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

Episode SummaryJoin 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.Thanks to Our SponsorsCEA Summit East - https://indoor.ag/cea-summit-east-2025/Indoor AgCon - https://indoor.ag/Key TakeawaysDiscover how Adapt is leading the way in the booming vertical farming industry with their focus on mushroomsLearn about the journey of founding Forage Hyperfoods and the importance of local mushroom productionExplore how Adapt Agtech navigated complex regulations and developed a hybrid business model for vertical farmingFind out about the colorful packaging and recipes of Hardy Foods, Adapt Agtech's retail product lineUnderstand how Adapt Agtech is expanding into the US market and developing a platform for urban agricultureHear Jonathan’s thoughts on bringing new people into the industry to solve the world's biggest problemsTweetable 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 MentionedJonathan'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/AdaptAgtechJonathan's Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/adaptagtechJonathan's Youtube - https://www.youtube.com/@adaptagtechConnect With UsVFP LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/company/verticalfarmingpodcastVFP Twitter - https://twitter.com/VerticalFarmPodVFP Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/direct/inbox/VFP Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/VerticalFarmPodSubscribe to our newsletters!AgTech Digest - https://agtechdigest.comThe Indoor Farmer - https://www.indoorverticalfarm.com/Horti-Gen Insights - https://www.hortigeninsights.com/Sponsor LinksCultivatd’s Website – https://cultivatd.com/Cultivatd’s Instagram – https://www.instagram.com/cultivatdco/Cultivatd’s Twitter – https://twitter.com/cultivatdCultivatd’s Facebook – https://www.facebook.com/cultivatd/🎙️🎙️🎙️Podcast Production and Marketing by FullCastDiscover the best podcast services in the world at The Podosphere: https://www.thepodosphere.com/Mentioned in this episode:2025 Precision Ag Report by iGrowNews2025 Precision Ag Report2025 Precision Ag Report by iGrowNews2025 Precision Ag Report