Our Story
Lyrata began as a University of Toronto Engineering startup co-founded by Adnan Sharif, who faced a common problem: forgetting to water his plants in the lab.
With his father being a mechanical engineering professor in Japan who specialized in porous materials, Adnan developed the idea for a 3D-printed soil construct that could retain water for over a week.
Today, that innovation is SmartSoil - the foundation of Lyrata's sustainable indoor farming solutions. Unlike conventional rockwool (which is essentially house insulation made from mined rocks heated to 1500°C), SmartSoil is 3D-printed using biopolymers derived from corn, requiring significantly lower temperatures and energy.
After participating in U of T Engineering's Entrepreneurship Hatchery in 2020, Lyrata evolved its business model to "farming-as-a-service," providing complete SmartGrow units that fit in a standard parking spot. Clients sign contracts for Lyrata to manage everything from planting to harvesting.
Our breakthrough came through connections made at U of T Engineering events, leading to installations at Casa Loma and UTSC. As Nikol Watlikiewicz from Casa Loma notes: "Lyrata's competitive edge is that they provide an on-site, full service and they do not take up very much space."
With over $1.5M in R&D funding, 3 patents filed, and support from 50+ engineers and scientists, Lyrata continues to expand its crop variety beyond lettuce to include basil, parsley, and mizuna.
