Building Just Vertical: Conner Tidd on Food Security, Vertical Farming & the Future of Agriculture

In this episode of The People-Driven CEO Podcast, Shane sits down with Conner Tidd, Co-Founder and CEO of Just Vertical, to talk about entrepreneurship, food security, vertical farming and building technology that can help communities grow fresh food closer to home. bio and socials Conner shares how Just Vertical began as a University of Toronto master’s project before turning into a real business. He opens up about the early realities of entrepreneurship, from living on a shoestring budget and pitching roughly 100 investors to learning how to raise capital, build relationships and get better through repetition.

Pasted text The conversation explores how Just Vertical is building indoor hydroponic farms for communities, farmers and organizations across North America. Conner shares how the company is helping address food insecurity in remote and Indigenous communities, while also exploring new opportunities with farmers, data centres and other organizations looking to build more resilient local food systems. Pasted text They also get into leadership, staying focused as a founder and how Just Vertical is using technology to operate more efficiently with a lean team.

Ultimately, Conner’s vision is about making fresh food more accessible, reducing food miles and water use and giving more communities the ability to grow food wherever they are.