In this episode, I speak with Junell Abdi, the Founder and CTO of GEIA.AI. We first met at the Indoor Agtech Summit in Chicago, and I was immediately impressed by his innovative approach to indoor farming. Junell shares his journey from being a city boy in Israel to moving to Hungary and starting GEIA.AI. He talks about the challenges and triumphs of pitching his startup on a big stage and the importance of small startups in the Agtech space. His passion for automating and improving farming efficiency is truly inspiring, and his story is a testament to the power of curiosity and self-learning.
Junell dives into the technology behind GEIA.AI, explaining how his system uses sensors and automation to help farmers, both big and small, optimize their growing environments. He shares fascinating anecdotes about his early experiments with aquaponics and the development of his IoT-based solutions. Whether you're a tech enthusiast or someone interested in sustainable farming, Junell's insights into the future of vertical farming and the role of AI in agriculture will captivate you.
Join us for a conversation that blends technology, innovation, and a genuine love for making farming more efficient and accessible.
Indoor AgCon - https://indoor.ag
5:21 Leonardo da Vinci's Influence on Junell
8:17 Junell's Childhood Memories of Fresh Produce
10:35 Junell's Journey into Vertical Farming
15:53 GEIA’s Evolution and Target Market
18:46 GEIA’s Technology and Automation Solutions
22:21 Advanced Sensor Integration
24:08 IoT Ecosystem in Growing Environments
27:04 Data Overwhelm in IoT
31:51 GEIA Hub Knowledge Sharing Community
33:57 Integrating Robotics with GEIA
41:07 Philosophical Approach to Plant Lighting Automation
"I always had to autodidact, always learning by myself. When I did that server, that was the first journey of me on the Internet. I decided to make my own servers and became a data host ever since."
"We lived in Haifa, just 50 meters from the market, so fresh veggies and fruits were always near us. My father, an artist, had a small garden in the city where I planted tomatoes and cucumbers. Those early experiences shaped my love for being close to the source of food."
"The toughest thing as a startup is the chicken and egg issue. We invest a lot of time and resources, but to build up further, especially in marketing, we need more investment. Finding investors is not easy these days."
Website - https://geia.ai
LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/junell-/
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Mentioned in this episode:
AgTech Companies
https://agtechcompanies.com
2025 US Indoor Farm Report
http://verticalfarmingpodcast.com/report
CEA Summit East 2024