Growing Is At Our Core
Who We Are
Welcome to our growing world. At Just Vertical, we manufacture breathtaking indoor growing systems and gardens for every space, big or small.
We're driven by the desire to make efficient use of otherwise unproductive vertical space in homes, offices, schools, restaurants, and everything in between. With our systems, we make our world a more vibrant, happy, and sustainable home.
We love our planet. We love fresh food. We love making produce more accessible. We love community. And we love making our world a greener place.
We're driven by the desire to make efficient use of otherwise unproductive vertical space in homes, offices, schools, restaurants, and everything in between. With our systems, we make our world a more vibrant, happy, and sustainable home.
We love our planet. We love fresh food. We love making produce more accessible. We love community. And we love making our world a greener place.
The Just Vertical Story
Chapter 1 - How it all started.
In 2017, Just Vertical was founded by Conner Tidd and Kevin Jakiela, long-time friends who had recently completed their masters programs at the University of Toronto.
Kevin had just returned from groundbreaking indoor growing research in the Canadian Arctic, while Conner had gained a real-world perspective on the food problems faced by people around the world through his work in "Big Ag."
During an impromptu lunchtime discussion between classes, they realized that to make a real impact on food insecurity, they needed to find a way to enable people to grow their own food at home. Combining their knowledge of plant science, engineering, manufacturing, and business development, they decided to create vertical hydroponic growing systems that could be seamlessly integrated into urban living spaces. And so, Just Vertical was born.
Kevin had just returned from groundbreaking indoor growing research in the Canadian Arctic, while Conner had gained a real-world perspective on the food problems faced by people around the world through his work in "Big Ag."
During an impromptu lunchtime discussion between classes, they realized that to make a real impact on food insecurity, they needed to find a way to enable people to grow their own food at home. Combining their knowledge of plant science, engineering, manufacturing, and business development, they decided to create vertical hydroponic growing systems that could be seamlessly integrated into urban living spaces. And so, Just Vertical was born.
Chapter 2 - Where the journey has taken us.
Our journey, thus far, has been focused in two areas. Starting in 2017, we developed two unique gardens built for the everyday grower: the AEVA and the EVE.
Starting a little later in mid-2019, we applied our knowledge and patented technology of building farms for the everyday home to larger scale, custom farms. Through this, our commercial division as born.
Starting a little later in mid-2019, we applied our knowledge and patented technology of building farms for the everyday home to larger scale, custom farms. Through this, our commercial division as born.
Chapter 3 - What we’re doing now.
For us, our growth as both a lifestyle and commercial manufacturer of beautiful indoor gardening systems has just began. We’re still a seedling of an organization. However, our growing community has already achieved some amazing success.
Check out the impact of our Canadian-made gardens below.
Check out the impact of our Canadian-made gardens below.
112,554,321 food miles saved since launching Just Vertical in 2017
2,337,385 liters of water saved since launching Just Vertical in 2017
24,096 pounds (lbs) of produce grown since launching Just Vertical in 2017
Chapter 4 - Where we're headed (PS. you’re invited).
Honestly, we know you’re a smart person. You’re probably sick of beig told about how our world is in peril. At Just Vertical, we’re eternal optimists. We know we can fix this world. We know with each small step we can work together to help make the world greener, fresher, and a little tastier.
Imagine a world where our planet's largest farmer doesn’t own a single piece of farmland. Each indoor farm, grow wall, and garden we build is designed to be easy to use, spark a sense of joy, and bring us closer to producing more high-quality, amazing tasting food for everyone in the world to consume - all without owning a single piece of land.
Imagine a world where our planet's largest farmer doesn’t own a single piece of farmland. Each indoor farm, grow wall, and garden we build is designed to be easy to use, spark a sense of joy, and bring us closer to producing more high-quality, amazing tasting food for everyone in the world to consume - all without owning a single piece of land.
Epilogue - I don’t read. Show me the video.
Not the reading type? We got you. Watch the video below that provides a good (great?) overview of who we are, what we do, and why you should be coming on our growing journey with us.
Let's Chat
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Our team
Meet Our Team
Our team is full of kale-loving, adventure-seeking, planet-earth-obsessing, vagabond plant-scientists, marketers, designers, retail advocates, engineers, and everything in between.
Come along and meet our founders and team below!
Come along and meet our founders and team below!
Our Founders
Conner Tidd
Meet Conner - an avid sustainability strategist, self dubbed ‘King of Kale’, and the good cop of the organization. Conner has a breadth of management experience working internationally in the not-for-profit sector as well as tackling sustainability and innovation challenges in the agricultural industry. Throughout his career, Conner was recognized for his work as a Clean50 emerging leader and a" Top 30 under 30" sustainability and human rights leader. Conner loves kale.
Kevin Jakiela
Meet Kevin - Just Vertical’s resident chemist, plant scientist, and international man of mystery. Kevin has specialized experience in commercial hydroponics as well as addressing national health challenges across Canada. He’s also worked with Oxford County Health Department screening water for potential contaminants, and as an educator with First Nations Cree in Northern Quebec. Kevin also loves the Toronto Maple Leafs. Poor Kevin.