​Our story

GerminoLab began as a hobby, rooted in initiatives originally aimed at the aerospace field, within the framework of two international competitions organized by NASA.

Its initial purpose was to develop autonomous and sustainable food production systems for extreme environments with limited resources. In the first competition, the Deep Space Food Challenge, the project advanced to the second phase.
In the second—The Space Chile Grow a Pepper Plant Challenge, still ongoing—the results have shown competitive performance compared to control data.

Throughout these challenges, the system evolved through different stages:

Manual Mode: The user directly controls all parameters, testing the hardware and validating the system’s robustness under real-world conditions.

Automatic Mode: The system monitors crop area variables in real time and manages the amount and quality of irrigation and lighting through the web.

Currently: We are developing the AI module to enable fully autonomous operation, capable of recognizing plant species, detecting crop states, and proactively adapting management—leveraging the knowledge accumulated in previous stages.

But then, why not apply this development here and now, on our own planet?

The objective is clear: to bring traditional agriculture—rooted in soil-based cultivation—closer to the city through advanced technology, integrating traditional methods with the latest innovations in automation and artificial intelligence.

Mission

​To develop autonomous cultivation systems that care for and optimize plant life in small spaces, evolving from manual and automatic control to the integration of ethical artificial intelligence, accessible hardware, and cloud technology.

Our commitment is to empower urban families to grow their own food with autonomy, privacy, and environmental responsibility—grounded in real-world experience validated in both extreme and urban environments.

Vision 

To become the leading platform in smart urban agriculture, spearheading a technological revolution with soul: where AI not only automates, but also protects, learns, and acts with principles.
 
From the soil of Mars or the Moon to a city balcony, we want to design a future where technology flourishes in service of life, learning at every stage and in every context to deliver robust and adaptive solutions.

Value Proposition

GerminoLab offers a unique experience in smart urban agriculture, with key benefits that blend technology, well-being, and sustainability:

Versatility: Three operating modes, of which two (Manual, Automatic) have been tested in real scenarios and international competitions. The third mode—autonomous (with AI)—currently in development, is the natural outcome of continuous learning and improvement.

Organic food at home: Enables you to grow your own food naturally, without chemicals or additives.

Emotional connection: Encourages direct contact with nature and the enjoyment of harvesting your own crops—even in urban environments.

Real-time monitoring: Continuous observation of variables such as temperature, humidity, and atmospheric pressure, as well as the status and volume of irrigation.

Programmable automation: The ability to schedule and remotely control irrigation and light/heat cycles, including personalized alerts.

Programmable—and soon, intelligent—optimization: Automated and adaptive management of irrigation and lighting, tailored to the needs of each crop.

Visual supervision: Periodic image capture of the cultivation area for complete and transparent monitoring.

AI for efficient crops: Automatic recognition of plant species and adaptive environmental control to maximize yield (currently in development).