Tackling Wastage and Ensuring Food Security

A KEY PART OF THE KAUST INNOVATION FUND STRATEGY IS TO SPIN-IN TALENTED INTERNATIONAL TECHNOLOGY START-UPS. THESE ENTREPRENEURS WORK ALONGSIDE OUR HOME-GROWN KAUST START-UPS TO ENHANCE THE EXPANDING INNOVATION ECOSYSTEM AND ESTABLISH KAUST AS THE HEART OF SAUDI ARABIA’S DEEP TECH START-UP SCENE.

KAUST’s inaugural spin-in is supporting local food security

FRANK FOTEA Commercial Director for Innovation

NATUFIA

“Thanks to the scientific partnership we are establishing with KAUST and the talent we will hire from the Kingdom, we will accelerate the development of our next models and service the increasing demand for our products.”

Gregory Lu, CEO and Founder of Natufia

Every year, an estimated 1.6 billion tons of food – or around one-third of the food produced globally – goes to waste. In Saudi Arabia, food waste costs the economy an estimated SAR40 billion annually. Supply chain problems are one of the major contributors to this trend. Like many countries in the region, the Kingdom has limited arable land and scarce water, and therefore relies heavily on food imports.

Global supply chain disruptions caused by the Covid-19 pandemic have highlighted the urgent need to increase local food production. Food security and reducing carbon emissions are two of the objectives outlined in Vision 2030. With KAUST’s support, an Estonian-founded start-up is providing innovative solutions to achieve both goals.

Founded in 2014, Natufia has developed the world’s first smart indoor kitchen garden, which provides technology to grow and harvest herbs, leafy greens and vegetables at home. The innovative fridge-sized appliance is easy to use and fully automated. The self-contained cabinet provides the optimal combination of water, lighting and nutrients to grow plants, providing as many as two harvests of high-quality, nutrient-rich, fresh produce each day.

Known as the “Nespresso for plants and herbs”, Natufia’s indoor garden was developed to address the difficulties of accessing local fresh produce and reducing waste in the supply chain. Recognising its potential to provide sustainable and high-quality food, KAUST partnered with this award-winning start-up to expand its presence in the Kingdom and the wider region.

In early 2021, Natufia took up residency at the KAUST Research and Technology Park (KRTP) after being awarded $2 million from the KAUST Innovation Fund. At KRTP, Natufia will have access to world-class R&D facilities, as well as a pool of entrepreneurs and scientists, which will be crucial to the company’s continued growth. Notably, Natufia represents the first spin-in at KAUST, highlighting the university’s ability to not only cultivate talent from the ground up, but to attract leading entrepreneurs from around the world and energize the culture and community of start-ups in Saudi Arabia. With KAUST’s resources, facilities and expertise, partner companies can develop viable, real-world solutions to the critical issues facing both the Kingdom and the wider world.