Grovero & ASN Plus - Wie wir Elektronik für Mikrofarmen aus der Ferne entwickelt haben. Von Brünn nach Amsterdam.

In today’s interview, we welcome Evyatar Bukai, founder and CEO of Grovero, a Dutch startup developing smart indoor microfarms designed for restaurants and homes.

Together, we’ll dive into:

• The development of the MiniGro device – how a Raspberry Pi prototype became an elegant, production-ready product
• Startup + external team collaboration – why Grovero chose to partner with ASN Plus and how it accelerated their progress
• Technological edge over the competition – how Grovero bridges the gap between clunky vertical farms and unreliable kitchen gadgets
• The value of communication and partnership – the importance of transparency, openness, and regular check-ins
• Expansion plans and future vision – from entering new markets in Europe, the US, and South Korea to a broader mission: making fresh greens accessible to all

What will you learn in this interview? 

• How startups can efficiently scale development through a mix of in-house and external expertise
• How to turn a hardware idea into a real product ready for the market
• How to manage remote collaboration effectively and still build strong partnerships
• How to balance aesthetics, technology, and ease of use in one device

How we developed electronics for microfarm remotely. From Brno to Amsterdam. (Interview transcript)

Evyatar Bukai: One flagship micro farm which is MiniGro. It's an aquarium sized microfarm and as I said before, it allows users to grow their own greens indoors year round with almost no effort. But you really don't need to know anything. It's plug and play and it's for anybody to be able to grow, high quality produce.

That's it. That's the purpose, right? Making farming accessible to everyone. An amazing product that is technologically so much years ahead of any competitors, and this is why. The question that you asked me before about competitors, yes, we're having competitors, but in my head we don't, you know, they have many years to come to reach us.

We had a really positive experience, I think. We had regular check-ins with you and it was big communication. And nowadays via video call and via WhatsApp and emails, it's so easy to just keep communicating. I think it was your responsiveness, most probably. And the problem solving mindset that you guys brought to the table that helped with this, you know, questioning a bit the decisions, and the ideas that I had. And then engaging and looking at the bigger picture rather than just a small picture and just doing what I wanted to be done.

Frantisek Vrbovsky: We have invited for today's interview our long-term partner and customer Evyatar Bukai, CEO of the Grovero company. Hello.

Evyatar Bukai: Hi, Frantisek.

Frantisek Vrbovsky: Hello Evyatar. Thank you for joining the call or joining the interview. I would like to discuss with you today, one topic, which is, I would say kind of recapitulation or summing up our cooperation, which was more than one year or something, about the development of your electronic device. So, thanks a lot for joining the call Evyatar. Actually, I would like to have a discussion with you about our development process and your product. Could you present us a little closer, your company Grovero? 

Evyatar Bukai: Yes. so there's a lot to say but I'll keep it short. Grovero, we are a startup that designs smart compact indoor microfarms, that we're installing in restaurants or food businesses and we help chefs, restaurants, and conscious consumers grow water fresh greens. May there be herbs of microgreens onsite using hydroponic technology. Our field of expertise really combines agriculture, sustainability, and smart hardware, and we are doing it all in a very user friendly and beautiful design format.

Frantisek Vrbovsky: Thank you. So your main customers are the restaurants, especially? 

Evyatar Bukai: Yes. So our primary customers are chef and restaurants, who want to improve flavor, freshness, and sustainability in their kitchen, more specifically of the green vegetables. We're slowly also expanding towards upscale home users and interior designers that are working on boutique hospitality projects. But this is towards the end of the year, but for now, our primary, our chefs and restaurants indeed. 

Frantisek Vrbovsky: Thank you, Evyatar. Do you have any competitors on the market? 

