Sustainable Intensification: insights from vertical farming on the links between Diffusion of Innovation and the Business Model

Producing more food without further damaging the environment (sustainable intensification) is a pressing global need. While there is increasing knowledge of how agriculture may be sustainably intensified through use of technology, there is less understanding of how knowledge reaches growers, especially in a market economy.
There remains a gap in the sustainable intensification literature regarding the contribution of companies selling innovative systems and agronomic knowledge for food crops grown in three dimensions (3D or vertical farming). This thesis explores how innovative companies provide goods and services with enhanced environmental value, drawing on the interface between the business model theory and diffusion of innovation.
Through a seven-year case study analysis of the UK-based agricultural technology company Saturn Bioponics the thesis shows how the company uses technological innovation and agronomic know-how alongside effective diffusion of innovation to contribute to sustainable intensification. This study follows how the company has revised its business model by adapting its goods and services to ensure they meet customers’ business objectives while minimising environmental effects.
The time frame of the case study provides insights into how the company’s communications strategies and its business model have evolved, including the delivery of value for itself and customers. The CEO has morphed from an innovator into an entrepreneur and opinion leader in the national agricultural sector, showing how innovation can drive a move towards sustainability.
The case study provides a conceptual bridge between sustainable intensification, diffusion of innovation and business model literatures as my contribution to theory. In particular, I have found diffusion of innovation to be key to value generation, thus providing a foundation stone for a business model.