Levo International, Inc.

What Levo International, Inc. does

Levo International, Inc. is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit social enterprise founded in 2016 by Christian Heiden in Hartford, Connecticut, that designs, deploys, and trains communities on simplified hydroponic farming systems for food security in food deserts and developing economies. Its core technology comprises two proprietary system architectures: the Babylon System, a Nutrient Film Technique (NFT) rig built from locally sourced PVC and steel holding up to 40 plants and circulating water from a reservoir through cascading pipes, and the Bokit System, a non-circulating 14-gallon recycled-pail garden that delivers full nutrient cycles without electricity. Levo has additionally developed a Container Farm (2025) capable of producing 2,000-2,500 heads of lettuce at a time, an organic hydroponic fertilizer (from corn steep liquor and sugar cane byproducts) funded through a Connecticut Department of Agriculture Specialty Crop Block Grant, and a Simplified Deep Flow Technique (DFT) validated through peer-reviewed publication in Agriculture & Food Security (2023) and field trials at the Connecticut Agricultural Experiment Station.

The company operates a hybrid revenue model combining donations and grants from foundations and corporate sponsors (Hartford Foundation for Public Giving, Wellville, Sustainable CT, Travelers Insurance) with earned income from CSA subscriptions, a Homestead Farm Stand in Hartford, online retail via Square, and paid Bokit Building Classes priced at $40 per participant. Programs span five geographies: Connecticut (North Hartford Farming Initiative with 3.5 acres and ~100,000 lbs annual capacity), Haiti (500+ households, Pignon training center), Mexico (Oaxaca pilot with Friends of Pimpollo), Jamaica, and Puerto Rico (Caribbean Innovation Center with City of Yabucoa). Customer segments include low-income urban communities in food deserts, healthcare providers implementing Food-as-Medicine programs (Hartford Hospital/Trinity Health network, Hispanic Health Council, Windham, Charlotte Hungerford, Burgdorf), K-12 and alternative education institutions (Groton Public Schools, CREC Impact Academy, ACES), Haitian rural families, and conscious Greater Hartford CSA subscribers.

Go-to-market is executed through three motions: a volunteer-driven community-led model (2,000 volunteers in 2025 NHFI buildouts), direct-to-consumer channels (CSA, farm stand, online), and enterprise field sales to healthcare and education partners requiring custom system design, installation, and ongoing maintenance. With approximately 24 employees and board governance including Christian Heiden as Founder/Managing Director, Bill Heiden as Executive Director, and Nathaniel Heiden as R&D Director (Fulbright Scholar, Ohio State plant pathology PhD candidate), Levo pairs hardware deployment with workforce development (40 high school students hired in 2025) and university research collaborations (Ohio State, Cornell, UConn).

Name

Levo International, Inc.

Legal name

Levo International, Inc.

Website

https://levointernational.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

2016

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Levo International is a nonprofit social enterprise that designs and deploys simplified, low-cost hydroponic farming systems (Babylon NFT and Bokit non-circulating) to address food insecurity in urban food deserts and developing economies, serving healthcare, education, and community partners across Connecticut, Haiti, Mexico, Jamaica, and Puerto Rico.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Hydroponic Farming and Food Security Services

NAICS

Support Activities for Crop Production (11511), Farm Management Services (115116), Water Supply and Irrigation Systems (221310)

SIC

Agricultural Production-Crops (100), Agricultural Services (700), Farm Machinery & Equipment (3523)

akta.pro primary industry

Controlled Environment Agriculture (CEA) / Vertical Farming (Indoor LED Farms) (AFAGAHAJ)

akta.pro secondary industries

Vertical Farming Systems & Racking (Indoor Farms, Multi-tier) (AFAAAHAI), Circular Economy & Sustainable Products (Reuse, Repair, Upcycling) (BPAGALAF)

Keywords

• Hydroponic farming systems
• Food security solutions
• Social enterprise agriculture
• Community supported agriculture
• Nonprofit agricultural training

Headquarters

HQ city

Hartford

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices9 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B and B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Supply Chain, Operations, Technology or R&D

Revenue model

1. Donations and Sponsorships: Critical source of capital for international development. Levo relies on individual donors, corporate sponsors, and foundation grants (Hartford Foundation, Wellville) to fund operations and expansion.
2. CSA Subscriptions: Community Supported Agriculture program where subscribers receive regular deliveries of fresh produce from Levo's urban farms in Hartford. Generates revenue while providing affordable produce access.
3. Farm Stand and Retail Sales: Homestead Farm Stand operates 6 days per week selling locally grown flowers, honey, and produce. Online store sells hydroponic gardens, CSA subscriptions, and Levo merchandise.
4. Training and Education Services: Bokit Building Classes ($40 per participant), workforce development programs for high school students, and educational programming for schools and community organizations.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion3 records

