PikAssist (Lyne Systems)

About the Company

Based in Vancouver, Lyne Systems is an Agritech company that aims to deliver greater systems efficiencies by using technology to optimize food production, processing, and packaging lines all while delivering higher yield with less labour. PikAssist is the companies pilot project which is a mushroom harvesting device to help commercial mushroom farmers combat labor shortages and cut down on production costs. PikAssist benefits farmers by helping increase the number of crops picked and the device requires no changes to existing farm operations.

How will PikAssist use the Business Development Grant?

“The support our team has received from [Ramp-Up] has contributed to the build of our newly designed PikAssist pilot device. This iteration of our device has been developed through many rounds of on-farm testing, and consultation with mushroom farmers and experts across North America and Europe. The build of this new pilot device will allow for final testing on our partner farms to prove the efficacy of our device, and allow us to begin providing devices to mushroom farms across BC and Canada. These PikAssists, once installed, will allow mushroom farms to increase their growing capacity, reduce their harvesting labour requirement, and gather valuable harvest room data.”

– Kyle Gardiner, Product Management Lead

QuantoTech

About the Company

Founded by Peter van der Gracht and daughter Alycia van der Gracht, QuantoTech is a supplier of LED and Ag-tech systems that specializes in custom LED light, hydroponic, and control systems. QuantoTech’s goal is to use this technology to expand access to fresh food year-round in areas where traditional farming isn’t feasible. QuantoTech’s products provide a viable option for small communities to increase food security year-round. The company designs and manufactures the technology in-house and it’s currently being used in Prince George, Quesnel and Mackenzie producing produce.

How will QuantoTech use the Business Development Grant?

“The funding we are receiving from [the program] is allowing us to install our recently developed autodosing system into our existing showcase grow banks to display, and prove, the labour reducing efficiency they provide. The cost of prototyping technology like this is prohibitive and this funding will allow us to showcase these systems in a much more realistic deployment than our lab. This technology, paired with our existing grow systems, severely reduces the labour and knowledge required to grow commercial quality produce, giving small communities the ability to grow grocery quality (or better) produce year-round to boost their food security. This funding is also going towards an investor/marketing video we would not otherwise be able to afford that will really showcase our technology and get the word out.”

– Alycia van der Gracht, co-founder

The Agritech Ramp-Up Pilot Program is funded by the Government of British Columbia and delivered by the Investment Agriculture Foundation of BC.