A great idea is just that without direction and a clear vision. To truly make a marketable product or service, entrepreneurs must evaluate the market, talk to their potential customers, and lay out a clear path—something The Ben Franklin Technology Partners know well. 

Dustin Betz, Founder and President of GreenTowers USA, credits the Ben Franklin TechCelerator Program, for much of their start up success. GreenTowers USA created their own vertical growing system to allow for urban agricultural growth. Their vertical growing system allows individuals and businesses in urban areas with space constraints to grow micro greens—a baby green typically harvested between seven and fifteen days after you water it. 

“[The idea for microgreens] was very much a direct consequence of going through the Ben Frank¬lin TechCelerator program,” Dustin said. “We had a product concept that was a vertical growing system, and we came into the TechCelerator more or less trying to find a customer market fit. Ini¬tially, we were looking at greenhouses, but we found out our vertical growing system wasn’t really competitive on a cost per square foot basis with other options out there.” 

“The Ben Franklin Techcelerator really emphasizes the lean startup methodology and talking to your customer,” he continued. “So we were talking to a lot of potential customers, and the aha mo¬ment was that a vertical growing system concept is cool, but it’s really not necessary for somebody who isn’t spatially constrained.” 

After coming to this realization, Dustin’s team set out with a mission to help people easily grow some small portion of their own food. “We came to this idea for mail order microgreens trays,” Dustin said. “Ev¬ery month customers receive pre seeded trays of different varieties of greens. Recipe cards are included in the package.” 

The pre seeded trays are planted in a dehydrated soil formula and the seeds won’t germinate until the buyer waters them. A monthly subscription will get you two trays, enough for a single person. “[The trays] take between one to two weeks until they’re ready to harvest,” said Dustin. “So you’d water the first tray in your box, and then about a week or so later, you’d begin using the greens. Then you’d wait about another week to start growing the next tray, and after that two week growing cycle, you have another box arrive in the mail.” 

Dustin maintains that one of the merits of the product is that it exposes you a variety of different flavored greens. He also reminds us that “one of the problems with buying bagged salad greens is that they go bad. So another great thing about growing your own greens is that they’re alive right up until the minute that you snip them off and enjoy them.” 

GreenTowers USA was founded by Dustin and two other team mem¬bers. Dustin has a degree in plant biology and a minor in horticulture with interests in sustainability. His team of co founders includes Jon Gumble, who has a degree in horticulture, and Mike Zaengle, who has a design; We have complementary skillsets and realized early on that we worked well together,” said Dustin. 

“I really can’t understate the value of going through the ten week [TechCelerator] program,” Dustin said. “At Penn State, I took Engi¬neering Entrepreneurship, the entrepreneurship minor before they rebooted it. I thought it was helpful. It definitely inspired me. I never really thought I’d want to be an entrepreneur at the beginning of col¬lege. So, I would say that the minor was inspiring, but I feel like there was also an entrepreneurial attitude that was like ‘Yeah, you can do it! Just go do it.’” 

Dustin commends the TechCelerator Program for helping him take what he learned at Penn State and apply it to his specific business. 

“Don, John, and the other mentors made you question all of your as¬sumptions and really look closely at what you’re saying and challenged you to get out there and talk to potential customers,” said Dustin. “Not to say we hadn’t been exposed to any of that in the minor, but I think that [the experts at Ben Franklin] have a much more real world, business savvy approach to problem solving. I found the program helpful; it was a refreshing way to look at everything. So the program was really great for us, without a doubt.” 

Learn more about the TechCelerator Program.