Evyatar Bukai: Yeah, so we have a few competitors, without saying them by name because I'm sure that the people behind the screen can most probably find them. We are having both larger vertical farming systems, solar vertical indoor farms, and smaller hydroponic kitchen gadgets we call them, that are on the market. But Grovero is really kind of in the middle of the market between the very bulky and complex systems that are really hard to use and not for everybody, and the very small and unreliable gadgets that don't give you real yield. So we intentionally placed Grovero in this missing gap. Where it's both small and reachable, but high-end enough and technological enough such that you can have real yield from your product. 

Frantisek Vrbovsky: Would you say that you have any specific competitive advantage that really differs you from the other product?

Eviatar Bukai: Yes, I think l. The key advantages, as I said, is the combination between the high technology in a very small and aesthetic format and all of it being also keeping the ease of use, and agricultural performance within, right? So we are not a gadget with a serious growing solution, but without all the complexity that usually comes with that. In addition to that, I want to say perhaps that since our primary target group is chefs, then the project that is growing inside is of real high value and high quality. 

Frantisek Vrbovsky: Yeah. So the freshness is something that they do appreciate. 

Evyatar Bukai Indeed. 

Frantisek Vrbovsky: Yeah. Okay. Thank you. On what markets are you aiming? Is it like only the European Union then, or? 

Evyatar Bukai: Yeah, so, we are currently in the Dutch market. We are in the Netherlands based in Amsterdam. and we are by the end of the year reaching the German at the Danish market and slowly growing within Europe. We have some high interest and high demand in Europe itself, but we are also going to reach the US and South Korea. Most probably by next year. The real advantage of our product is also the novel attended hydroponic technology that we're having. And we're having this patent all around the world as we know that we will most probably reach a bit everywhere around. 

Frantisek Vrbovsky: Okay. That sounds really nice. So, fingers crossed it'll go in the right way. Thank you. I would like to discuss a little bit deeper with you the technical concept. I know that we designed a hardware for the microfarm. Could you give us a little bit of an overview about the technical specifications and how it's done, like the microfarm? 

Evyatar Bukai: Yeah, okay. We are having one flagship microfarm, which is MiniGro. It's an aquarium sized microfarm, and as I said before, it allows users to grow their own greens indoors year round with almost no effort. What it does is actually make an ideal environment for whatever plant you're growing. So the concept is really easy. As a user, you go to the micro farm, you sow seeds inside the microfarm and on the app you write down what kind of seeds you sowed. That's it. One week later, three weeks later, it depends what you're farming, the app notifies, it's ready for harvest. You go to the microfarm, you harvest and you repeat the process. So what the microfarm pretty much does, it's making an ideal environment for whatever plant you're growing. So when you enter it on the app, it now knows what it's growing and it'll adapt. Light, nutrient, irrigation, temperature, humidity, everything the plant needs in order to strive. It'll provide this.

Frantisek Vrbovsky: Okay. So you don't have to be kind of a growing specialist or growing for a professional and you can grow like the vegetable plus or the plants. Thanks to the app and thanks to the microfarm, which brings light on your behalf. 

Evyatar Bukai: Exactly. You don't need a green thumb and there is no guesswork. There is no complexity. So you really don't need to know anything. It's plug and play and it's for anybody to be able to grow, high quality produce. That's the purpose. Making farming accessible to everybody. 

Frantisek Vrbovsky: That sounds like a great quote. Why have you decided to outsource the hardware development to other companies? Like the company ASN Plus.

Evyatar Bukai: We had a strong internal vision and prototyping ability. I think from the very beginning. I'm a robotics engineer by profession as well, so I had that as well. But for a small startup to have all the technical expertise, and the knowledge to create such a complex product ready-made product for the market. It's another big step from the prototype itself, right? So you have all the requirements, all the specifications, but on the other hand, you do need expertise from different angles, that you need to bring in order to be able to commercialize and market the product itself, to produce it in big qualities.

Now, we could have gone the way of doing it ourselves, but this most probably would've taken us a lot of time  and would have needed to involve a lot of people, a lot of parties. And in a startup such as ours, you need to decide to pick your battles. And in our case when you're finding a partner such as ASN Plus as you guys, for example, then it's ticking the boxes of being able to bring forward this expertise and it's just a good solution to go forward from the prototype and really taking the product towards the market out there as fast as possible and as good as possible given that companies such as yourself had the knowledge to do so.

