iyris

About iyris

Iyris, formerly known as RedSea, is an AgriClimate technology company established in 2018 with headquarters in Saudi Arabia. The company was founded by Ryan Lefers, Mark Tester, and Derya Baran, spinning out of the King Abdullah University of Science and Technology (KAUST). The founders' backgrounds are deeply rooted in science and engineering; Lefers holds a PhD in Environmental Engineering from KAUST and grew up on a farm in the US Midwest, driving his ambition to apply research to real-world agricultural challenges. Tester is a renowned plant scientist, and Baran is a professor of Material Science and Engineering. Their collective expertise underpins the company's mission to address food security in hot climates by developing technologies that mitigate the effects of extreme heat and water scarcity.

The company operates as a pure-play technology provider, focusing on the commercialization and development of its proprietary solutions for the agricultural sector. Its business model involves selling its technology products directly to commercial growers, primarily those with low-to-mid-tech farming operations, which represent a significant majority of farmers globally. Iyris serves a global market, with technologies deployed in at least eleven countries, including the UAE, Egypt, Morocco, Spain, Portugal, and Mexico. The company generates revenue through the sale of its products, which are designed to offer a rapid return on investment, often within a single crop season.

Iyris's core product suite is designed to create more sustainable and profitable farming in harsh environments. Its flagship product is SecondSky, a transparent, heat-blocking greenhouse cover available as polycarbonate panels, polyethylene films, and nets. This technology utilizes an innovative nanocomposite material that blocks near-infrared (NIR) heat radiation while allowing the passage of light necessary for photosynthesis. Benefits for farmers include a reduction in energy consumption by over 40% and water usage by up to 30%, leading to extended growing seasons and improved crop yields. Beyond greenhouse covers, iyris is developing resilient plant genetics through a novel hybridization process to breed crops, such as tomatoes, that are resistant to heat, drought, and salinity. This holistic approach, combining advanced materials and plant science, differentiates iyris from competitors by offering a comprehensive toolkit for climate-adaptive agriculture.