Since late 2016, Cycloponics has grown vegetables in a 37,700-square-foot farm underneath the streets of Paris.
Source: Cycloponics
The 10-person team calls its farm "the cave." It's located beneath a 300-unit affordable housing complex. The space was formerly an abandoned parking garage.
The farm also harvests chicory (a root commonly used as coffee substitute in Europe), which doesn't require any sunlight to grow. The startup produces around 660 pounds of the crop each month.
LEDs adjusted to specific light spectrums help grow microgreens. They sit in beds of nutrient-rich water rather than soil.
The growing trays are stacked on top of each other. Each month, the team harvests 4.5 pounds of greens.
Cycloponics launched the farm with the goal of growing veggies year-round and closer to the city compared to traditional outdoor farms.
The team sells its produce at local farmers markets, restaurants, and independent grocery stores.
Eventually, the startup aims to expand and produce 54 tons of fruits and vegetables per year, according to Le Monde.