Frantisek Vrbovsky: Okay, so do I understand correctly that right now the product is already for the market or it's even already been sold? 

Evyatar Bukai: Yeah. So the product is being sold already. Obviously, we've been talking also with Frantisek here before, but, R and D never stops. The first product and the first version, which is not the first version officially, but it's the first version out there, is being sold and is working very well. And we are already going forward with the next versions based on feedback that we got and based on feedback that we experience ourselves towards the next version of the product. 

Frantisek Vrbovsky: That's great to hear. That's actually really a good thing. How long have you been developing the device? Like all together? Do you have any count? 

Evyatar Bukai: You want to talk about  which version it is? It's 20. 28 maybe. It was quite a process. We started from a big product and then we had to scale it down, but I think if we're talking about the current version that we're talking about, the acquiring size, microfarm so the MiniGro itself I would say it's been like two and a half years, perhaps two years of this specific version. 

Frantisek Vrbovsky: Yeah. Because I know that before you addressed us as a company, you had a prototype, working prototype that proved by the concept that it's something that works, but you wanted to make the concept and design much more professional and ready for the serial production. When you were deciding whether to do it like the development internally or maybe engage a third party such as ASN Plus, do you remember the deciding process or could we talk a little about this one? 

Eyiatar Bukai: Yeah, I think from my perspective it was a bit easy to understand where this is going because as I said, I'm by profession, this is what I've been doing. I've been working with a very complex product that is mixing hardware and software and firmware in my professional life before so I knew what it involved all the way from ideation to specification, to requirements to conceptual design, to detail design. So is the whole life cycle of the product. There is a long way. And, luckily for us and for me, I knew what this entails. I knew that there will be moments where I will need to request some help. And then the question would be, do I hire people internally or do I outsource it?

Again, I don't remember specifically when it was, I think when we had a prototype, an MVP that was working really well with Raspberry Pis. With libraries that already exist, you know? And when this was the limiting factor and the limiting factor was taking it from prototype to production ready, this is when I knew that this was the right time to do it. Because, yes, you could perhaps make microfarms with a lot of Raspberry Pis and put it out there. But if, and this will most probably be cheaper, if you only produce just a hundred microfarms. But if my vision is to produce thousands of them in the coming years, then I need to get ready and get the right tools in order to make it happen. 

Frantisek Vrbovsky: Yeah, okay. Thanks. Have you been considering engaging or employing your own developers and comparing it with, for example, third party or it was, I would say, clear from the beginning that you want to go with the third party company?

Evyatar Bukai: Yeah, I think you're having. three kinds of ways here. You could do everything internally yourself. You could do everything externally yourself, externally, such as, outsourcing it. And then you could, and most probably you will be, do some kind of, mix. With a product so complex such as ours that is involving so much complexity, hardware, software, cloud, databases, everything. If I would need to hire people internally, I would need a team of I don’t know, six, eight engineers just doing development, software. 

And on the other hand, if I'm just outsourcing it, then If I wouldn't have the knowledge to do it, or I wouldn't have the time and accurately don't have the time, I need people within the company that understand what really needs to happen in terms of the requirements and what our clients really need. So I think. Ideal scenario, and this is what we're doing in our case, is we're having some people that are internally doing it. Some, a person that is a software guy, a person that is a firmware guy, a person that.. But then that can use the expertise and the power source of people and teams such ASN Plus in order to really organize everything around.

Frantisek Vrbovsky: Yeah. You’re little bit helping me with another question. Why did you engage us as a third party? What was, I would say the biggest added value that you received with, engaging the third party company? 

