Draft:Just Vertical
Canadian indoor hydroponic farming company
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Just Vertical is a Canadian hydroponic and indoor farming company founded and headquartered in Toronto, Ontario.
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| Industry | Agriculture, Indoor farming |
|---|---|
| Founded | 2017 in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. |
| Founders | Kevin Jakiela, Conner Tidd |
| Headquarters | , Canada |
Just Vertical has two lines of business: a commercial division focused on designing and building large-scale indoor hydroponic farms for businesses and organizations, and an at-home division that offers growing indoor hydroponic farming products for the everyday household.
Just Vertical has received financial backing from Arlene Dickinson’s fund, District Ventures.[1]
History
Just Vertical is a Canadian hydroponic and indoor farming company co-founded in 2017 by Conner Tidd and Kevin Jakiela. Tidd and Jakiela completed their Masters of Science in Sustainability Management at the University of Toronto. The company is headquartered in Toronto, Ontario, and sells sustainable vertical hydroponic systems.[2]
In 2017, Just Vertical launched its first flagship at-home farm, the AEVA designed for everyday household usage.[3] In July 2020, Just Vertical released their second at-home farm, the EVE.[3] The company expanded from Ontario to all of Canada, and subsequently to the United States, growing to over 2,000 indoor gardeners across North America. Using its patented hydroponic technology, Just Vertical's systems use 95% less water than traditional agriculture growing a variety of different produce while eliminating food travel miles from farm to grocery store.[1]
Recognizing the potential to apply its technology to larger-scale, custom farm builds, Just Vertical expanded into commercial indoor farming, offering design, installation, and support services for businesses and organizations.[4]
In 2024, Just Vertical partnered with Canadian rapid disaster relief charity GlobalMedic, humanitarian aid foundation Myhal Family Foundation, and Moldovan initiative Katalyst Kitchens to build a fully functioning commercial indoor farm in rural Moldova to help feed Ukrainian refugees fleeing war.[5]
In 2025, Just Vertical partnered with non-profit organization CW Resources to convert an empty warehouse into a 4,500 sq. ft. year-round hydroponic farm that grows fresh produce for the local community and local buyers.[4]
Products
Just Vertical's catalog comprises two unique flagship hydroponic farming models, the EVE, and the AEVA. Just Vertical also sells nutrients, seeds ranging from basil, peppers, lavatera, dianthus, peppermint, lettuce and more.[3] Just Vertical Commercial also offers larger-scale farming systems for commercial use, including container farms and free-standing grow racks.[5]
Just Vertical in Moldova
In partnership with GlobalMedic and the Myhal Foundation, Just Vertical designed and installed an indoor vertical farming system in rural Moldova to address food insecurity caused by the humanitarian crisis in Ukraine. The initiative brought together two Toronto-based organizations, with GlobalMedic executive director Rahul Singh and Just Vertical co-founder Conner Tidd leading the project.[6]
Moldova, a small Eastern European nation bordering Ukraine and Romania, holds one of the lowest GDP per capita in Europe.[7] Following Russia's invasion of Ukraine in 2022, the country received over one million refugees crossing from Ukraine.[8] Moldova's climate renders conventional year-round agriculture impractical, exacerbating food insecurity among both refugees and local residents.[5]
Funding for the project was provided by the Myhal Foundation, established by George and Rayla Myhal, whose philanthropic focus includes health, education, and Ukraine-related humanitarian causes.[5] Implementation was carried out in partnership with Katalyst Kitchens, a Moldovan non-profit organization operating out of the village of Rîșcova, approximately one hour from the capital Chișinău.[6]
Just Vertical engineered and installed custom vertical grow rack systems within a repurposed Soviet-era collective farm facility. The installation enabled year-round production of fresh produce for Ukrainian refugees and local Moldovan communities, independent of seasonal agricultural constraints.[5]
Just Vertical & CW Resources
Just Vertical designed and installed a 4,500 square foot indoor vertical farming facility at CW Resources' New Britain, Connecticut location, a nonprofit organization founded in 1964 that provides vocational training and employment services for individuals with disabilities and other barriers to employment.[4] The organization operates across 26 states, employing over 2,000 people and serving nearly 700 adults with disabilities in Connecticut alone.[4]
The facility was established to support CW Resources' goal of diversifying its revenue streams and expanding its vocational programming. The indoor vertical farming model allows for year-round production of fresh produce, independent of seasonal conditions, within CW Resources' existing warehouse space. Employees working within the facility gain agricultural and operational skills applicable to broader employment contexts.[4]
Just Vertical provided the system design and installation for the project, while CW Resources manages day-to-day farm operations as part of its broader social enterprise activities.[4]
Partnerships
Just Vertical fitted two shipping containers with indoor hydroponic growing technology at Seneca College's Newnham Campus in Toronto between 2022 and 2023. The college engaged Just Vertical to support campus research, supply its cafeteria, and advance its sustainability initiatives. The systems are configured to grow leafy greens, herbs, tomatoes, and strawberries, and include a seedling station, irrigation infrastructure, and a full HVAC system.[9]
Just Vertical designed and installed six custom indoor hydroponic greenwalls across long-term care centers, hospitals, hospices, and schools in Prince George, British Columbia, in partnership with the Centre for Technology Adoption for Aging in the North (CTAAN) and the University of British Columbia. The project aimed to provide a sustainable food source in a harsh northern climate while supporting research into green technology's effects on resident wellbeing. Each greenwall produces five to ten pounds of fresh produce weekly and serves as a therapeutic and educational resource.[10]
Just Vertical designed and built four 510 square foot indoor farms in geodesic dome greenhouses on the University of Toronto Scarborough Campus, in collaboration with the university and Redbird Circle, a local Indigenous community group. The farms were designed to supply fresh produce to local markets, function as educational resources, and support Redbird Circle's mandate of community healing through culturally relevant agriculture. All four farms were delivered and operational within three months.[11]
Just Vertical designed and installed an indoor farm within an aftercare facility at a Greenwin managed low-income housing property in Toronto. The farm was delivered within two months and currently supplies fresh produce for meals, functions as an educational resource for children, and serves as a food bank for resident families.[12]