRID OPPORTUNITIES
Improving efficiency: from chives to strawberries
Speaker to be announced
2:45 pm
HYBRID OPPORTUNITIES
Questions and discussion
3:00 pm
HYBRID OPPORTUNITIES
Refreshments and networking
3:30 pm
WORLD TOUR
Renewable energy, reusable packaging
Cristián Sjögrens, Founder of AgroUrbana, Chile
3:45 pm
WORLD TOUR
Satisfying hospitality and retail demands
Jessica Gómez, Chief Executive Officer and Co-founder of Origeen Transforma Verde, Mexico
4:00 pm
WORLD TOUR
Repositioning agriculture for the next generation
Dr Babfemi Oyewole, Chief Executive Officer of Pan African Farmers Organisation, Rwanda
4:15 pm
WORLD TOUR
From construction to stable commercial operation
Stella Tsai, General Manager of Global Business for YesHealth Group, Taiwan
4:30 pm
WORLD TOUR
Creating a new model for urban agriculture
Speaker to be announced
4:45 pm
WORLD TOUR
Questions and discussion
5:15 pm
Close
7:00 pm
GALA INDUSTRY DINNER
Cocktail drinks reception
7:30 pm
GALA INDUSTRY DINNER
Gala industry dinner
10:00 pm
Close
Wednesday
9:00 am
CROP DEVELOPMENTS
Sweet strawberry success
Dr Kashif Riaz, Agronomy Director for Production Lareault, Canada
9:15 am
CROP DEVELOPMENTS
Fresh mushrooms for supermarkets
Elliot Webb, Founder and Chief Executive Officer of Urban Farm-Produce, United Kingdom
9:30 am
CROP DEVELOPMENTS
Growing saffron and medicinal botanicals
Speaker to be announced
9:45 am
CROP DEVELOPMENTS
Growing saplings in containers
Aigars Jacuks, Chief Operating Officer of Carbon Less Future, Latvia
10:00 am
CROP DEVELOPMENTS
Precision breeding of dwarf tomatoes
Matt Chlebek, Founder and Chief Agronomist of Harvest London, United Kingdom
10:15 am
CROP DEVELOPMENTS
Questions and discussion
10:30 am
NETWORKING BREAK
Refreshments and networking
11:00 am
TECHNOLOGY DEVELOPMENTS
Improving productivity through irrigation
Erik Lundgren, Co-founder and Chief Research & Development Officer of Supernormal Greens, Sweden
11:15 am
TECHNOLOGY DEVELOPMENTS
$15 million contract for hydroponic fodder
Speaker to be announced
11:30 am
TECHNOLOGY DEVELOPMENTS
First vertical farm powered by modular reactor
Speaker to be announced
11:45 am
WHAT'S NEW? WHAT'S COMING?
Panel discussion with Rebekka Boekhout
Speakers to be announced
12:30 pm
NETWORKING BREAK
Lunch and networking
1:30 pm
Close
1:30 pm
HARVEST LONDON VISIT
Coach departs from hotel
2:30 pm
HARVEST LONDON VISIT
Arrive, introduction, farm tour, produce sample tasting
4:30 pm
HARVEST LONDON VISIT
Coach leaves for return journey
6:00 pm
HARVEST LONDON VISIT
Arrive at hotel