The sauce of ex-banker's inspiration to grow vegetables on walls

The start-up scene is packed with flashy funding announcements, but what really goes on behind the glitz and glamour? In this series, The Straits Times sits down with founders to learn how they developed their ideas, and what it takes to ride the roller coaster of entrepreneurship.

- Timothy Goh

For Mr Mathew Howe, a classic pesto recipe is not complete without pine nuts, garlic, extra-virgin olive oil and, most importantly, a healthy measure of fresh basil.

While the herb is readily available in local supermarkets, he found that growing his own was more cost-effective, and he could also produce varieties that are tastier and more fragrant.

His success in growing basil then inspired him to cultivate more types of herbs, vegetables and fruit, but Singapore's tropical climate meant that most of these crops have to be grown indoors in compact and well-equipped space.

"Growing plants is my passion, and I wanted to combine that with my desire to provide the freshest produce for my family," said the 41-year-old Singapore permanent resident.

Mr Howe's success with growing basil and making pesto made him wonder if he could make it a community endeavour, and he found his answer during a trip to the barber.

"The idea of growing food on a wall came about when I was at my barber... I was staring at the wall behind me while my hair was being cut, and I just thought that maybe we could grow food there and also make the place look a lot prettier," he said.

Mr Howe is the founder and chief executive of Grobrix, an agritech start-up that builds modular, portable walls rigged with the firm's proprietary technology to optimise light and water for growing indoor produce like basil, lettuce, tomatoes, sage and parsley.

Grobrix grows crops in its nursery at Singapore Science Park, nurturing them from seed to seedling for about three weeks before transferring them onto vertical walls. These installations, which range in size from a medium-sized wardrobe to a large floor-to-ceiling storage cabinet, can produce 2kg to 6kg of food per week.