Building Integrated GreenHouses ( BIGH )

What Building Integrated GreenHouses ( BIGH ) does

BIGH (Building Integrated GreenHouses) is a Brussels-based startup founded in 2015 by Steven Beckers, a Cradle-to-Cradle accredited architect and principal of consultancy Lateral Thinking Factory (LTFc), that operates a network of urban aquaponic farms integrated into existing city buildings. The flagship, the Brussels Aquaponic Farm on the roof of the Foodmet building at the Abattoir site in Anderlecht, is one of the largest rooftop aquaponic farms in Europe (4,000 m² total: 2,000 m² high-tech greenhouse + 2,000 m² outdoor garden). Technology centers on a closed-loop aquaponics system that pairs a Recirculating Aquaculture System (RAS) for fish farming with hydroponic plant production, where fish-water fertilizes plants and plant-filtered water returns to the tanks. Supporting infrastructure includes heat recovery from Foodmet's refrigeration units (yielding a stable 17°C fish-water temperature), a four-source water system (60 m well, rainwater silos of 100 m³, drainage recycling, and the RAS reducing water use by 90–95% versus open-system fish farming), use of ~25% of the electricity from Skysun's ~10,000 photovoltaic panels at the Abattoir site, and Cradle-to-Cradle-aligned construction using plant fibers, recycled concrete panels, and repurposed shipping containers.

The product portfolio comprises salmon trout (rainbow trout, launched February 2021), aromatic herbs (basil, flat-leaf and curly parsley, thyme, Thai basil, dill, purple basil, oregano), 18+ varieties of microgreens (amaranth, wasabi, borage, coriander, rocket, radish, sorrel, and others), red and yellow cherry tomatoes, and spicy peppers (Madame Jeannette, Habanero Yellow, Red Habanero, Carolina Reaper). All outputs are positioned as pesticide-, chemical-, and GMO-free, with salmon trout fed certified organic feed. Distribution is direct-to-restaurant, direct-to-supermarket, and on-farm in the Brussels-Capital Region, with no intermediary in the supply chain.

Revenue is generated through five streams: (i) fresh-produce sales to Brussels Horeca, supermarkets, and local businesses; (ii) public and private farm visits at €10/person for a one-hour guided tour; (iii) corporate, private, and film-shoot event space hire at quote-based pricing; (iv) interactive sushi workshops at €65/person (minimum 10 participants); and (v) professional training/courses with BIGH experts covering production, construction, entrepreneurship, and commercial aspects. The company is privately held, listed at 1–10 employees (eleven team members identified, including founder Steven Beckers, CEO Frank Goes, CFO Thierry de la Barre, and dedicated horticulture, aquaculture, microgreens, sales, events, and accountancy staff), and is expanding to a second farm in Lille, France with additional development projects underway in Belgium and France.

Name

Building Integrated GreenHouses ( BIGH )

Legal name

BIGH

Website

https://bigh.farm

Company type

Private

Founded year

2015

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

BIGH (Building Integrated GreenHouses) is a Brussels-based startup that operates urban rooftop aquaponic farms combining recirculating fish farming with hydroponics to produce salmon trout, herbs, microgreens, tomatoes, and peppers, selling directly to Brussels restaurants, supermarkets, schools, businesses, and visitors through tours, workshops, and event hire.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Urban Aquaponic Farming

NAICS

Finfish Farming and Fish Hatcheries (112511), Food Crops Grown Under Cover (11141)

SIC

Agricultural Prod-Livestock & Animal Specialties (200), Agricultural Production-Crops (100)

akta.pro primary industry

Aquaponics (Integrated Fish & Plant Production) (AFAEAAAI)

akta.pro secondary industry

Aquaculture Processing & On-Farm Value-Add (primary handling, icing, packing) (AFAEAAAN)

Keywords

• Urban aquaponic farming
• Fresh fish production
• Hydroponic greenhouse
• Rooftop agriculture
• Circular food production

Headquarters

HQ city

Anderlecht

HQ country

Belgium

HQ region

Europe

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Hardware or Manufacturing

Cost components

Operations, Infrastructure, Personnel, Supply Chain, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D

Revenue model

1. Fresh Produce Sales: Sales of salmon trout, aromatic herbs, microgreens, cherry tomatoes, and spicy peppers to restaurants, supermarkets, and local businesses in Brussels-Capital Region.
2. Farm Visits and Tours: Public and private guided tours of the aquaponic farm, including visits to outdoor garden, greenhouses, and fish farm for individuals, schools, and businesses.
3. Event Space Rental: Rental of farm event space for corporate events, conferences, team-building activities, private events, and film/photo shoots.
4. Workshops: Sushi workshops using farm-fresh ingredients, priced at 65 EUR per person for groups of minimum 10 people.
5. Professional Training: Professional training sessions and courses with BIGH experts covering production, construction, entrepreneurship, and commercial aspects.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

BIGH operates urban rooftop aquaponic farms that produce salmon trout, aromatic herbs, microgreens, cherry tomatoes, and spicy peppers through a closed-loop system combining fish farming with hydroponic plant cultivation. The company sells its fresh produce to local restaurants, supermarkets, and individual consumers in the Brussels-Capital Region, and also offers farm visits, sushi workshops, and event space rentals.

