Verge Permaculture

What Verge Permaculture does

Verge Permaculture Inc. is a founder-owned private education and consulting company based in Alberta, Canada, incorporated in 2009/2010 by mechanical engineers Rob and Michelle Avis after they left Calgary's oil industry. The company teaches and consults on regenerative living — permaculture design, food forests, rainwater harvesting, passive solar greenhouses, renewable energy, and soil regeneration — primarily through online self-study courses, a flagship Permaculture Design Certification (PDC), live masterclasses, and a subscription-based Permaculture Academy. Its core technology layer consists of proprietary calculation tools, notably the Passive Solar Greenhouse Design Tool (an Excel spreadsheet that performs engineering-grade thermal, climate, and lighting calculations) and a free Contour Map Generator web tool, bundled with the curriculum to give students engineering-grade design capabilities normally outside hobbyist reach.

The business model is a hybrid of one-time course purchases (e.g., the $299 CAD Passive Solar Greenhouse Design Course), recurring Academy subscriptions (annual, bi-annual, and monthly tiers with auto-renewal and a 10-day money-back guarantee), book royalties from titles published through New Society Publishers, Amazon Associates affiliate fees, and higher-value consulting that is largely routed to the affiliate firm Adaptive Habitat. Distribution is primarily direct-to-consumer through the vergepermaculture.ca website and customer portal, with global digital reach supplemented by regional live events in Western Canada; a free VDAO community portal and The Shift newsletter, both inherited via the 2023 merger with 5thWorld, drive top-of-funnel acquisition. Customer segments span individual homesteaders (primary), career-changing professionals seeking regenerative design careers, landowners needing property design services, and a smaller cohort of organizations and communities.

The company claims 2,000+ graduates and 15,000+ students cumulatively (figures vary across web pages), a near 100% online course completion rate, 12+ years of teaching experience, and recognition as one of North America's premier permaculture education companies by the Permaculture Research Institute's Geoff Lawton; it also won the 2015 Alberta Emerald Foundation Award. Operationally the firm remains small (1–10 employees, with Rob Avis as lead instructor supported by a named teaching team), founder-controlled, and bootstrapped, with the 2023 5thWorld merger representing its most significant recent strategic repositioning toward Web3-aligned regenerative community building.

Name

Verge Permaculture

Legal name

Verge Permaculture Inc.

Website

https://vergepermaculture.ca

Company type

Private

Founded year

2010

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Verge Permaculture is an Alberta-based education and consulting company founded by engineers Rob and Michelle Avis that teaches permaculture design — food forests, rainwater harvesting, passive solar greenhouses, and renewable energy — through online courses, the Permaculture Academy subscription, and licensing via the affiliated Adaptive Habitat consulting firm.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Regenerative Living Education and Design Services

NAICS

Landscape Architectural Services (541320)

akta.pro primary industry

Landscape Architecture & Site Design (BPAHAKAC)

akta.pro secondary industry

Sustainability Engagement, Training & Behavior Change Programs (On-site) (BPABALAK)

Keywords

• Permaculture education
• Regenerative design
• Sustainable living courses
• Food forest design
• Rainwater harvesting

Headquarters

HQ city

Leduc

HQ country

Canada

HQ region

North America

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Online Self-Study Courses: Sale of on-demand online courses including Permaculture Design Certification, Passive Solar Greenhouse Design, Food Forest Design Masterclass, and other regenerative living courses. Lifetime access provided upon purchase.
2. Live Courses and Events: In-person events, live masterclasses, and virtual courses with real-time instruction and Q&A sessions. Includes access to live event recordings within subscription.
3. Academy Subscriptions: Verge Permaculture Academy membership offering annual, bi-annual, or monthly subscription plans with access to masterclass recordings, themed Q&A sessions, private podcast, case studies, design clinics, and discounted consultations.
4. Royalties and Affiliate Revenue: Royalties from books and products authored by founders (including Essential Rainwater Harvesting, Building Your Permaculture Property) published/marketed by New Society Publishers. Affiliate links to Amazon and other third-party products.
5. Consulting Services: Property design and project management consulting through Adaptive Habitat (co-founded by Rob Avis) for resilient homes, acreages, and farms. Includes site evaluation, design, and implementation support.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels5 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

Verge Permaculture sells permaculture design education and consulting services, including the flagship Permaculture Design Certification (PDC) course, specialized masterclasses (Passive Solar Greenhouse Design, Food Forest Design), subscription Academy memberships, proprietary digital design tools, founder-authored e-books, and professional property design consulting delivered through Adaptive Habitat. The company serves homesteaders, regenerative-design career changers, and landowners seeking holistic, climate-resilient property design.

Product overview

Verge Permaculture operates as an educational and consulting company offering a portfolio of permaculture courses, digital tools, and professional services. The core offering is the Permaculture Design Certification (PDC) Course, supplemented by specialized Masterclasses including the Passive Solar Greenhouse Design Course and Food Forest Design Masterclass. These courses are supported by proprietary digital tools such as the Passive Solar Greenhouse Design Tool (Excel spreadsheet) and the free Contour Map Generator. The Permaculture Academy provides a subscription-based membership for ongoing access to course recordings, live Q&A sessions, and exclusive content. The company also publishes digital books (Essential Rainwater Harvesting, Building Your Permaculture Property) and spreadsheet design tools. Consulting services are delivered through affiliated firm Adaptive Habitat for property design and project management. A free community platform enables networking among permaculture practitioners.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Verge Permaculture Academy: The company's subscription-based educational platform offering masterclasses, design clinics, and courses.
• Verge PDC
• Insider's Circle

