Advanced manufacturing
for urban food production.
City Farmers combines proprietary greenhouse technology and automated aeroponics to deliver year-round, hyper-local produce with dramatically fewer resources.
Our Technology
SolaRoof Greenhouses
Proprietary soap bubble insulation fills the cavity between dual-membrane walls, providing dynamic climate control that adapts throughout the day. Cooling in summer, insulating in winter — using 80% less energy than conventional greenhouses.
Automated Aeroponics
Roots suspended in air receive nutrient-rich mist, maximizing oxygen exposure and nutrient uptake. This eliminates soil-borne diseases and enables precise control over growing conditions with 90% less water.
Team
Ian Wylie Hedrick
CEO & Founder
A decade at the intersection of urban food access, solar and renewable infrastructure, and mission-driven operations. Founded an urban farming program fiscally sponsored by the Public Health Institute of Metropolitan Chicago, managed solar farm construction projects, and founded Wylie Advisory, a consultancy serving nonprofits and private foundations.
Richard Nelson
Chief Technologist & Inventor
Inventor of SolaRoof bubble insulation with 40+ years of R&D in solar thermal greenhouse design (1982–present) and 6 US patents. Technology independently verified at Cornell University (80–87% heating reduction) and deployed at scale by BBBL Solutions (Norway) and Koppert Cress (Netherlands, $222M Dutch grower, opened April 2024).
Pam Chuey
Co-founder & COO
Wharton MBA. Strategy and operations leader who recently raised $25M for a sustainable aviation fuel startup, raised $125M from the Disney CFO at ILMxLAB, spent 18 years at Cisco across M&A and go-to-market strategy, and advises women entrepreneurs through Astia.