Aponix has decided to open-source parts of its Vertical Barrel system. The company is discontinuing the maintenance of its global patents for the system and has released specific designs under the CERN OHL-S 2.0 Open Hardware License.
"I noticed that people struggle to copy or even start to develop redundant ideas. One of the first inspiring extensions was a barrel-shaped wind electricity generator from a rotating modified Vertical Barrel, using only the closed elements and gluing a repeatable 3D-printed 'scale' on its surface that makes the barrel rotate regardless of wind direction. This impressed me and led me to make the decision to open-source my initial Vertical Barrel elements. This was a long-overdue and consequential step, especially for this urban farming component. I am very much looking forward to seeing open innovation come out of this," says founder Marco Tidona.
Photo right: Turbine extensions
Aponix is a supplier of modular urban farming components based in Germany, specializing in providing modular solutions for urban farming. There are five such solutions, all targeting collaborative citizen gardening, greening, or even nature-based solution projects in the urban metabolism. The Vertical Barrel system was designed and widely patented in 2015 as an alternative vertical NFT (Nutrient Film Technique) solution designed for hydroponic setups.
"In the wild VC-driven space and time of vertical farming, most VF companies wanted to design their own proprietary solution in the last years. It is time to share these designs. After all, it is just about how you arrange space to grow plants. And without the skilled gardener and solid implementation, any such system alone actually has no value," says Marco with a twinkle in his eye.
Right: vertical barrel system
Now, while users can always purchase injection-molded pieces from Aponix, the main elements of their original V2 Vertical Barrel project, including the Substrate Shelf element for terraponic mode, are now open-sourced to the commons so users, researchers, and inventors can experiment with the data, extend, and 3D-print. All pieces are suitable for 3D printing. As of 2025, the
company has updated its website with information on the open-source elements and their simple licensing terms. They have also added all other parts and bundles for direct purchase from their website. The open-source move allows external parties to explore and adapt the system for various applications without restrictions, while the applied license ensures that any extension, even if commercially used, must also be made public.
The 3D-printable designs are intended to be building blocks, explicitly crafted to be modular and extendable. "Just like a set of Legos for urban gardening and beyond," he concludes. "We want to foster creativity, collaboration, and sustainability through modular urban farming components. Our goal is to empower individuals and communities to create vibrant urban spaces filled with more plants, free edibles, and innovative setups that promote shared knowledge and skills."
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