Products and services

• Permaculture Design Certification (PDC) Course A 72+ hour flagship permaculture design course that teaches principles of regenerative living, food forests, rainwater harvesting, renewable energy, and greenhouse design. Offered in-person and online, it is the company's core certification product with a near 100% completion rate among online learners.
• Permaculture Academy (subscription membership) An annual, bi-annual, or monthly subscription membership offering access to all masterclass recordings, biweekly live Q&A sessions, private podcast stream, monthly cold-climate case studies, community design clinics, discounted consultations, and exclusive vault content.
• Passive Solar Greenhouse Design Course A 10-module comprehensive course teaching design of cutting-edge passive solar greenhouses at any scale. Includes the proprietary Passive Solar Greenhouse Design Tool, an introductory e-book, and bonus materials (Rainwater Harvesting session, Greenhouse Gardening Workshop). Priced at $299 CAD with lifetime access.
• Comprehensive Food Forest Design Masterclass A masterclass focused on comprehensive food forest design principles and implementation for students seeking advanced permaculture design skills.
• Regenerative Business Mentorship Program A mentorship program designed to help entrepreneurs build successful businesses in the regenerative space, combining permaculture principles with business development, sales, and consulting practice building.
• Passive Solar Greenhouse Design Tool An exclusive Excel-based spreadsheet that performs complex greenhouse design calculations including climate data, energy consumption, heat loss, thermal mass calculations, and artificial light sizing. Bundled with the Passive Solar Greenhouse Design Course.
• Contour Map Generator A free online tool for generating contour maps from terrain data, used for property design and water management planning.
• Essential Rainwater Harvesting (e-book) An e-book on rainwater harvesting techniques and systems design authored by founders Rob and Michelle Avis and published through New Society Publishers. Sold without DRM protection on vergepermaculture.ca.
• Building Your Permaculture Property (e-book) A comprehensive guide for designing and building permaculture properties, authored by founders Rob and Michelle Avis and published through New Society Publishers. Sold without DRM protection on vergepermaculture.ca.
• Adaptive Habitat Property Design Consulting A property design and project management consulting firm co-founded by Rob Avis that creates resilient homes, acreages, and farms. Services include site evaluation, design, and implementation support, integrating innovative technology, engineered solutions, and ecological design.

Quantifiable outcome

• Near 100% completion rate for online courses
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers4 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature3 records

Partnerships

Five partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• 5thWorldcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2023In 2023, Verge merged with 5thWorld, an organization co-founded by Rob Avis that explores how permaculture and Web3 combine to create harmonious relationships between humanity, technology, and nature. 5thWorld publishes The Shift newsletter and hosts the VDAO community portal. The merger integrates regenerative living education with Web3 technology exploration.
• Adaptive HabitatcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerAdaptive Habitat is a property design and project management firm co-founded by Rob Avis that creates resilient homes, acreages, and farms for landowners. Verge Permaculture refers clients needing property design and execution to Adaptive Habitat, while sharing educational content and expertise.
• New Society PublishersminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorPublisher of Verge Permaculture founders' books including Essential Rainwater Harvesting and Building Your Permaculture Property. Verge earns royalties from sales and promotes these products through affiliate links on their website.
• Amazon Services LLC Associates ProgramminorGTM or Marketing PartnerAffiliate advertising program through which Verge Permaculture earns advertising fees by linking to Amazon properties. Part of their monetization strategy.
• The Permaculture InstituteminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerRob Avis became one of the first certified teachers of the Australian Permaculture Research Institute and maintains connections with the global permaculture education network. Geoff Lawton, Director of The Permaculture Institute, has endorsed Verge as 'one of North America's premier permaculture design and education companies'.

Scale indicators6 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• Permaculture Research Institute: Founded by Bill Mollison and led by Geoff Lawton, PRI is the global authority on permaculture education and the endorser of Verge Permaculture. Both offer Permaculture Design Certification courses and similar masterclass content to a global audience.
• Earthworks Permaculture: Permaculture design and education company offering PDCs, design services, and consulting. Comparable to Verge in combining permaculture training with design and project implementation services.
• Midwest Permaculture: Long-running US permaculture education provider offering PDC and sustainability design courses. Comparable to Verge in course-led GTM and audience focus on regenerative living practitioners.
• Wild Craft Permaculture: Canadian permaculture design firm owned by Verge's own Design Mentor Jessica Robertson. Direct peer offering permaculture design services for properties from 200 sq ft to 200 acres; comparable in design scope and Canadian base.
• Finger Lakes Permaculture Institute: US-based permaculture education organization offering PDCs, design certifications, and courses. Directly comparable to Verge in offering certification-led permaculture education to homesteaders and career-changers.
• Spiral Ridge Permaculture: Permaculture design, education, and consulting firm offering PDCs, design services, and regenerative land management. Directly comparable to Verge in combining permaculture education with property consulting services.
• Urban Farm School: Founded by Carmen Lamoureux, a Verge Permaculture instructor, Urban Farm School focuses on urban permaculture and small-space regenerative education. Direct peer in Canada-aligned permaculture course delivery.

Emerging players

• Yestermorrow Design/Build School: US-based sustainable design and building school offering hands-on courses in design/build, natural building, and regenerative systems. Comparable to Verge in sustainable design education but broader in construction/build focus.

Broad incumbents

• Permaculture Association (UK): UK-wide permaculture charity offering the official UK Permaculture Design Certificate, teacher network, and membership. Comparable in offering certification courses but operates as a nonprofit membership organization rather than a for-profit education company.
• Oregon State University Permaculture Program: Academic permaculture program offering the world's largest online PDC taught by Andrew Millison. Comparable to Verge in offering PDCs at scale but with academic institution backing rather than independent founder-led model.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/vergepc
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/verge-permaculture
• Facebookfacebook.com/profile.php

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles11 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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 Verge Permaculture