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Overview
Fifth Season built an automated vertical farming system that grows leafy greens and salads in a Braddock, PA facility using robotics, AI, and software. The system handles seeding, nutrient delivery, growth, harvesting, and packaging with around 40 robots in a hydroponic setup that uses far less water and land, and is partly powered by a solar microgrid. It differentiates itself with an end-to-end automated farming stack that replaces manual labor to deliver hyper-local, pesticide-free produce with shelf life similar to field-grown products at retail prices. Its goal was to transform the food supply chain by making locally grown, fresh produce more accessible and sustainable, though the company later filed for bankruptcy in 2023 due to high operating costs and capital-intense farming economics.
About FIFTH SEASON
Industries
Food & Agriculture
Robotics & Automation
Industrial & Manufacturing
AI & Machine Learning
Company Size
11-50
Company Stage
Early VC
Total Funding
$50M
Headquarters
Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
Founded
2016
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Simplify's Take
What believers are saying
- Automation software proved technically differentiated, attracting investors and national grocery distribution.
- The former facility sale validated asset value beyond scrap, despite operational failure.
- Pittsburgh location and Carnegie Mellon roots strengthened brand credibility with talent and partners.
What critics are saying
- Chapter 7 liquidation in 2023 left nearly 200 creditors and $50 million liabilities.
- Assets of only $50,001-$100,000 eliminated recovery value for employees and investors.
- Consumers Fresh Produce bought the Braddock site in 2025, ending Fifth Season's physical platform.
What makes FIFTH SEASON unique
- Fully automated robotics cut labor and human contact across planting, harvesting, packaging.
- Braddock facility combined 60,000 square feet with multi-level grow rooms and solar microgrid.
- Hyper-local pesticide-free greens promised longer shelf life than field-grown produce.
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Funding
Total Funding
$50M
Above
Industry Average
Funded Over
2 Rounds
Growth & Insights and Company News
6 month growth
↓ -35%1 year growth
↓ -35%2 year growth
↓ -35%Fifth Season LLC, a vertical farming and robotics startup, has filed for Chapter 7 bankruptcy liquidation a year after announcing its closure. Before closing, Fifth Season operated from its…
Fifth Season LLC, a shuttered vertical farming and robotics startup, has officially filed for Chapter 7 bankruptcy.
Vertical farm startup Infarm will lay off more than half of its workforce, around 500 employees. The Berlin, Germany-based startup cites skyrocketing energy prices and the wider downturn as reasons for the cuts
US vertical farming startup Fifth Season has shut down its operations. Pittsburgh Business Times was first to report the news. Sources familiar with the matter said Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania-based Fifth Season closed its doors last Friday. The company was known for its vertical farming facilities that used robotics to grow leafy greens indoors
FIFTH SEASON is Hiring for 3 Jobs on Simplify!
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About FIFTH SEASON
Industries
Food & Agriculture
Robotics & Automation
Industrial & Manufacturing
AI & Machine Learning
Company Size
11-50
Company Stage
Early VC
Total Funding
$50M
Headquarters
Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
Founded
2016
FIFTH SEASON is Hiring for 3 Jobs on Simplify!
Find jobs on Simplify and start your career today