A world first food productivity system backed by Breakthrough Victoria has reached a major commercial milestone, with the launch of its first production greenhouse in Victoria and a new agreement to deploy the technology in India.
The YieldX system, an advanced hydroponic growing platform originally engineered in collaboration with researchers from La Trobe University, was developed through work with the School of Computing, Engineering and Mathematical Sciences (SCEMS) and the School of Agriculture, Biomedicine and Environment (SABE) for the NASA Deep Space Food Program.
The La Trobe Eagle Fund - a joint investment vehicle between Breakthrough Victoria’s University Innovation Program and La Trobe University - invested $1 million as the cornerstone investor in YieldX’s $1.75 million seed round last year. The investment supported the development and commercialisation of the technology alongside seed funding from Mandalay Venture Partners and LaunchVic’s Hugh Victor McKay Fund.
YieldX is now operating at commercial scale within a 4,000sqm protected cropping greenhouse at Butler Market Gardens in Lyndhurst, Victoria. The commercial pilot has demonstrated intelligent optimisation of plant spacing, and when fully deployed across the site, the system is projected to increase basil production by up to one million plants per year within the same greenhouse footprint.
Building on this milestone, YieldX is preparing to establish operations in India following a multiyear agreement with Hyperpure by Zomato, the fresh supply chain arm of one of India’s largest publicly listed food and commerce platforms. Under the agreement, YieldX systems will be deployed across multiple controlled environment agriculture sites in and around New Delhi, supporting Hyperpure’s strategy to vertically integrate fresh produce supply and improve reliability through extreme summer heat and monsoon conditions.
The progress achieved by YieldX demonstrates Breakthrough Victoria’s focus on patient, mission aligned capital in translating worldclass research into globally competitive companies. Through the La Trobe Eagle Fund, Breakthrough Victoria supports ventures that leverage Victorian research strengths to address critical global challenges, including food security, climate resilience and sustainable production.
The YieldX system has been supported by La Trobe researchers Dr Alex Stumpf and Adam Console, who helped develop two vertical farms as part of the NASA Deep Space Food Challenge. Their work laid the technical foundations for a system that is now delivering commercial outcomes and export opportunities for Victoria.
At the Lyndhurst site, Butler Market Gardens is partnering with YieldX to trial the technology under real world commercial conditions. The pilot aligns with the future needs of large scale horticultural producers seeking to increase output, improve labour efficiency and maintain competitiveness in a rapidly evolving sector.
The Lyndhurst demonstration greenhouse is now open to growers, distributors, industry leaders and investors. Visitors can see the system in operation, review performance data and understand how significant gains in crop density, yield and land use efficiency can be achieved within existing infrastructure.