Vertical Farming Podcast: CEOs & Founders in AgTech and CEA17 Jan 2021

S2E20: Marc Plinke - Rethinking Greenhouses and Our Approach to Growing Food

Episode Summary

Join Harry Duran, host of Vertical Farming Podcast, as he welcomes to the show Founder and Chief Operating Officer (COO) of Ceres Greenhouse Solutions, Marc Plinke. Ceres designs and builds advanced, energy-efficient greenhouses that grow year-round while saving energy and water.

In this episode, Harry and Marc dissect Marc’s career trajectory, from his time at Synergistic Building Technologies to his current role with Ceres. Marc breaks down his passion for bringing about positive change in the world, the inspiring work he’s doing with Ceres and the state of food in our society.

Episode Sponsor

Ceres Greenhouse Solutions

Key Takeaways

03:22 – Harry welcomes to the show Marc Plinke, who discusses his natural curiosity, growing up in a family of engineers and the inspiration to launch Ceres Greenhouse Solutions
13:37 – Marc reflects on his early career, including his time at Synergistic Building Technologies
16:17 – Challenges Marc had to overcome as the founder of Ceres
24:04 – Marc expounds on what it means to design and reinvent greenhouses
38:02 – Marc shares a unique perspective about food deserts and the state of our food
46:25 – What excites Marc most about the future of AgTech
53:29 – Marc recalls his first invention
56:19 – Harry thanks Marc for joining the show and let’s listeners know where they can learn more about Ceres

Tweetable Quotes

“The world is waiting for you to change the world. That’s what I want to tell kids. You have the power and all you need to do is pay attention and ask yourself, ‘Why is that happening?’” (09:59)

“Every decision that we make we ask, ‘Is that better for everyone or is it just better for me?’ And that better for me is not the option that we often choose. We look for the win on the bigger scale.” (19:09)

“We’re an engineering and architecture office in essence. We’re not actually producing the steel itself. The beauty of this is we’re quite flexible to change according to customer demand.” (29:06)

“People that grow things generally have a certain amount of patience, because it takes time to go from a tiny seedling to the full plant and production.” (39:01)

“COVID has helped us and really everybody to think more about, ‘Where does my food come from and how do I stay healthy?’” (43:23)

“To see things grow is an enormously satisfying feeling. It is healing to grow.” (45:36)

“I just learned last week that a tomato that is stored under fifty degrees – meaning in your fridge – loses half of the nutritious value in less than a week.” (51:20)

Links Mentioned

Ceres Website

Marc’s LinkedIn

🎙️🎙️🎙️

Podcast Production and Marketing by FullCast: https://bit.ly/3sxZ34y

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Mentioned in this episode:

2025 Precision Ag Report by iGrowNews

2025 Precision Ag Report

2025 Precision Ag Report by iGrowNews

2025 Precision Ag Report

Denne episoden er hentet fra en åpen RSS-feed og er ikke publisert av Podme. Den kan derfor inneholde annonser.

Episoder(187)

182: The Importance of Smart Controls in Transforming Greenhouse Operations

Ever wondered if your greenhouse control system is actually helping—or if it’s leaving you in the dark about your energy bills? I’ve been there, and that’s exactly what we dig into in this episode.Joi...

31 Jul 53min

181: Why Mastering Vapor Pressure Control Holds the Key to Exceptional Crop Quality with David Sandelman

Ever wonder why your plants aren’t thriving—or why your post-harvest yields and terpene profiles just don’t stack up? I’ve been there, and this episode is your shortcut out of the guesswork.This week,...

9 Mai 43min

Precision Agriculture Report 2025: Surprising Patent & Funding Trends - AgTech Digest: Weekly Agriculture Technology News & Deals

📺 Watch on YouTube and SpotifyiGrow News - 2025 Precision Ag Intelligence Report - https://igrownews.com/precisionEpisode DescriptionWhat shook up the world of precision agriculture in 2025? In this ...

20 Apr 37min

180: Why Focusing on Farming Holds the Key to Real Success in Vertical Agriculture

Ever wonder if vertical farming is more about mastering plant care than chasing the latest tech trend? I do—and in this episode, you'll find out why that's the reality.Join me as I sit down with Andre...

20 Mar 41min

179: How Eleusis Helps Feed Security and Builds Rancher Resilience During Droughts with Joaquin Gonzalez

Ever feel like droughts, rising costs, or feed shortages are always threatening your ranch’s future? I get it—and so does this week’s guest, who’s engineering innovative solutions for resilient, susta...

5 Des 202554min

178: Why Modular Vertical Farming Holds the Key to Scalable Food Security with Fischer Farm's Tristan Fischer

Ever wondered how to scale your vertical farm without breaking the bank—or your nerves?In this episode of the Vertical Farming Podcast, I sit down with Tristan Fischer, CEO of Fisher Farms, one of the...

21 Nov 20251h 1min

177: How Mary Wetherill Discovered the Business Model Shift That Makes Urban Farming Profitable

I’ve lost count of how many times I’ve watched passionate urban farmers burn out because their business model wasn’t sustainable—what if there were a better way?This week on Vertical Farming, I sit do...

31 Okt 202556min

176: From Panic to Prevention: Pathogen Management Strategies for Indoor Growers

Are you worried about potential pathogens lurking in your indoor farm's water system or substrate? I've got you covered with insights from an expert in agricultural analytics.I sat down with Taylor Ro...

10 Okt 202546min