Monica Saavedra

Revolutionising greenhouse farming with light-manipulating technology.

Monica Saavedra is the founder of Lambda Agri, which is developing innovative light-manipulating materials to increase food production in greenhouses. With 22 years of experience in physics and materials science, she’s tackling global food insecurity through sustainable technology, inspired by the knowledge that just 1% more light can increase crop yields by 1%.

With 800 million people facing starvation globally and climate change forcing more farming into controlled environments, greenhouse growers are struggling to remain profitable. Lambda Agri’s solution is a unique light changing spray paint, which converts UV light to photosynthetically active radiation to increase crop yields by around 20% without electricity or extra land. This non-toxic coating can be applied to any existing greenhouse, reducing energy consumption by 25% and potentially cutting agricultural CO2 emissions by more than 1.3 million tonnes by 2050.

“Feed the world, sustainably. Bringing more sunlight to horticulture,” says Monica of Lambda Agri’s mission.

Her achievements include multiple first-place awards including Tech Nation Rising Stars East Anglia, Greentech Europe, and the Royal Society of Chemistry Emerging Technologies Energy Category. The company has secured numerous grants including the Energy Entrepreneurs Fund and Technology Accelerator Fund.

“I feel humbled and supported through our commercial success,” says Monica of winning the Women in Innovation Award. “With this award, we’ll be bringing sustainable paints to the greenhouse market by 2027, achieving 20% yield increases through environmentally-friendly solutions.”

“Getting enough words into a meeting driven by testosterone-rich men has been a challenge,” Monica reflects. “Finding where you belong is crucial – turn the monsters that feast on your mind into superheroes by converting your inner chatter into constructive voices that build you up as you build your company.”

Her advice to aspiring innovators? “Mingle with other founders and join support networks. Focus on product development and increasing brand awareness through competitions and PR rather than relying solely on private equity.”

For more information on Women in Innovation

Find out more about the Women in Innovation Award and other support available across the Innovate UK ecosystem on the Women in Innovation programme page.