About
Rooted-in-Tech is rooted in science
Who we are
Rooted in Tech was founded out of a desire to provide the highest-quality plants for growers. Our team of industry experts came together to create a starter plant that is vigorous, clean, and cost effective.
Our fully enclosed propagation system and environmental formulas are the result of over 15 years of research and development.
Awards / Programs
Rooted-in-Tech’s technology is built on multiple years of research and innovation developed through the Controlled Environment Agriculture Research Program at North Carolina State University. Rooted-in-Tech holds multiple licenses to technologies developed through this program, and the lead inventor of the licensed technology also serves as the company’s active CEO.
NC State University
NCInnovation is supporting NC State University and Rooted-in-Tech by providing non-dilutive funding and commercialization support to advance Dr. Ricardo Hernandez’s indoor growing systems for producing disease-free strawberry starter plants. The support helps de-risk the technology through technical validation, product development, industry engagement, and milestone-based planning, positioning the NC State-developed innovation for broader commercial adoption through Rooted-in-Tech, where Ricardo Hernandez serves as CEO.
NCInnovation
NC IDEA is supporting Rooted-in-Tech through its NC IDEA SEED grant program, which provides funding and entrepreneurial support to high-potential North Carolina startups. Rooted-in-Tech was selected as one of seven companies awarded funding in May 2026, recognizing its work to revolutionize plant propagation by delivering high-quality, disease-free plants to growers through technology-enabled production systems
NC Idea
Rooted-in-Tech is supported by the N.C. Plant Sciences Initiative through its Seed2Grow Entrepreneurship Program, which helps NC State researchers transform plant science innovations into startup companies. Through Seed2Grow, Rooted-in-Tech gains access to specialized labs, core facilities, research and meeting spaces, entrepreneurial mentorship, networking opportunities, and business development support to advance its plant propagation technology toward commercial impact.
Seed2Grow - Plant Science Initiative
Frequently Asked Questions
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To maintain the highest level of plant biosecurity, Rooted-in-Tech only accepts seed in sealed, unopened packages. We can source seed on your behalf, or seed can be shipped directly to us from your seed supplier.
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Because we use a chamber-based growing system, we can accommodate small, medium, and large orders. Minimum order size depends on the crop and order specifications. We are able to support custom small orders with minor price adjustments.
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Shipping depends on order size and destination. For orders of approximately 5,000 plants or fewer, we typically ship via air cargo. For orders larger than 5,000 plants, we can arrange specialized ground transportation.
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No. Rooted-in-Tech does not use plant growth regulators. Our controlled environment systems allow us to manage plant architecture and morphology through environmental parameters, producing compact, strong, and generative plants without the use of growth regulators.
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Rooted-in-Tech operates in a fully enclosed production environment with multiple layers of containment, which helps reduce the risk of plant contamination from external pathogens. We follow strict cleaning and disinfection protocols to maintain a high level of sanitation throughout the growing environment. We are happy to share our cleaning protocols and sanitation parameters with customers upon request.
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Yes. Rooted-in-Tech is certified to produce organic plants.
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Yes. We offer in-house and third-party plant testing for an additional charge. For example, we can test for pathogens such as Clavibacter, Tomato brown rugose fruit virus, and others. We also work with the NC State Plant Disease and Insect Clinic for additional testing, diagnosis, and confirmation when needed.
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We provide several checkpoints throughout the propagation cycle, including plant pictures, percent conversion at each production stage, and production updates. Before shipping, we send a full plant passport that includes plant pictures, measurements, and relevant production information.