

Our mission is to help solve a looming global food security and climate threat.
The world is rapidly running out of suitable land to feed a growing population. Traditional agriculture and existing vertical farming systems are extremely energy intensive, exacerbating the climate crisis.
Airponix meets the challenge of growing nutritious, bountiful produce in a sustainable and scalable way. Our technology creates the perfect environment for plant happiness, enabling each plant to produce yields many times those of any other production method. And we can do this without soil or harmful chemicals, using just a fraction of the land, 95% less water and minimal energy.
Our vision is a world in which everyone has a secure, affordable, and accessible way to produce the food they need, when they need it. Our advanced AgriTech supports virtually any crop, anywhere in the world.
By 2050, the global population will reach nearly 10 billion people and global food demand will soar by 56%. This prompted us to completely reimagine farming. With higher yields and lower costs than current vertical farming systems, we foresee our unique technology helping to mitigate the current climate crisis, offer food security in our ever-changing world – and support delicious, healthy produce.
Our Team
Executive Team

Michael Ruggier
CEO & Founder
Michael was previously with Shell International for 24 years, the last seven of which in the role of Shell “GameChanger” where he turned bold vision into genuine impact. With a formidable track record of turning radically novel ideas into reality, and creating many rags to riches stories, Michael brings to the company a wealth of expertise in innovation, fund raising and external relations.


Tim Trotter
Chairman
Tim is a successful entrepreneur with 30 years’ experience in media, business and financial services. He currently has a wide variety of international interests, which include both public and private companies.


Charlotte Morton OBE
Non-executive Director
A corporate lawyer by background, Charlotte has successfully grown a number of startup companies. Through her current business, We Are Orchard Limited, she is helping to drive the growth of sectors that will most contribute to a sustainable world. Charlotte is also the Chief Executive of World Biogas Association.


Nick Saunders
Non-Executive Director
An engineer by background, Nick has held a variety of project, strategic, corporate finance and commercial roles in the aerospace and energy industries as well as a period with the Boston Consulting Group providing strategic consultancy. Nick has worked with a variety of start-ups, helping them to structure for growth.

Board Members

Josh Jenkins
Analyst
Josh models, analyses and manages projects. He has a background in agricultural science, finance and farming.

Barry Robertson
Horticultural Consultant
Barry is an expert with over 45 years of experience in the horticulture sector. He advises and facilitates commercial trials.

Luca Ruggier
IoT Developer
As an electronics and computer engineer with a fascination for wireless communication, Luca manages the LoRaWAN® IoT systems and develops the Airponix in-house electronics.

Gabriel De Franco
Farm Innovation
Gabriel is an industrial engineer and horticulturist with 12+ years of professional commercial controlled environment agriculture experience and a deep passion for profitable food production systems.
Airponix is supported by the following partners






