Visit to ETH spin-off YASAI

Why did we seek Cooperation?

As we worked on our project, we realized that we would need to look at an already existing example, similar to what we are trying to build. We found that there is one prominent example right here in Switzerland: YASAI, an ETH Zurich spin-off. They specialize in the automation of vertical farming and are working on new ways to make vertical farms more efficient.

We reached out to them to ask if they could give us a tour of their farm.

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Accordion — "What is Yasai?"

YASAI is an ETH Zurich spin-off founded by Mark Zahran, Stefano Augstburger, and Philipp Bosshard. Their goal is to transform food production through vertical farming, a method of farming that grows plants in stacked layers inside controlled environments. YASAI currently operates a vertical farm in Niederhasli near Zurich, which began production in 2021. By 2026, they plan on building on integrating a bigger Vertical Farm directly into an urban neighbourghhood.

Today, YASAI delivers fresh herbs such as basil, dill, and coriander to Swiss retailers including Coop, where they can be found in stores across Zurich, Basel, and Lucerne. Their farms produce up to 200 times more yield per square meter compared to traditional agriculture, while using 95% less fresh water and 0% chemical pesticides, all powered by 100% renewable energy

What is Vertical Farming in Detail?

Vertical farming is an innovative agricultural technique, in which crops are cultivated in vertically stacked layers, within controlled indoor environments. Often considered a branch of urban agriculture, it typically relies on hydroponic or aeroponic systems, supported by LED lighting and precise climate regulation. This method enables year-round production of vegetables, herbs, and other plants while significantly reducing land use, water consumption, and reliance on pesticides. Proponents emphasize its potential to deliver fresh, local food to densely populated cities, achieving yields up to 200 times greater per square meter compared to conventional farming. Despite these advantages, vertical farming faces challenges such as high energy demands and limited crop diversity, which ongoing research and technological innovation aim to overcome.

How we use Verticical Farming in our Project

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This year's topic of the World Robot Olympiad is "Living in Space". Therefore, we decided to build a project that automates vertical farming in space.

But automation is not the only challenge. We also considered the transport to space, which is a major difficulty. We realized that for a system to be used in space, it must be modular and easy to assemble. This idea became the foundation of our project, and we began designing different versions of our farm.

We eventually built a modular farm that can be assembled with a LEGO-like structure in about 30 minutes and includes full automation through its lift.

The core of the system is the lift, which transports the herbs around the farm. This remains our biggest challenge, as we need to construct a complete XY system that is extremely precise while still being quick to assemble.

Our project is intended as a scalable prototype, which means we also need reliable electronics—something we have yet to fully implement.

The Tour

We were welcomed by Philipp Bosshard in Niederhasli. Our tour began with a short introduction to the farm, where Philipp mentioned some key facts about YASAI and explained their vision.

First, we had to wear special food production suits. Since YASAI already delivers their herbs to supermarkets in Switzerland, they must comply with strict food safety standards. We started by looking at the area where they harvest and plant their herbs. This part of the farm is not yet automated, but they are working on implementing automation in their next urban farm.

We then headed to the main plantation. Philipp showed us their lift system and how it transports the trays containing the herbs.

Another special aspect of the farm is the filter and watering system, which works behind the scenes. YASAI filters the air and adds artificial CO₂ to increase plant growth. They also extract water from the air to recycle it and reduce overall water usage. This was very interesting, as most vertical farms do not use such a system. YASAI can control different parameters of the farm, including:

• Air mix and CO₂ concentration
• Light and light spectrum
• Water supply

How we continue our project

YASAI definitely showed us new aspects of vertical farming, and it was great to see a real-world example and get a feel for all the different elements involved. A big thank you to Philipp and the whole YASAI team!

In our next post, we will already write about our first competition… stay tuned!