Marc Walraven, based in Fort Worth, TX, is a trailblazing urban farmer and inventor specializing in aeroponic technology. A former mechanical engineer turned sustainability advocate, Marc left his corporate job in 2017 to build one of Texas’s first solar-powered vertical farms. His patented “SkyGrow” system uses 90% less water and zero soil, making fresh produce accessible in urban food deserts. Marc is the founder of UrbanRooted Innovations, a company that supplies modular farming kits to schools, restaurants, and apartment complexes. Passionate about education, he hosts weekly workshops on sustainable food systems and regularly speaks at green tech conferences across the country. His work has been featured in local Texas media, and he’s a proud supporter of veterans’ job training programs in agricultural tech. When he’s not farming the future, Marc enjoys hiking the Texas hill country and restoring vintage motorcycles.