Fifth Season Recognized by Fast Company for its “World Changing” Ideas

Company wins additional awards for achievements in technology, food and innovation from NAIOP and Smart Business Dealmakers

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PITTSBURGH, Pennsylvania

— Fifth Season, a vertical farming company that combines proprietary robotics and artificial intelligence to disrupt the country’s produce market and deliver an entirely new category of hyper-local fresh food, has been recognized with three awards for its business leadership and achievements in technology, food and innovation.

The awards  include Fast Company’s “World Changing Ideas" award, the National Association of Industrial and Office Property’s (NAIOP) “Best Build-to-Suit” award and Smart Business Dealmakers’s “Dealmaker of the Year” award.

“Fifth Season has spent years building and fine-tuning our technology, our process and our facilities, and we’re truly honored to be recognized amongst so many talented companies and thought leaders,” said Brac Webb, co-founder and COO of Fifth Season.

“While recognition can be an indicator of growth," added co-founder and CEO Austin Webb, "Fifth Season has no intention to settle on its successes and awards – we will keep striving to innovate as we continue on our path towards redefining produce freshness and food safety."

Fifth Season’s recent awards include:

• World Changing Idea from Fast Company - Fifth Season earned an Honorable Mention in the Food category in Fast Company's annual World Changing Ideas Awards which honor products, concepts, companies, policies, and designs that pursue innovation for the good of society and the planet. The Food category specifically highlights projects actively changing what we eat, how we eat, and how we get our food.
• ‍Dealmaker of the Year from Smart Business Dealmakers - Co-founder and CEO Austin Webb earned Dealmaker of the Year for his successful effort to raise $37   million   in   venture   equity   and   debt   towards   continuing   the   company's expansive growth.‍
• Best Build-to-Suit from the NAIOP - Fifth Season along with RDC Design + Build was recognized for its 60,000-sq.-ft. solar-powered farm and 25,000-sq.-ft. grow room with twice the capacity of traditional farms. The company’s smart design will allow them to produce and market over 500,000 lbs. of produce in their first year of operation alone. Through AI, robotics and data analysis, Fifth Season's team can tend to each plant’s individual needs, and provide the perfect light, nourishment, and environment for healthier produce, higher yield, and better flavor.

By delivering its produce within hours of harvest, Fifth Season is setting a new standard for fresh food, at a price competitive with conventional produce. All Fifth Season produce is grown locally and without pesticides and has an average shelf life off our weeks. What’s more, Fifth Season’s produce is grown using 95 percent less water and 97 percent less land than conventional farming.

About Fifth Season

Fifth Season’s vertical farms combine proprietary robotics and AI with sustainable agriculture to disrupt the country’s $60 billion produce market and deliver an entirely new category of hyper-local, fresh food. Fifth Season’s newest vertical farm in Braddock, Pa., a historic steel town on the edge of Pittsburgh, features a 25,000-sq.-ft. grow room with twice the growing capacity of traditional vertical farms. It is set to grow more than 500,000 lbs. of produce in its first full year of operation.

The company’s fresh, tender lettuces, spinach, arugula, “Bridge City” and “Three Rivers”blends, as well as their herbs, receive individualized attention as sensors monitor every condition — humidity, pH, light, nutrient mix — and adjust to each plant’s needs. Fifth Season can even determine the perfect nourishment to give varietals their own buttery or crispy, soft, sharp, or tangy flavor and texture.

For more information on Fifth Season, its technology and produce, visit www.fifthseasonfresh.com.