Product overview

BIGH operates a network of urban aquaponic farms integrated into existing buildings in European cities. The flagship Brussels Aquaponic Farm, located on the roof of the Foodmet building at the Abattoirs site in Anderlecht, encompasses a 2,000 m² high-tech greenhouse and 2,000 m² outdoor garden. The farm produces salmon trout through recirculating aquaculture, aromatic herbs (basil, parsley, thyme, dill, Thai basil, oregano), microgreens (18+ varieties including amaranth, wasabi, borage, coriander, rocket), cherry tomatoes, and spicy peppers. BIGH offers visitor tours, event space rental, sushi workshops, and film shoot locations as additional services. All products are produced without chemicals, antibiotics, or GMOs, using circular economy principles and cradle-to-cradle materials.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Salmon Trout (Truite de Bruxelles) Rainbow trout (salmon trout) raised in BIGH's recirculating aquaculture system, fed certified organic feed with fish meal and oil from fishing by-products and GMO-free plant-based feed. Water parameters are monitored continuously to meet National Agency for Food Safety standards. Sold to local Brussels restaurants, supermarkets, and consumers.
• Aromatic Herbs Fresh aromatic herbs including basil, flat-leaf parsley, curly parsley, basil pistou, thyme, Thai basil, dill, and purple basil. Grown in BIGH's aquaponic greenhouses using non-toxic materials, guaranteed GMO-free, pesticide-free, and chemical-free. Sold to restaurants, supermarkets, and individual consumers.
• Microgreens (Micropousses) Various microgreen varieties (18+ types) including amaranth, purple basil, wasabi, borage, sage, chive, coriander, fennel, rocket, lemon balm, mustard, sorrel, parsley, green pea, purple radish, pink radish, tagetes, lovage, lemon basil, capucine, and red shiso. Each variety has distinct flavor profiles for culinary applications.
• Cherry Tomatoes Red and yellow cherry tomatoes grown in BIGH's greenhouse facilities, sold alongside the broader fresh produce line to local restaurants and supermarkets.
• Spicy Peppers Hot peppers including Madame Jeannette, Habanero Yellow, Red Habanero, and Carolina Reaper varieties, grown in BIGH's greenhouse facilities.
• Farm Visits and Tours Public and private guided tours of the Brussels Aquaponic Farm. Includes one-hour interactive tours of the rooftop garden, greenhouses, and fish farm with history of the site. Available for individuals (€10 per person), schools and NPOs (max 25 people), and businesses for team-building activities.
• Event Space Rental Rental of BIGH's rooftop event spaces for corporate events, conferences, team-building, private events, and receptions. The unique rooftop location offers views of Brussels.
• Sushi Workshop Interactive sushi workshop held at the urban rooftop farm using ingredients straight from the farm. 1h30 cooking and tasting session for groups of minimum 10 people. Available in English, French, or Dutch.
• Film Shoot and Advertising Location Rental BIGH rents out their rooftop farm spaces to creative agencies for advertising campaigns, films, and music video shoots with views of Brussels and their innovative aquaponic facilities.

Quantifiable outcome

• 90-95% reduction in water consumption compared to open-system fish farming
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers2 records

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles5 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature3 records

Partnerships

Ten partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Atelier Groot EilandcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerAssociation of professional reinsertion that is BIGH's production partner. They produce vegetables in BIGH's outdoor garden, creating social employment opportunities.
• ECLOminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerUses the cellar space in Cureghem (part of the Abattoir site) to produce micro-greens and Japanese mushrooms, complementing BIGH's product range.
• CultureghemminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerSocial association that organizes activities and events for people and youth in the neighborhood, collaborating on community engagement.
• Nuu MisominorStrategic or Co-development PartnerProduces artisanal miso using 100% natural ingredients and organizes cultural and culinary activities at the Abattoir site.
• VertiberryminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerDevelops vertical farming solutions for strawberry production and conducts research to boost sustainable production methods.
• Wastech BSFcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerTransforms organic waste into fish feed and organic fertilizer using insects, implementing circular economy by converting waste into resources.
• SkysuncoreTechnology or IntegrationSolar energy company that installed approximately 10,000 photovoltaic panels at the Abattoir site, making it the location with the most solar panels in Brussels-Capital Region.
• Lateral Thinking Factory (LTFc)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerConsultancy firm founded by Steven Beckers (BIGH founder) that supports implementation of circular economy in real estate sector. Provided initial expertise for developing BIGH's circular business model.
• FoodSafeR ConsortiumminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerEU-funded project (funded by European Commission) that BIGH has participated in since end of 2022. Aims to transform food safety in Europe by building a community of professionals to identify and manage emerging food safety risks.
• FoodmetcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerIndoor market hall at the Abattoir site where BIGH is located. Built in 2015 with optimized energy use through common refrigeration system for fish and meat vendors. BIGH utilizes waste heat from their refrigeration units.

Scale indicators5 records

Recent moves10 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Market position

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/bighfarming
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/building-integrated-greenhouses/mycompany
• Instagraminstagram.com/bighfarming

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles13 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds2 records

Investors2 records

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Building Integrated GreenHouses ( BIGH )