[SPN-Discussion] Greentech Investors Forum Friday, October 9: EcologiCiti: The Urban Food Conglomerate of the Future?

Gelvin Stevenson gelvin.stevenson at gmail.com
Wed Sep 30 18:57:40 PDT 2015


*EcologiCiti: Creating a Locally Grown Food Conglomerate*



Date: Friday, October 9, 2015

Time: 8:00am – 10:00am

Organizer: Gelvin Stevenson, PhD

Sponsor and Host: Crowell & Moring. LLC

Location: 590 Madison Ave. at 57th Street, southwest corner, 22nd floor



Locally grown foods in urban areas is well-established and accelerating
across the country and indeed in countless urban areas around the world.
Greenhouses come in many varieties: indoors, outdoors, in soil, on cloth
and hydroponically and grow a large number of foods: tomatoes, herbs, corn,
squash, grasses, sunflowers, and on and on.

 Most have been fairly small operations focusing on one market segment. But
EcologiCiti is super-sizing that vision with a vertical farming center
concept that challenges the existing norm.

 EcologiCiti plans to design, build, finance, and operate the nation’s
first vertically integrated sustainable urban food center using indoor
Hydroponic and Aeroponic farming with the financial savvy and assistance of
BuildFarms, a company that pairs energy efficient real estate expertise
with cutting edge technologies to start and fund urban farming initiatives.


 These facilities will be developed in urban brownfield sites (usually a
10,000-20,000 sq. ft. facility) installed indoors and in rooftop greenhouse
component in the New York Tri-State area. EcologiCiti expect to grow up to
100 tons of premium-quality leafy greens, basil, arugula and berries each
year for sale to local retail and restaurant markets.



EcologiCiti’s facilities will combine technically sophisticated,
commercially-proven Controlled Environment Agriculture (CEA) techniques
along with an energy generation component along with unique energy saving
innovation and techniques. Their aggregator commercialization business is
responsive energy burden, minimization project, which will reduce energy
price risk while addressing the ecological and health concerns of
conventional growing.



EcologiCiti food production and processing centers will be built in close
proximity to dense urban populations to meet the growing demand for locally
grown food.



EcologiCiti competitive advantage arises from the combination of three
crucial components:



➢      *Efficient food production technologies – Grow, Sell, Process*

➢      *Real estate development – Renew real estate*

➢      *On-site energy production – Generate Energy efficiently*



EcologiCiti has targeted sites in several areas within the New York
Metropolitan Area: Brooklyn, Queens, and The Bronx as well as Bridgeport,
CT., Paterson and Newark, NJ. Ideal initial sites a will be underutilized
manufacturing and or industrial locations in “food desert” neighborhoods,
where access to fresh food is inadequate, unemployment rates are high and
where we can create good-paying jobs.



*Business Model*

The EcologiCiti business, with all its components, is a closed-loop system,
sustainable aggregator development of urban food centers. Indoor vertical
growing technology (Aeroponic or hydroponic) is proven to have the highest
yield per square foot in a clean, climate-independent and predictable
environment. The vertically integrated EcologiCiti is new to the market
since it consolidates the food supply chain by controlling production,
processing, utility cost, distribution (retail and wholesale) and quality.
The energy generation will be done on site, using an array of proven,
site-specific, distributed green energy technologies.



*The Market*

Market, environmental and demographic factors have contributed to a food
crisis that will require suitable innovative responses from public and
private entities. State and Federal government agencies have advocated that
local, scalable, sustainable, efficient and profitable food chains are the
future.  EcologiCiti takes advantage of these realities.



➢      *Increase demand for locally grown fresh, healthy e-coli-free,
reliable, produce for urban populations with diminishing access to local
farms and at affordable prices.*

➢      *Volatile and intensified climate changes have had catastrophic
impact on food availability.*

➢      *The “Locavore” Revolution for locally grown, healthy, fresh,
sustainable vegetables has produced demand from upscale purveyors and
celebrity chef restaurants.*

➢      *The diabetes epidemic and obesity-related illnesses have created a
market for healthy fresh food.*

➢      *High energy cost has increased food prices due to the added cost
associated with distant travel.*

➢      *Governmental Incentives, Tax Credits are available for local food
farming that conserves water.*



EcologiCiti has positioned its business to profitably take advantage of the
convergence of technologies and changes in consumer food attitudes to bring
vertical farming to the market. EcologiCiti is moving Urban Food Center
indoor, creating the perfect business for the future of food security with
minimal environmental impact, sustainability. EcologiCiti will sell and
compete in these market segments: *Upscale food vendors and restaurants,
mass market and local retailers, and public institutions.  *EcologiCiti
along with BuildFarms has an advantage over conventional crop growers in
that customer are assured a high quality, taste, freshness, easy
availability, competitive price and sustainably-produced, produce
regardless of climate or seasonal factors.