Evyatar Bukai: Oh, the biggest thing? I think perhaps the clarity and the confidence to understand if this dream and the idea of ours is actually doable and makes sense as well. I mean, there is a big difference between an idea and making it happen. But there needs to be some understanding of people such as yourself, that have already reached the end and that know what such complex product entails, right? And what kind of hours we are talking about and what kind of costs and budget we're talking about. And I remember when you and I sat at the very beginning and you told me, it's going to be so much more and so much more complicated. So much more time. So much more and I was saying yeah. But I was kind of doing this, you know, didn't want to hear it from one side, because if back then I knew about the complexity, I don't know if I would by myself go out with this. But it was good that there were people such as yourself that were always here to kind of put it back, onto the right path and to remind that, hey, this is normal. It's normal that it's taking three more months, it's normal that it's costing X more time and X more money because at the end of the story it'll be worth it. And it was worth it. But, yes, I think this is the biggest added value to have a sparring partner in people that understand about it.

Frantisek Vrbovsky: Yeah. Thanks. Despite the amount of hours expected and about the estimation was not, I would say nice to hear you appreciate it after the time, correct? 

Evyatar Bukai: Yeah. And to be honest Frantisek, you and I know, it was so much more than what you thought as well, but at the end of the story, it ended up to be an amazing product that is technologically so many years ahead of  any competitors. And this is why the question that you asked me before about competitors, yes, we're having competitors, but in my head we don't, you know, they have many years to come to reach us and. Thanks to this process, step by step and moving together forward. 

Frantisek Vrbovsky: Yeah. You get a huge edge, like over competition.

Evyatar Bukai: Indeed. Yeah.

Frantisek Vrbovsky: We've been cooperating more than a year and we've been cooperating remotely, so actually we haven't met in person. How would you evaluate this kind of a cooperation, this kind of a design of cooperation? 

Evyatar Bukai: It's pretty sad because I don't get to shake your hand for a handshake, but no. Overall we had a really positive experience. We had regular check-ins with you and it was clear communication. And nowadays via video call and via WhatsApp and emails, it's so easy to just keep communicating. I think the main advantage here was having access to top talents that you guys are offering regardless of geography, right?

Even if we're here in the Netherlands, there was no time zone difference in our case, so this was not an issue either. The feedback was fast. Yeah, I think this was really good. If there was something I wished for and I think it was 90% very positive. But if there was something that I would've changed is most probably because we are working with hardware, it would've been so much easier for you guys to have the product itself or for us to make sure that the hardware is also on your side or you guys have access to our hardware, but this was also complicated  and we couldn't really make it because our hardware was changing from week to week. So this kind of forced us with ASN Plus to be all the time on the line. And to test some things and stuff like this. But all in all, it just worked great. 

Frantisek Vrbovsky: Actually we had the weekly meetings, so it was quite a, I would say, a big frequency that we were in touch, we were discussing all the things, so, yeah. 

Evyatar Bukai: Yeah, and I think it's important to say that some weeks the meetings were really short, but I think it was really good to still have those weekly meetings and those 10:00 AM on Tuesdays, just to see each other's face and give confidence that the project is going forward. So I'm still, confident that this was the way to go. You know, sometimes the meetings were longer and sometimes they were really short, five minutes and see you, but it was worth it. 

Frantisek Vrbovsky: Thanks for appreciation. When you have already decided to go for a third party in the development,  I know that you had a selection process between some companies. Why have you decided to go for the ASN Plus?

Evyatar Bukai: Good question. Frantisek. We had a couple of people. I think it was more about the feeling honestly. It's hard to judge because from our case I remember what I was doing is that I gave a requirements document and a specification document, and I kind of asked from the parties such as yourself for a bit of a plan of how much time this will take, how much R and D hours, how much money and budget this will cost for first prototype, for example, and stuff like this. But, I think it was your responsiveness, most probably and the problem solving mindset that you guys brought to the table that helped with this. You know, questioning a bit the decisions and the ideas that I had and then engaging in looking at the bigger picture rather than just at the small picture and just doing what I wanted to be done. And I think, at the end of the story, this is why I went for ASN Plus. 

