Our Story
Vatalia was born from a singular obsession: creating beauty that lives and breathes.
Our founder, Tyler Casper, spent years engineering a solution to an aesthetic problem. As an aerospace engineer, he understood precision and performance. But he wanted to create something more: piece that could bring museum-quality art and living nature together without compromise.
That pursuit led to the invention of The Loom, the intelligent hardware system that makes Living Art possible.
The name itself tells our story. We began with the concept of "Loom," the craft of weaving disparate elements into something whole and beautiful. That foundation evolved into Vatalia, drawn from the Latin vita (life) and vates (visionary), creating "a visionary world of life." It reflects our philosophy: that the most beautiful spaces are those that feel truly alive.
Tyler was joined by Tony Giovannelli, whose expertise in software architecture became the foundation for Provenance, the intelligent AI that orchestrates every aspect of plant care invisibly. Tofa McCormick later shaped how we communicate our vision, leading with art and beauty rather than technology. Most recently, Tim Seibert brought embedded systems engineering to refine the technology that disappears into the frame.
Today, Living Art represents a new category at the intersection of museum-quality Canvases, living botanicals, and invisible technology. Each system integrates these elements seamlessly. The Loom provides life support, Provenance directs intelligent care, and interchangeable Canvases allow collectors to curate their spaces as their aesthetic evolves.
At Vatalia, we believe the greatest luxury is inhabiting spaces that flourish. We've built a system where art and nature don't compete.
Meet the Team
Learn about the Vatalia team
Tyler Casper
Founder and President
Tyler is a former aerospace engineer who brought his expertise in 3D CAD design, automation, and systems integration to design Living Art that has created a new category in interior design decor. As the founder of Vatalia, he developed The Loom, the proprietary hardware that makes Living Art possible. It integrates intelligent sensors, automated water delivery, and precision lighting into a system designed to disappear. His engineering philosophy is simple: technology should serve beauty, not distract from it.
Tony Giovannelli
Software Lead
Tony is a technology leader with deep experience in software architecture, cybersecurity, and scalable systems. His background spans defense, fintech, and cloud infrastructure, where he led teams building secure solutions for blockchain, AWS, and advanced operations. At Vatalia, Tony developed Provenance, the intelligent AI that orchestrates plant care behind the scenes. His focus is making complex automation feel invisible, ensuring that every botanical receives precisely calibrated light and water without any user intervention.
Tofa McCormick
Head of Marketing & Sales
Tofa is a strategic marketer with experience in brand development, digital strategy, and GTM execution across engineering, manufacturing, education, and SaaS. At Vatalia, his focus is building a design-forward brand that resonates with collectors, interior designers, and anyone who believes spaces should inspire. Tofa's work also includes partnership development, demand generation, and sales, ensuring Vatalia reaches design-conscious audiences who understand true luxury does include art and nature.
Tim Seibert
Embedded Engineer
Tim has a master’s in computer engineering specializing in embedded systems and hardware integration. He brings expertise in microcontroller programming, sensor integration, and real-time system optimization. At Vatalia, Tim refines the embedded technology within The Loom, ensuring seamless communication between hardware sensors, Provenance software, and the physical components that sustain living botanicals. His work focuses on reliability and precision, ensuring flawless performance.
Our Journey So Far
2022
Redefining Indoor Growing
What began as wires and raw ambition quickly turned into an obsession with what's possible. We weren't just building systems. We were challenging every assumption about how plants could thrive indoors.
2023
Rethinking the Form
Tucked inside a cooler and surrounded by cables, we asked the big question: "What if living plants didn't look like a garden?"
These early experiments sparked the idea that would evolve into Living Art.
2024
The Picture Frame Moment
While brainstorming the future of indoor growing, advisor and investor Manolya asked, "What about picture frames?" This single question transformed our vision. Within hours, the first CAD concept emerged, featuring plants growing through artwork, interchangeable designs, and elegant presentation. We built the first prototype in just one month, proving the concept that would become Living Art. Manolya continues as a key advisor to Vatalia while pursuing her cybersecurity career.
2024
Living Art V1
Our first attempt at combining design and function. Wall-mounted and full of potential, this version proved we were on the right path, just not there yet. Beauty and biology still needed a better frame.
2024+
Living Art V2
This was the moment things clicked. When intelligent automation met museum-quality design, the result was more than functional. It was inspiring. This prototype felt like the beginning of something real.
2025
The Vatalia Vision
By mid-2025, we realized we weren't just building a product. We were creating a new category. The concept of "Loom" evolved into Vatalia, a world of life where art and nature flourish together. We developed The Loom, the invisible hardware that sustains botanicals effortlessly. We built Provenance, the intelligent software that orchestrates care. We refined the frame, the Canvases, and every detail of the experience. In October, we launched Living Art for early 2026 delivery.
2025+
Living Art Launches
Countless iterations. Dozens of prototypes. Hundreds of hours. It all led to this: a finished system that lives and breathes like a masterpiece. Now accepting reservations for early 2026 delivery. Our hope? That
you see the frame as much a work of art as the Canvas it holds.