Distribution channels6 records

Marketing channels8 records

Core offering

Levo International is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit social enterprise that designs, builds, and deploys simplified hydroponic farming systems — the Babylon System (NFT), the Bokit (non-circulating), and Container Farms — to address food insecurity. The company sells produce through CSA subscriptions and farm stands, builds capacity through training classes, and installs systems for healthcare and education institutions across Haiti, Jamaica, Puerto Rico, Mexico, and Connecticut.

Product overview

Levo International is a nonprofit social enterprise focused on food security through simplified hydroponic farming. Their core product portfolio consists of two proprietary hydroponic system types: the Babylon System (Nutrient Film Technique/NFT with PVC pipes holding up to 40 plants) and the Bokit (non-circulating hydroponic system using 14-gallon recycled pails). They also developed a Container Farm (hydroponic shipping container growing 2,000-2,500 heads of lettuce). Beyond hardware products, Levo operates a Community Supported Agriculture (CSA) subscription program delivering fresh produce to Greater Hartford area customers, and a retail Homestead Farm Stand. The company serves communities in Haiti, Jamaica, Puerto Rico, Mexico, and throughout Connecticut, combining hardware systems with education and workforce development programs.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• North Hartford Farming Initiative (NHFI): Multi-faceted approach to ending food desert in North Hartford through urban hydroponic farming, workforce development, and community education.
• Bloom Hill Farm
• Bokit
• Babylon System

Products and services

• Babylon System Proprietary Nutrient Film Technique (NFT) hydroponic farming system designed for accessible, low-resource deployment in food-insecure communities and institutional settings.
• Bokit System Proprietary non-circulating, simplified hydroponic system built for accessibility and ease of use in low-resource community and household settings.
• Container Farm Containerized farm installation that packages Levo's hydroponic capability into a deployable unit for communities and institutions.
• CSA Subscription Subscription-based community-supported agriculture program supplying local Hartford-area consumers with regular shares of hydroponically grown produce.
• Homestead Farm Stand Direct retail farm stand selling Levo's hydroponically grown produce to local Hartford-area consumers.
• Bokit Building Classes / Training Hands-on training classes that teach participants how to build and operate Bokit hydroponic systems, supporting local capacity building in food-insecure communities.
• Healthcare and Education Installations Institutional installation service deploying Levo's hydroponic systems at healthcare and education sites to provide on-site fresh produce and programmatic tie-ins.

Quantifiable outcome

• 90% less water than traditional agriculture
• +6 more outcomes

Named customers10 records

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature4 records

Partnerships

21 partnerships are on record, tiered strategic, core and minor.