Frantisek Vrbovsky: Okay, thanks. I would like to appreciate, if we are discussing this kind of really early stage of the project, the preparation that you were having and the expectations and technical knowledge that you have. It's something that we would like to really appreciate as well, because from the very beginning of the project, you really knew what to do, how to do that. And on the other hand, you are open to the expertise and maybe the recommendations and the opinions about our company or from our company.

So this was a mixture of I know what to do, but I'm really open to the other opinions. It was really a breath of fresh air and it was something that we really appreciated as well. So maybe that's why the project went really straightforward despite that, there were definitely some things that you had to go through and some of the maybe one way streets that had to end as it is, like regarding development. But, that's something I really like to see when the customer wants to do it in such a way and he knows what to do and how but he is open to the recommendations and opinions. And I would also appreciate your attitude. Every weekly meeting was kind of a pleasure for us. It was really nice cooperation and it was really nice to discuss things with you. Also with your brother Itamar, who is the CTO of the company. And again, the mixture of the expertise and kind of a nice, pleasant and maybe polite way of communicating and solving the issues was something that we would like to appreciate as well.

Evyatar Bukai: Thank you. It feels like a good goodbye, Frantisek. I hope it's not a good goodbye. But yeah, I share the same feeling. 

Frantisek Vrbovsky: Yeah, actually it's not a goodbye because I know that you are just, I know that you don't want to hear that, but you are in the middle of the process. 

Evyatar Bukai: Indeed, the product is out there, but as we said at the very beginning, it's a never ending story and we'll just continue and improve the product always.

Frantisek Vrbovsky: Definitely. So thanks a lot. I have one last question, Evyatar. If any of the viewers of this video or potential customers would like to take a look at your product, is it possible that he could buy some? The question is, how could anybody address your company or get information about your product and maybe options on how to buy it. 

Evyatar Bukai: What you could do is if you are very convinced, you can go to the website, you can go to the eShop and you can order a product. but before you're getting and rushing there, drop me a message on LinkedIn or send me an email on evyatar.bukai@grovero.com and let's chat. 

I would be happy to chat with you. Whether it's for you to be a client and to have a nice microfarm at home on the wall hanging or in your restaurant or you want to act as a distributor in the Czech Republic for example and bring it to a restaurant there. Or you want to be a partner or you want to invest into Grovero so that we expand in then faster. That's also possible. Or you just want to talk about sustainability and making fresh greens available to everybody? I'm always open for discussion, so just drop me an email or contact me on LinkedIn and I'll be happy to talk. 

Frantisek Vrbovsky: Okay. We'll definitely put a link below the video, so everyone can see it.

Evyatar Bukai: Nice.

Frantisek Vrbovsky:  Do you have any more information that you would like to add at the end of the meeting? 

Evyatar Bukai: No, I think we covered it pretty well, Frantisek. It's been nice working with you guys, so far, with you and with Jiri and with Marek. And, I think we had quite the adventure so far and, it seems like the more time is passing, the more clear our things are. And more things are falling into place like nice Lego. It's a pleasure to see this happening as well. So, I'm very thankful for you guys. I'll say it on camera as well. Thank you Frantisek so far, and thank you as well, especially for you, for being patient with me and for providing all the information I always wanted from you and always being available on the phone whenever I wanted. And calling me from your car and having a quick chat with me. Just to put me at ease, so, yeah. Grateful. Thank you so much Frantisek for that. 

Frantisek Vrbovsky: Thanks a lot. Now it sounds like you're saying goodbye. 

Evyatar Bukai: No, it does. It does. It's not a  goodbye though. 

Frantisek Vrbovsky: Yeah. Okay. So thanks a lot for this interview. Thanks a lot for taking your time to have this interview about the Grovero and about the cooperation and these things.I do appreciate it. 

Evyatar Bukai: You’re welcome. Thank you so much, Frantisek.

Frantisek Vrbovsky: Thanks.