Oxagon: Topian, the NEOM food company, has inaugurated its first high-tech greenhouse in Oxagon, NEOM’s reimagined industrial city on the Red Sea coast. The opening of this climate-resilient agricultural asset in northwest Saudi Arabia aims to pilot sustainable localized production enabled by high-technology solutions.
According to Saudi Press Agency, located in Oxagon’s dedicated innovation district – Oxagon Innovation Bay – the first Topian greenhouse spans four hectares of state-of-the-art facilities. As part of Topian’s mission to redefine food production through innovative, sustainable food systems, the pilot aims to optimize productivity and crop quality, while minimizing inputs, especially the use of natural resources such as water and energy.
Topian CEO Dr. Juan Carlos Motamayor expressed enthusiasm for the project, emphasizing the environmental benefits of controlling the climate for plant growth. The project is expected to produce almost 4,000 tons of fruit and vegetables and develop AI-driven pre
dictive models for efficient greenhouse operations elsewhere in the region. Motamayor highlighted the initiative as a significant step towards enhancing food security in Saudi Arabia and transforming food systems in arid regions affected by climate change.
Oxagon CEO Vishal Wanchoo added that the pilot project aims to deliver sustainably produced ingredients at scale, supporting NEOM residents and hospitality partners with a localized ‘farm-to-table’ supply chain. Together with Topian, they aim to utilize clean technology to improve industry practices.
The first phase of the project focuses on modulating climate parameters and assessing crop suitability in varied production systems, testing different configurations and automation. Cooling efficiency is a key aspect being evaluated. Topian’s team of scientists and technicians is working on optimizing energy and water use through existing and novel cooling technologies, leveraging NEOM’s extensive photovoltaic network in the future.
Fruit and vegetable trial
s are being conducted to identify which produce performs best under local conditions, with taste, color, and texture analyses aimed at enhancing the consumer experience. The goal is to provide consumers with year-round local produce, such as lettuce, tomatoes, and strawberries, that are fresher, tastier, and produced more sustainably.
Topian plans to use this pilot to determine optimal crop growing conditions, establishing a testbed for other companies seeking to develop diverse products and services to meet global demand. The opening of the facilities marks another milestone in realizing NEOM’s vision to establish sustainable industries of the future.
The construction of this key asset was achieved through an international partnership with Van der Hoeven, a Dutch pioneer in horticultural technology.