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Aug 2023
LLEAF Pty Ltd received the prestigious Physical Sciences Fund
LLEAF, which stands for Luminescent Light Emitting Agricultural Films, has since marketed its unique product.
Sydney, Australia – July 24, 2023 – Last night, LLEAF Pty Ltd, an innovative Sydney-based
agtech startup, celebrated the inauguration of its new solar laboratory facility in Mona Vale.
The event was officiated by The New South Wales Chief Scientist Professor Hugh
Durrant-Whyte, marked by a symbolic planting of the final lettuce in the new hydroponic
system.
LLEAF Pty Ltd received the prestigious Physical Sciences Fund, a competitive development
and commercialisation program for technological innovations from The Office of The NSW
Chief Scientist in December 2021. This substantial financial backing proved to be a
game-changer, setting in motion a series of events that have led to LLEAF’s success today.
The company launched its minimum viable product (MVP) to the market in January 2022
and shortly after, secured its first customers. LLEAF was later published in New Scientist
and went on to raise a $3.5M seed round led by two Danish climate-focused funds and
participated in by the University of New South Wales, and Cicada Innovations.
LLEAF, which stands for Luminescent Light Emitting Agricultural Films, has since marketed
its unique product. It engages with the greenhouse horticulture industry, providing colour
conversion films that boost plant growth by approximately 20%. LLEAF’s technology allows
custom sunlight spectrums, termed “sunlight engineering”, resulting in various beneficial
outcomes such as seasonal shifting for out-of-season or new location fruiting. COO Chris
Wilkins said “the technology allows for greenhouse plastic to behave like an LED light –
emitting additional red light into the greenhouse which is what plants use to produce cellular
energy”.
The opening event was graced by esteemed guests including Dr. Sophie Scamps MP,
Federal Member for Mackellar, Rory Amon MP, State Member for Pittwater, Sue Heins,
Mayor of The Northern Beaches Council, Luke McQuillan from The Future Foods CRC, Rick
Jordan from Sustinent and Dr. Richard Thomas from Western Sydney University. Dr
Thomas’ work with The NSW DPI on ‘The Blueberry Nutritional Optimisation Project’ uses
LLEAF’s films to study the change in flavonoid levels in plants. From the LLEAF team in
attendance was Chief Operating Officer Chris Wilkins, CEO Dr. Alexander Soeriyadi, and
Marketing Manager Ariba Farid.
Since receiving the Physical Sciences Fund, LLEAF expanded its services to include
scientific measurement and inquiry, recognising its potential in this field. The result is the
cutting-edge solar laboratory and a connected devices system. This system, when placed
inside a greenhouse, monitors air quality, including spectrum, oxygen, carbon dioxide,
humidity, temperature, and air pressure, and provides essential data at an affordable cost.
The Solar Laboratory consists of 3 isolated chambers each housing high-tech plasma lamps,
with each lamp creating a floating marble-sized ball of plasma reaching 6000 degrees
Celsius, the artificial suns. “These lamps produce an almost perfect simulation of sunlight
and being controlled by the computer we can program the sunrise and sunset to simulate
real world conditions in the lab” said COO Chris Wilkins. This ability to mimic real-world
conditions, enables LLEAF to accurately forecast the yield a grower can expect when
constructing a new greenhouse or when switching to LLEAF film.
LLEAF is now working with universities to improve the efficiency of PV solar panels using its
colour conversion and spectrum-shifting films, and looking to develop semi-transparent PV
solar for greenhouses. Chris Wilkins, COO of LLEAF, said, “The potential now is huge and
The Physical Sciences Fund was precisely the targeted support LLEAF needed at the time.”
LLEAF continues to make waves in the agtech industry and is recognised as a Tech23
startup for 2023, an event hosted by Cicada Innovations. The company’s trajectory shows no
signs of slowing down.
About LLEAF Pty Ltd
LLEAF Pty Ltd is a pioneering Sydney-based agtech startup that specialises in ‘sunlight
engineering’. Their ground-breaking colour conversion films and comprehensive monitoring
systems are transforming greenhouse horticulture, making efficient and out-of-season
production a reality.
Press Contact:
Chris Wilkins
chris.wilkins@lleaf.com.au
+61 0492815067