This project investigated the financial and social viability of the implementation of two innovative agricultural startups in Venice. To determine the benefits of robotic farming and explore the use of the FarmBot system for urban agriculture, we analyzed the system in terms of sustainability, user-friendliness, and cost. We also determined the product-market fit and economic viability of microgreen-centric agriculture and the feasibility of large-scale organic waste collection for circular-economy reuse in Venice. We concluded that both microgreen-centric agriculture and large-scale organic waste collection are viable. We proposed a method to determine optimal planting procedure in the FarmBot, and do not recommend the use of the FarmBot for microgreen agriculture without modifications.

• This report represents the work of one or more WPI undergraduate students submitted to the faculty as evidence of completion of a degree requirement. WPI routinely publishes these reports on its website without editorial or peer review.

Creator

• Soens, Natalie Rose
• Ward, Benjamin Logan
• Premo, Julia Nancy
• Cyran, Benjamin Thomas

Publisher

• Worcester Polytechnic Institute

Identifier

• E-project-121119-084747

Stichwort

• Urban and Environmental Planning

Advisor

• Michalson, William R.
• Carrera, Fabio

Year

• 2019

Center

• Venice, Italy Project Center - IQP

Sponsor

• SerenDPT (ITALIS Grant)

Date created

• 2019-12-11

Resource type

• Interactive Qualifying Project

Rights statement

• In Copyright