French vertical farming company Tower Farm recently launched BotaniX to deliver high-performance and traceable botanical ingredients at an industrial scale. It was created in response to client demand and shaped by real-world market needs. The decision to enter the market was not about following trends, but instead, represents the culmination of more than seven years of research, fieldwork, product development, and, most importantly, client validation.
"Our activity did not emerge from theory. We arose from market demand," says Yishai Nissan, Co-Founder, and CTO. "Every one of our projects began as a concrete request from a partner facing a supply, quality, or innovation challenge. Not only do we exist because we solve problems they face, but we also anticipate them."
Client demand shapes scope
Growing medicinal plants indoors was only part of the puzzle, as customers increasingly wanted ingredients that were already formulation-ready. "Clients are looking for dried plants, micronized powders, or standardized extracts. We progressively tested and integrated the best post-harvest technologies we could identify so we could offer a truly holistic solution, from early agronomic research through to stabilized ingredients in various forms."
The BotaniX brand was created to reflect this broader capability, combining cultivation, stabilization, standardization, and valorization. The launch was timed with major industry events to deliver a clear message to the market, and now, the company is offering fully scalable and regulation-proof botanical ingredients that are already powering commercial products in the pharmaceutical, cosmetics, and nutraceutical sectors.
Lessons from Ulé
One of the brand's pivotal experiences came through its collaboration with Shiseido on the Ulé line. "The challenge was ambitious. We were asked to identify exotic plants that could not be grown locally, select the best-performing varieties, and achieve the highest possible level of indoor cultivation for those species," Nissan says.
The Ulé concept introduced zero-waste, full-plant valorization, using roots, stems, leaves, and flowers. Aeroponics provided a natural advantage by producing clean and accessible root systems. The project also demonstrated how scientific, agronomic, and marketing elements must align to create a successful launch. "We were providing scientific credibility while showing journalists and influencers the innovation behind the ingredients. It taught us that brands are not just looking for clean plants. They want reliability, traceability, compliance support, and the ability to scale."
Those lessons became core to BotaniX's model. Instead of focusing on individual projects, the company designed a repeatable, industrial B2B platform capable of delivering hundreds of tons annually across multiple regions, supported by secure supply contracts. "BotaniX is the natural evolution of everything we learned through Ulé and beyond. It consolidates years of experimentation into a high-performing platform that combines cultivation, post-harvest stabilization, and formulation support in one integrated model," says Nissan.
Who BotaniX serves
BotaniX primarily targets brands and formulation laboratories, from independent innovators to tier-one companies, that require secure, long-term supplies of high-performance botanicals. The company works directly with brand partners and, where necessary, through ingredient distributors.
"The world of medicinal plants is vast, with more than 200,000 species and over 400,000 known bioactive molecules," says Nissan. "We can support both standardized ingredient supply and the co-development of unique actives, always with precision and scalability." The company continues to focus on direct partnerships with brands in pharmaceuticals, cosmetics, and nutraceuticals, particularly those that see ethical production and traceability as integral to their identity.
Market momentum
The strongest momentum at present is coming from pharmaceutical and clinical development teams. BotaniX is engaged in several projects involving pharma-grade botanical ingredients derived from proprietary genetics. These include ingredients in regulatory registration, early-stage formulations for upcoming prescription products, and pre-clinical and clinical validation targeting areas such as neuroinflammation, dermatological disorders, and metabolic health.
"Our advantage in this sector comes from the fact that we grow in fully controlled environments and deliver standardized actives with batch-to-batch reproducibility and complete traceability. Combined with our post-harvest stabilization technologies, this allows us to meet the rigorous technical and regulatory expectations of the pharmaceutical industry."
The cosmetics sector remains another major growth driver. BotaniX already has 16 commercial products on the market with Ulé and 24 more in professional haircare through Urban Alchemy. These launches demonstrate the appeal of full-plant valorization, high bioactive content, and clean, local sourcing. The company is also seeing rising demand in dermo-nutrition, scalp health, microbiome-focused haircare, and natural makeup. In all these areas, clean sourcing and traceability are non-negotiable.
© Tower Farm
Validating the model
Feedback from early partners has reinforced BotaniX's approach. In one of its first collaborations, the company moved from concept to industrial batch in just eight months, including all R&D, testing, and regulatory documentation. "Formulators particularly appreciate that our ingredients are delivered ready to integrate. They are stabilized, standardized, and versatile across multiple formats," Nissan explains.
At the last Cosmetic 360 conference, two globally recognized formulators presented seven different product concepts built entirely around BotaniX powders, including advanced skin serums, minimalist solid textures, and clean formulations. "That kind of feedback validates our approach. It shows that fully stabilized, traceable, and versatile plant ingredients can open new formulation possibilities while reducing development friction."
The partnership mindset
For BotaniX, industry events are as much about collaboration as they are about sales. "We want to meet pharmaceutical teams, cosmetic brands, R&D innovators, and even other farming or industrial operators. The more innovators step in, the faster we can unlock the full potential of plant-based solutions for our industry, consumers, and the planet."
For vertical farming professionals, Nissan's advice is straightforward. "Do not invent needs. Listen to your clients. Every innovation we've brought to market began with a real challenge from a partner."
For more information:
Tower Farm
Yishai Nissan, CTO and Co-Founder
[email protected]
www.towerfarm.fr
www.botanix.tech