Greentowers, a State College startup company, has been named one of 18 companies to watch in Pennsylvania in 2015.
The designation was made by business publication Keystone Edge.
Founded in 2013, Greentowers is a self-described “green design firm.”
Currently working out of the New Leaf Initiative incubator space in downtown State College, GreenTowers is the brainchild of four Penn State graduates.
Dustin Betz is president, Jared Yarnall is vice president of sales and operations, Mike Zaengle is vice president of design, and Jon Gumble is vice president of research and development.
“We want to connect people with nature and the food system,” says Betz. The company created its first product in August 2014. It’s called “The Living Table” and incorporates aquaculture and hydroponics.
“We want to have people grow food indoors and showcase ecosystems and designed symbiosis,” says Betz, who holds a degree in biology from Penn State.
“We are very much in a niche market, and there are no direct competitors,” he adds. “Lots of companies can get plants indoors, but we are providing a unique, holistic system.”
The company is introducing a new product soon called “Beecosystem.” Transparent wall units will be combined to create a living wall, a beehive that can bring nature and food production into the home.
There will be a secure tube that allows the bees access to the outside world.
“The tube will route the bees into the hive units on the wall,” says Betz. “Once you have the bees in the units you will feed them sugar water until flowers start to bloom in spring.
“Part of the excitement is being able to watch the lives of honey bees. And, it will produce honey that a family can consume.”
GreenTowers will target businesses that can incorporate green design into their lobbies and offices. The team expects that small- to medium-sized businesses will be better suited to adopting green design and food-growing techniques.
“We are even talking to retirement facilities to encourage a type of horticultural therapy for seniors,” said Betz.
The four partners believe that GreenTowers will know by mid-2015 if its business model is going to be successful.
“Right now, a lot of cool things are happening here,” Betz says. “The stars seem to be aligning for us. We will go where the opportunities take us.”
