STOCKHOLM / Sweden, 4 July 2025: Swedish agri-tech start-up BlueRedGold has raised €2.73 million to accelerate its plans for building the world’s first scalable indoor saffron cultivation system.
Founded in 2021 on the outskirts of Stockholm, BlueRedGold specializes in controlled environment agriculture (CEA) for saffron—often called “red gold” or the “king of spices.” Traditional outdoor saffron farming faces challenges like seasonal limitations, climatic unpredictability, and labor intensity. Indoor vertical farming offers a solution by enabling year-round, multiple harvest cycles in a controlled setting.
The fresh funding will allow BlueRedGold to expand into a larger facility and enhance its cultivation system with AI and robotics technologies. The start-up has already received orders for several tonnes of saffron from nutraceutical, food, and cosmetic sectors, signaling strong demand for reliable, high-quality spice.
The move follows a growing trend in the saffron farming sector toward vertical indoor farms. Israeli company Saffron Tech operates a vertical indoor saffron farm with multiple annual harvests, while Slovakia’s Veles Farming has shifted from leafy greens to indoor saffron to capitalize on its lucrative market.
BlueRedGold’s CEO said the investment validates the potential of high-tech saffron farming to disrupt traditional agricultural models and meet increasing global demand.
As demand for saffron rises worldwide, innovative start-ups using AI and robotics in vertical farms are positioned to redefine spice cultivation and supply with greater efficiency, sustainability, and scalability.
