This conference will be led by two speakers: one from Orius, who will discuss experimental plant cultivation methods, and one from Naemos, (an Orius client), who will talk about applications for the cosmetics industry.
Where do plant properties come from? Why do certain species naturally produce powerful active compounds like polyphenols, alkaloids, or terpenes—molecules highly sought after by the cosmetics industry? What if we could guide plants to boost the exact molecules we need?
In nature, this remains nearly impossible. There are simply too many unpredictable variables - weather, sunlight, nutrient availability etc.
Enter precision indoor farming, taking full control over the entire production process : from utilization of inputs like energy, water, and nutrients to the precise production of targeted bioactive compounds. Every parameter is precisely controlled and the environment fine-tuned to produce plants with extraordinary properties. For cosmetics brands, the benefits are clear: access to unique, high-performing, and consistently standardized ingredients — alongside a reduced carbon footprint and a controlled environmental and social impact.
Still, the factors that influence a plant’s metabolite profile are multiple and remain to be fully explored ranging from biotic stress (caused by living organisms) and abiotic stress (environmental factors such as temperature, humidity or UV radiation). Optimizing a plant’s chemical composition to increase the concentration of a target molecule—while also maximizing yield and inhibiting toxic or undesirable compounds—requires a complex and delicate balance.
Given the myriad of variables that interact in complex ways, it is practically impossible to test every possible combination of growth conditions through traditional trial-and-error approaches, which is why a rational approach to experimental design is essential.
To address this challenge, Orius has developed a predictive, experimental-based approach for identifying optimal cultivation conditions tailored to specific client goals. By leveraging experimental data—testing key influencing factors, a statistical model capable of predicting the most promising scenarios was developed.
To validate our in-silico prediction models, developed through computer-based simulation, we conducted several independent experiments implementing the optimal light and temperature parameters suggested by our simulations. Results strongly confirmed our predictions: temperature and lighting adjustments doubled total flavonol content in one case study, while optimized light spectra increased sinapic acid levels 4 times compared to non-optimized culture. Beyond these quantitative improvements, our environmental conditions induced the production of ellagic acid derivatives completely absent under standard conditions. This demonstrates that precise environmental modulation offers unprecedented predictability in inducing specific phytochemical profiles, while also enhancing existing compound yields and activating dormant biosynthetic pathways with previously untapped potential.
This presentation aims to showcase our data processing methods used to develop predictive models, highlight selected results and reliability, and illustrate a few practical application cases.
Specifically, in the development of cosmetic active ingredients, precision indoor farming technology allows to elicit from the plant its most potent bioactive compounds, triggering holistic and high-performing responses within the skin-ecosystem. Even more, precision indoor farming enables the controlled reintroduction of rare or neglected plant species that are no longer accessible through traditional cultivation methods.
