Irvine, CA, August 2016 – Urban Produce, Orange County’s CEA indoor vertical farm, has hired Optivest Investment Banking to oversee the financial expansion of their patented High Density Vertical Growing System.
Since Urban Produce launched in January 2015, the company has seen significant growth and now looks to move into phase two of expansion based on the continued interest internationally. Urban Produce currently holds patents in seven different countries including the U.S. and Canada. All discussions between Urban Produce and prospective financial and strategic investors will be overseen by Paul Donnelly, Sr. Managing Director with Optivest Investment Banking.
“We have seen considerable interest from the investment community and as a result, our board is considering different proposals aimed at strengthening our balance sheet as we seek to capitalize on a number of accelerated growth initiatives,” commented Ed Horton, President and CEO of Urban Produce. “Optivest Investment Banking’s corporate finance expertise and established network of institutional and strategic relationships make them an ideal partner to advise Urban Produce on its corporate finance plan.”
With worldwide population projected to increase by 70% by 2050, Urban Produce’s plans for expansion will help combat the global hunger crisis and eradicate food deserts by radically changing the way produce is grown, transported and consumed. “Our goal of sustainability incorporates our atmospheric water generation and the use of solar-generated power to one day completely operate off the grid,” states Horton.
The partnership with Optivest Investment Banking represents another important relationship to support Urban Produce’s expansion plans. Urban Produce is moving forward to build five additional Urban Vertical Farms in the U.S. by 2017. With strategic operating and licensing partner interest from the Middle East, Mexico, Canada, Japan, and Peru, the company continues to explore international expansion, which may include an additional 25 Vertical Farms in 2018.
ABOUT URBAN PRODUCE
Urban Produce is a Controlled Environmental Agriculture (CEA) vertical grower located in Irvine, CA. Their patented “in-motion” High Density Vertical Growing System allows them to produce live, organic, non-GMO produce year round. Their mission is to globalize locally grown organic produce by building vertical growing systems all over the world, thus stimulating economies and creating local jobs all while reducing agriculture’s carbon footprint. For more information, please visit www.urbanproduce.com, or connect with Urban Produce on Instagram, Facebook, Twitter and YouTube.
ABOUT OPTIVEST INVESTMENT BANKING
Optivest Investment Banking (Optivest IB) provides corporate finance advisory and transaction based investment banking services including private placements, mergers and acquisitions, valuations, and fairness opinions for emerging growth and middle market companies. Founded by Paul Donnelly, Optivest IB and its principals have originated over 90 transactions representing over $3.75 billion in value delivered to clients and shareholders.