EcologiCiti will utilize hydroponic and Aeroponic technology to produce
year-round, leafy green crops in half the time that traditional farming
methods require. Hydroponic cultivation is a water-based growing system in
which no soil is required and nutrients are carefully controlled. (CEA)
Controlled Environment Agriculture uses LED lighting and a water-nutrient
solution to grow plants in racks in a highly efficient, predictable manner.
Our distribution time is greatly reduced due to locations in urban areas
close to the end-users. Targeting development sites in underutilized, often
neglected locations will create real estate asset value on an otherwise
non-performing real estate properties we select.



Register at the Greentech Investors Forum Eventbrite Page
<https://www.eventbrite.com/e/greentech-investor-forumecologicitiurban-food-conglomerate-of-the-future-tickets-18855865401>

Or contact Gelvin at gelvin.stevenson at gmail.com.





EcologiCiti will pursue two types of development for its sites: Smaller
Rapid Start Community Scale (*RSCS*) and larger Urban Scale (*USCS*)
Developments. RSCS sites will tend to be smaller projects in existing
underutilized buildings that will meet the local community’s needs. The
USCS sites will be larger projects in either underutilized warehouse or
industrial sites or purpose built facilities.



*Financing Requirement*

EcologiCiti is requesting $600,000 in startup capital funding and
$8,600,000 in deal equity for initial site development for a total of
$9,200,000 to be used for:

➢      S*ite preparation Capital expenditure*

➢      *Architecture, Engineering and other intangible expenses*

➢      *Management Expenses incurred during development*

➢      *Initial Working Capital Requirements to support all operations
including Hydroponic growing, Energy generation management, and Site
Renewal management.*

Presenter: Emilio J Valls, CEO & Founder, Ecologiciti

Sector Expert: Ravi Suria, Founder/CIO at Valmiki Capital Management LLC

Disclaimer: The Greentech Investors Forum (GIF) is not soliciting funds for
the presenting companies, nor is it encouraging parties to invest in them.
We try to find good companies—not necessarily good investments. They have
been advised on what is acceptable in terms of predicted results, but GIF
takes no responsibility for what they actually do, say, or how they perform
in the future.





*Security:*              If there is a problem at the Security Desk, please
contact Ellen Reilly at (212) 223-4000 <%28212%29%20895-4265> (first
choice) or call Gelvin Stevenson at 917-599-6089.

*Fees:*                     $50, payable ahead of time or at the door. Cash
or checks and credit cards accepted.

   $25 for call-in. Registered call-ins will be emailed the call-in numbers
and, if available, the slides to be presented.

                              $25 for students and members of E2 and other
affiliated organizations.



*Agenda:*              8:00 to 8:30 -     Networking

                            8:30 to 8:40 -     Introductions

 8:40 to 9:10 -     Emilio Valls, CEO and Founder

 9:10 to 9:30 -   Ravi Suria, Founder/CIO at Valmiki Capital Management LLC

9:30 to 10:00 -   Discussion

To register, visit this Eventbrite site Greentech Investors Forum
Eventbrite Page
<https://www.eventbrite.com/e/greentech-investor-forumecologicitiurban-food-conglomerate-of-the-future-tickets-18855865401>
or
send your contact information to Gelvin Stevenson at
gelvin.stevenson at gmail.com or 917-599-6089. And contact Gelvin If you have
questions or need more information.

Bios:

*NAME*

*EXPERIENCE*

*Emilio J. Valls*

*Chief Executive Officer*

•         *CEO, EcologiCiti, Inc.*

•         *June 2014 to Present*

•         *President, MedStar Solutions, Inc.*

•         *Jan 2001 to Dec 2014*

•         Founded in 2004, MedStar Solutions, Inc. is an electronic medical
record, practice management Software Company marketing to physicians’
offices as well as custom Hadoop, NetSuite and Java development.

*Mark Harari*

*Chief Development Officer*

•         *CDO, EcologiCiti, Inc.*

•         *Co-President and Principal, phbCatalyst Group, Inc.*

•         Over many years, a builder, architect and development executive,
Mr. Harari has been involved with green building sustainability
considerations in real estate development projects and the construction
industry.

*Bruce Ostroff*

*Chief Financial Officer*

•         *CFO, EcologiCiti, Inc.*

•         *Director of Development, phbCatalyst Group, Inc.*

•         Mr. Ostroff brings 20 years of experience in project management,
project development, financial management, working directly with senior
management on large development project.



Ravi Suria, Founder/CIO at Valmiki Capital Management LLC, specializing in
Impact Investing, previously worked at Moore Capital Management, Duquesne
Capital Management and Lehman Brothers, where he was head of their
convertible research.
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