OmniFarm™

Wilted herbs and tired supermarket greens are the problem OmniFarm™ sets out to address. Developed by omni.farm, a startup based in Vienna, Austria, the Kickstarter project is a home hydroponic unit that arrives in a package about the size of a shoebox and unfolds into a small growing station. The campaign compares the deployment to origami, and the maker says setup requires no tools and takes only minutes.

How it grows

The system is fully hydroponic, with no soil involved, which the maker positions as reducing concerns about insects and mold for apartment dwellers. According to omni.farm, the design keeps watering and nutrient management to a minimum, and a compact recirculating water tank is meant to limit waste while keeping growing conditions stable. Built-in LED lighting supplements daylight indoors, and the maker says this allows harvesting year-round.

The campaign lists a range of suitable plants, from herbs such as basil, mint and parsley to lettuce, baby leaf greens, tomatoes and small peppers. An included Starter Kit is said to contain seeds for easy-to-grow plants, nutrients and hydroponic sponges.

Modular by design

OmniFarm™'s distinguishing idea is expandability: units can be connected to extend the growing area both horizontally and vertically, so one module might hold herbs while another grows salad greens. The models offered to Kickstarter backers also include a grow calendar feature that visualizes the growth cycle and indicates what care is needed at each stage.

• Wood-grain and white Scandinavian-inspired styling for countertop or windowsill placement
• Materials described as recycled plastic and FSC-certified wood
• Recirculating water system
• LED supplemental lighting

Looking ahead, the source mentions possible app integration and sensor-based monitoring of growing conditions, as well as potential use as an educational tool for children. These are described as future directions rather than current features. The campaign is reported to have raised more than six times its funding goal, with interest concentrated in Europe.