S3E39: Austin Webb - Transforming Modern Agriculture

Episode Summary

Join Harry Duran, host of Vertical Farming Podcast, as he welcomes to the show, CEO and co-founder of Fifth Season, Austin Webb. Fifth Season is a consumer tech company and indoor farming pioneer with Carnegie Mellon University roots that is creating a new era of fresh foods. Its commercial-scale indoor vertical farms use proprietary robotics, AI, and smart operations technology to grow leafy greens and herbs at affordable prices year-round. Today, Harry and Austin talk about the origin story of Fifth Season, the relationship he has with the city of Braddock and how Austin initially got involved in vertical farming. Austin expounds on the concepts of smart manufacturing and pest pressure and speaks to the learning curve he’s experienced as a first-time CEO. Finally, Austin speaks to the mission of Fifth Season and what excites him most about his future endeavors.

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Key Takeaways

03:14 – Harry welcomes to the show Austin Webb, who trends he’s noticed post-pandemic, his relationship with Carnegie Mellon University and the origin story of Fifth Season
08:53 – Austin speaks to when he first got involved in vertical farming
11:50 – How Fifth Season is applying robotics to the vertical farming industry
16:27 – Austin reflects on some of the memorable challenges and obstacles Fifth Season overcame throughout its journey
20:18 – Austin talks about Fifth Season’s accomplishment of achieving a 100% Food Safety Audit ranking
25:32 – Austin explains what ‘pest pressure’ means
28:21 – Austin talks about the relationship Fifth Season has with the city of Braddock and the impact they have had on the community
34:44 – Austin speaks to the learning curve he’s experienced as a first-time CEO
37:41 – A tough question Austin has had to ask himself recently
38:07 – Harry thanks Austin for joining the show and let’s listeners know where they can learn more about Fifth Season and connect with Austin