Reservoir VC backs pre-seed founders in robotics, autonomy, precision tools, and AI-enabled software for specialty crops. | Credit: Reservoir
In its first-ever corporate acquisition, investment firm Reservoir Co. has purchased agriculture finance and data platform Contain Inc. It has appointed the Reno, Nev.-based company’s founder, Nicola Kerslake, as a general partner.
Kerslake will chair Reservoir VC’s investment committee and oversee its underwriting functions as the firm expands its footprint into agricultural equipment and controlled environment agriculture (CEA) to help “rugged AI” startups transition from pilot to commercial scale. Financial terms of the deal were not disclosed.
“Reservoir invests where AI, hardware, and agriculture meet in the field, and those companies need capital partners who understand deployment, unit economics, and business models,” stated Danny Bernstein, founder and CEO of Reservoir and managing partner of Reservoir VC. “Nicola built that discipline at Contain. Bringing her and the Contain platform into Reservoir can offer startups models that better align with the realities of scaling rugged AI-enabled technology.”
Submit your session idea for the 2026 RoboBusinessContain to add startup experience to Reservoir
The transaction marks Reservoir’s first acquisition and adds a new layer to its value-creation model for startups. By adding Contain’s marketplace, underwriting, financing experience, and market intelligence capabilities, the Salinas, Calif.-based company is expanding how it can help startups move from pilot to commercial scale.
“Reservoir is building a new trusted rural institution the sector has needed for a long time: Capital that understands hardware, incubator farms where that hardware is put to work, and diligence that doesn’t end at the data room,” said Kerslake. “Collaborating with Reservoir over the past six months developed our rugged AI thesis, and now I am excited to work more closely on developing Reservoir VC’s next fund.”
Before founding Contain, Kerslake founded Newbean Capital and launched and sold Indoor Ag-Con, one of the sector’s largest and best-known conferences for indoor and controlled-environment farming. She has more than a decade of experience in managing early-stage venture capital mandates. Kerslake’s background spans institutional investment, venture capital, and agricultural finance.
Reservoir is presenting a two-day event in August 2026 called Ruggedize, focused on the challenges of building robots and automation for agricultural applications. The event will be hosted at the Reservoir’s site in Salinas.
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