Simplifying farming to provide more access to good food

The beginnings of Babylon®.

Babylon® began with the idea of growing food where it was never thought possible. Founders Alexander Olesen and Graham Smith met at the University of Virginia where they first designed a low-cost Micro-Farm™ to provide nutritious produce for food-insecure refugees in the Middle East.

Their goal was to bring the benefits of sustainable hydroponic farming to anyone who needed it. As a result, they developed technology that would automate the complex aspects of indoor farming by simplifying crop production and making it accessible to anyone.

Close up of founders Alexander And Graham

Our Vision

We will make farming so simple, it’s within anyone’s reach.

Our Mission

Grow the world’s largest network of distributed indoor farms so people get closer to their food.

Values

Why every enterprise can benefit from micro-farming.

Polite Persistence

Be absolutely unrelenting in your work ethic, but not your attitude.

Raise the Tempo

High energy and interest makes the difference between good and great.

Unparalleled Quality

No shortcuts. No compromises. Simply the best will do.

Pragmatic Innovation

Balance innovation and reality with resourcefulness.

Babylon’s Leadership Team

Alexander Olesen

Alexander Olesen

CEO & Co-Founder

Social Entrepreneur. Keynote and TEDx Speaker, and Urban Agriculture Expert. Passionate about building a more sustainable food system.

Graham Smith

Graham Smith

CTO & Co-Founder

Patent holder with multiple IoT inventions in agtech and medical device spaces and a Principal Investigator and proposal reviewer for the National Science Foundation.

Marc Oosterhuis

Marc Oosterhuis

COO

Experienced Senior Executive. A versatile leader with a strategic mindset. Former President Drytac Group (1999-2018). Extensive global experience. Fluency in English, Dutch, and German.

It is truly a seamless experience. Babylon is with you every step of the way

Jeremy Tavares

Jeremy Tavares

EVP & Chief Experience Officer - River Spring Senior Living & NexDine Hospitality

Here at Zurich, sustainability is a very important matter, and with the Babylon Micro-Farm it reduces the need for trucking produce to use which uses gas that contributes to greenhouse gas emissions

Matthew Carlson

Matthew Carlson

Executive Chef - Zurich Insurance
Our students appreciate the emphasis that Babylon Farm brings to healthy eating.
Pam Neff

Pam Neff

Resident District Manager - VCU / Aramark

Honey, I was there when they were installing it! I was so excited! All I could think about was being a young girl helping my mother in the garden, picking veggies. It brought back my very best memories.

Elsie H.

Elsie H.

Community Resident - Commonwealth Senior Living
Consumption of leafy greens has gone up 35% since our Babylon Micro-Farms were installed.
Bob Raymond

Bob Raymond

VP of Dining & Procurement - Commonwealth Senior Living

I’ve had two interns help me with this project and they are very passionate about sustainable growth and farming. The students can see everything growing from planting to harvesting, which is fantastic.

Lindsay Klingenschmidt

Lindsay Klingenschmidt

Sustainability Manager - Aramark

Our cafe on campus has seen a lot of success with the produce from the Micro-Farm. Students are adding greens to their pizzas, salads, and noodle bowls

Matt Jewell

Matt Jewell

Assistant Manager - Selleck Dining Hall, U. Nebraska

My favorite part was explaining and showing people how the farm actually works, now I’m not afraid to take chances when it comes to different jobs and me not knowing what’s to come

 Michaela - CHAT & Rise Cafe

Michaela

Assistant Grower - CHAT & Rise Cafe

Clients enhancing their properties for the environment

Let’s Harvest Together

We would love to hear your food story and see how we can grow it.