From private equity investor to agritech trailblazer, Sky Kurtz, Co-Founder & CEO of Pure Harvest Smart Farms, joins a special episode of the Startup Spotlights Podcast by Lucidity Insights to unpack how he built one of the Middle East’s leading controlled-environment agriculture (CEA) companies. Host Erika Welch dives into Sky’s journey from Stanford and global finance to launching a high-tech farming conglomerate solving the region’s biggest challenges in food security, sustainable agriculture, and farming in extreme climates.

Sky breaks down the complexities of scaling CEA technology in extreme climates — including water-efficient greenhouse systems, climate-resilient food production, and the technologies enabling year-round fresh produce in the GCC. He offers deep insights into the future of water conservation in the Middle East, the region’s transition beyond petrodollar-driven economies, and what it will take for the UAE to become a global hub for agritech, sustainability, and home-grown unicorn startups.

Sky also shares candid, hard-won advice for founders on startup fundraising, navigating macroeconomic shifts, investor expectations in the GCC, and building high-performance teams in complex, capital-intensive sectors. A must-listen episode for anyone exploring agritech innovation, food and water security, UAE startup funding, or the future of sustainable food systems.

Sky Kurtz Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/skykurtz/
PureHarvest Startup profile: https://lucidityinsights.com/startups/pure-harvest-1342

Watch this Episode on Lucidity Insights:

"Lucidity Insights: Startup Spotlights," is a newly premiered Podcast Show by LucidityInsights.com featuring CEOs and entrepreneurs from startups and tech companies all around the world. Understand how their mind works, how they turn ideas into reality, navigated startup life, and the lessons they learned. 🚀

[ Watch this episode on video ]

Follow our Socials: LinkedIn | YouTube | Instagram | Twitter (X)