Founder Feature: Growing a More Efficient Future for Farmers

Farmable: Growing a Global Community, Rooted in Simplicity

Farmable provides farm management software designed to be user-friendly and affordable, with a specific focus on fruit and vegetable farms. This focus is no accident. Co-founded by Lars Petter Blikom, a technology strategist with the added perspective of owning Norway's largest fruit farm, Farmable understands the unique needs of this sector. The company's core offering is a mobile app that simplifies farm operations, streamlining everything from task management to data recording. The goal is ambitious: to reach one million farms worldwide.

Since its commercial launch five years ago, Farmable has made significant strides, amassing a global user base of over 50,000 farms with customers in more than 30 different countries. Kaye plays a crucial role as COO, focusing on the company's key pillars: priorities (OKRs), people, processes, and commercial strategy. This multifaceted role is essential to Farmable's growth and efficiency.

The Farmable team is as diverse as its user base. The team is comprised of 11 team members spanning Norway, Australia, Italy, South Africa, Ukraine, Canada, Germany, and Spain. Interestingly, Kaye is the sole team member located in Oslo, highlighting the company's distributed and global nature.

Oslo and the Entrepreneurial Journey: Balancing Life and Work

Kaye and her partner, both Canadians, have called Oslo home for over 12 years. They appreciate the city's walkability and efficient public transportation, which contributes to a healthy work-life balance. "We love being able to walk and bike everywhere," Kaye shares, contrasting it with the car-dependent lifestyle common in Canada. "Having three kids and not owning a car is almost unheard of back home.

Kaye has been a keen observer of Oslo's evolving startup scene over the past decade. She acknowledges its significant growth and dynamism:

While recent taxation changes have introduced challenges for businesses in Norway, Kaye remains optimistic about Oslo's potential as a hub for entrepreneurs. "It's hard to build a company anywhere," Kaye notes, "and while there are challenges here, Oslo still offers a lot in the form of liveability."

Farmable is also actively navigating the broader challenges facing the farming industry, such as labor shortages and market volatility. Kaye expresses gratitude for the support Farmable has received from Norselab, a key player in the Oslo ecosystem. She conveys excitement about the company's future and its potential to positively impact the agricultural sector on a global scale."There's a lot of overlap between personal and professional for an entrepreneur," Kaye says, "and these days, I can't wait to get to work. Literally every day. That feels pretty awesome."

Want know more about how Farmable and other Oslo-based startups contribute to the Norwegian economy? Nearly 2000 startups and scaleups in the Oslo region have a combined value creation of NOK 12.3 billion and employ 14,500 people. Learn more here.