• Travelers InsurancestrategicGTM or Marketing Partner · 1 January 2025Corporate volunteers building brand-new urban farm to tackle food poverty; March 2025 volunteer event with employee participation.
• CREC Impact AcademycoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2023Hands-on hydroponic modules for re-engaging students who lost desire for education. Students design and build systems on rooftops, vacant lots, and classrooms. Levo actively recruits and hires students from these classes.
• Friends of PimpollocoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2023Mexico partner supporting thousands of students; Levo launched pilot Fall 2023 providing 32 households with hydroponics plus community center system.
• Franciscan Center for Urban MinistrycoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2022Longest-standing community partner at Saint Patrick Saint Anthony Church. Volunteers provided critical core of Levo's Hartford work; helped launch CSA program in 2022.
• Groton Public SchoolscoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2021Hydroponics installed throughout schools since 2021. Fitch High cafeteria has indoor growing systems with grow lights creating living salad bar. 2025 container farm capable of growing 2,000+ heads of lettuce.
• Hartford HospitalcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerMajor healthcare partner for Food as Medicine programs. Levo constructed two rooftop hydroponic farms providing fresh food to Hartford Hospital's Food4Health clinic. Clinic provides free 'prescriptions' of healthy food to low-income patients.
• Trinity Health of New EnglandcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerParent organization of Hartford Hospital and multiple regional hospitals including Windham, Backus, and Charlotte Hungerford hospitals. Multi-site partnership expanding hydroponic installations across healthcare network.
• Hispanic Health CouncilcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerLevo built lobby hydroponic system at 590 Park St wellness center; provides weekly Spanish-language hydroponic training classes reaching 15 people per week since 2023.
• Many Hands for HaiticoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerIowa-based nonprofit hosting Levo operations on Many Hands for Haiti campus in Sylvain, Pignon. Core international partner since Levo's founding in 2016.
• City of YabucoastrategicStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership transforming former Marcos Sanchez school into Caribbean Innovation Center; ag-tech hub for research, education, and economic opportunity in the region.
• Connecticut Agricultural Experiment StationcoreTechnology or IntegrationResearch validation partner for simplified DFT systems; trials conducted at CAES Lockwood Farm; collaboration on organic fertilizer characterization.
• UCONN College of Agriculture, Health, and Natural ResourcescoreTechnology or IntegrationResearch collaboration on hydroponic systems, plant science education, and workforce development. Educational programming informed by R&D team.
• The Ohio State UniversitycoreTechnology or IntegrationCollaborative research with Dr. Soledad Benitez Ponce on plant microbiome in organically fertilized hydroponic systems; supported by Nicholas Kaczmar and Dr. Neil Mattson.
• Cornell UniversitycoreTechnology or IntegrationResearch collaboration with Cornell Hydroponics Club and Ben Lee (former Levo High School technician) on Kratky system oxygenation studies.
• Keney Park Sustainability ProjectminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartner in 1000 Bokit Campaign distributing systems to Hartford families.
• FoodShareminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerConnecticut's food bank partner supporting hunger relief efforts and Bokit distributions.
• Area Cooperative Educational Services (ACES)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerLaunching hydroponic modules reaching students in criminal justice system in Plainville, Hamden, and Hartford with workforce development and job placement.
• Forge City WorksminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorRestaurant purchasing fresh produce from Levo neighborhood farmers through Fire by Forge establishment.
• Urban Hope Refuge ChurchminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerSacred Roots garden partnership launched 2023 creating innovative hydroponic farming project.
• Active HaitiminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerHaiti-based organization supporting Levo's Central Plateau operations.
• Outreach to HaitiminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerHaiti-focused nonprofit supporting Levo's international programs.

Scale indicators13 records

Recent moves13 records

Expansion highlights7 records

Broad incumbents

• BrightFarms: Greenhouse hydroponic grower supplying regional grocery chains with locally grown leafy greens and herbs. Comparable controlled-environment agriculture category, though at commercial-retail scale versus Levo's nonprofit model.
• Plenty: Well-funded vertical-farming company building indoor farms at commercial scale for retail distribution. Operates in the same controlled-environment agriculture category but with significantly larger capital base and commercial orientation.
• AppHarvest: Large-scale indoor farming operator focused on controlled-environment agriculture for produce distribution to major U.S. retailers. Comparable controlled-environment category at substantially larger commercial scale than Levo.

Direct peers

• Gotham Greens: Greenhouse-based hydroponic produce operator with rooftop and ground-level farms supplying retailers and restaurants. Comparable indoor-hydroponic leafy-greens production model to Levo's Hartford operations.
• Square Roots: Urban hydroponic farming operator co-founded by Kimbal Musk, building container farms and supplying fresh produce in cities. Directly comparable to Levo's Hartford urban-farming and CSA model, though with a for-profit, commercial-restaurant focus.
• AeroFarms: Vertical-farming company operating indoor aeroponic and hydroponic farms for leafy greens. Comparable on technology category (controlled-environment agriculture) though at vastly larger commercial scale than Levo's nonprofit model.
• Freight Farms: Manufacturer of hydroponic shipping-container farms (Greenery and Leafy Green Machine) with global deployments including in educational and nonprofit settings. Closely comparable to Levo's Container Farm product and school-deployment channel.

Emerging players

• Kheyti: India-based social enterprise providing smallholder farmers with low-cost modular greenhouse kits. Comparable mission of delivering simplified protected-agriculture technology to resource-constrained producers, though focused on India versus Levo's Caribbean/Haiti geography.
• SunCulture: Social enterprise selling solar-powered irrigation systems to smallholder farmers across Sub-Saharan Africa. Comparable mission of delivering affordable, off-grid agricultural technology to resource-poor farmers in developing economies.
• Wholesome Wave: Nonprofit focused on affordable access to fresh produce for low-income communities through produce-prescription and CSA-double-voucher programs. Highly comparable social-mission overlap with Levo's Hartford food-desert work, though without Levo's hardware component.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/levointernational

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles1 record

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 Levo International, Inc.