Dan Chi

Co-founded Four Growers with Brandon Contino after speaking with greenhouse growers and learning that their main issues was labor. Started with just the idea and built the technology, business plan, sales channels, advisory networks, hiring processes, accounting, company structure and fundraised.

Custom End Effectors for Label Printer Applicator and Label Production in Packing Industry: This two year (2016-2017) period at Fox IV Technologies involved design of multiple custom end effectors, industrial motorized stands, and macro label sensors. The scope of these projects span from design to commercialization. Key skills: end effector design, milling work, lathe work, CNC machining, additive manufacturing.

Effect of Horticultural Lighting on Hydroponic Produce: This one year (2017) research program in collaboration with University of Pittsburgh Environmental Engineering analyzed the effects of Spectral Specific Lighting on Hydroponic Produce using different combinations of LEDs with various intensity.

I founded the organization in 2015 with the mission to better the community with hydroponics technology. Throughout three years, I led the organization from first founding to a 40 member student group. The organization provides fresh produce to 2 local communities in need, does horticultural lighting research, and educates local communities through workshops, speaker events, and partnerships with local elementary schools.

This ongoing outreach program (2015 - 2018) in collaboration with Pitt Hydroponics, Community Health Service Food Pantry, and Oasis Food Project provides students with the technical and organization skills to design and build hydroponic systems for the local food pantries and community. With 3 years of experience growing hydroponic produce, we now provide consulting to organizations in Pitt and CMU to develop their own systems.