S8E96: Jonathan Murray / Adapt Agtech - From Banker to Farmer: Ottawa's Thriving Tech and Farming Scene

Episode Summary

Join us for an engaging conversation with Jonathan Murray, co-founder, and CEO of Adapt Agtech, where we delve into his remarkable journey in the booming vertical farming industry. With a diverse background spanning banking, clean tech, defense, and Medtech, Murray shares how he leveraged his experience to navigate regulations and find solutions to complex problems. We explore Adapt Agtech's growth and its unique focus on producing gourmet mushrooms in hyper-local environments, including the company's hybrid business model and its plans for expansion into the US market. Jonathan also shares his thoughts on the future of urban agriculture, sustainability, and the importance of bringing new talent into the industry. This podcast is a must-listen for anyone interested in the fascinating world of vertical farming and sustainable agriculture.

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Key Takeaways

• Discover how Adapt is leading the way in the booming vertical farming industry with their focus on mushrooms
• Learn about the journey of founding Forage Hyperfoods and the importance of local mushroom production
• Explore how Adapt Agtech navigated complex regulations and developed a hybrid business model for vertical farming
• Find out about the colorful packaging and recipes of Hardy Foods, Adapt Agtech's retail product line
• Understand how Adapt Agtech is expanding into the US market and developing a platform for urban agriculture
• Hear Jonathan’s thoughts on bringing new people into the industry to solve the world's biggest problems

Tweetable Quotes

"We activated a new restaurant in the city of Toronto called The Butcher Chef. As you can imagine, a lot of meat at The Butcher Chef, and they're using mushrooms as an entire dish. It looks like a bouquet of mushrooms, and it's a standalone main course. That's pretty incredible to see."

"We're trying to advance access to sustainable food. That's the mission of the company. And we're supported from Impact funds, which is awesome because they believe that that's the ultimate goal.”

“We are averaging zero food spoilage because if we overgrow, we're donating to community kitchens and food banks. So not only do we have space in our containers to grow and sell and be a commercial enterprise and make money, for sure, but we're also reserving portions of those growers to donate"

Resources Mentioned

Jonathan's Website - https://www.adapt.ag/

Jonathan's Linkedin - https://www.linkedin.com/in/jonathan-murray-74747813/

Jonathan's Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/adaptagtech/

Jonathan's Twitter - https://twitter.com/AdaptAgtech

Jonathan's Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/adaptagtech

Jonathan's Youtube - https://www.youtube.com/@adaptagtech

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VFP Twitter - https://twitter.com/VerticalFarmPod

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Mentioned in this episode:

2025 Precision Ag Report by iGrowNews

2025 Precision Ag Report

2025 Precision Ag Report by iGrowNews

2025 Precision Ag Report