Reservoir Farms provides office space, shop space, storage containers and workable crop testing areas for resident companies. | Credit: Reservoir Farms
Reservoir Farms, an agricultural technology incubator based in California’s Salinas Valley, has opened applications for its inaugural cohort of 12 startups. The initiative is designed to foster innovation in specialty crop production by bridging the gap between AgTech startups and growers.
By providing direct access to the expertise and networks of Western Growers Association‘s 2,500 members, the incubator said it aims to accelerate the adoption of cutting-edge solutions in the industry. The initiative is fully supported by the Western Growers Association.
The Reservoir recently unveiled Reservoir Farms. Made possible through a long-term lease with the Tanimura family and Tanimura & Antle, a produce grower, this location at Highway 68 and Hitchcock Road is surrounded by some of the world’s most productive farmland and is located minutes from downtown Salinas.
“We’re humbled to begin this long-term collaboration with the Tanimura family, Brian Antle and the Antle family, the incredible team at Tanimura & Antle, and the broader grower community on California’s Central Coast,” said Danny Bernstein, CEO of The Reservoir.
The Reservoir provides ag startup workspace
The concept behind Reservoir Farms is straightforward: to provide a platform for agrobotics startups to develop and test their ideas rapidly. Companies that join the incubator will have access to their secure storage sheds, along with a fully equipped maker space that will include machine tools, welders, CNC routers, and 3D printers to enable them to quickly prototype new ideas.
Each campus will include test fields that can be cultivated year-round to provide in-field testing of the robots.
The selected startups will focus on advancing technologies in several key areas, including robotic harvesting, rugged mobility, machine vision, lightweight end effectors, modular field robotics, edge AI, and precision soil analytics. These innovations could revolutionize efficiency, sustainability, and productivity in specialty crop farming, said the organization.
Reservoir Farms was established to address the growing need for technological advancements in agriculture and ensure that new systems are developed with direct input from growers. This collaborative approach enhances the likelihood of meaningful adoption and practical application of new technologies in real-world environments, it said.
By working alongside experienced industry professionals, startups can gain insights into growers’ challenges, allowing them to tailor their systems to meet the sector’s unique demands. Reservoir said it expects this mentorship model to create a strong pipeline of viable AgTech innovations ready for large-scale deployment.
Applications for the first cohort are now open, and interested startups can apply for the opportunity to work closely with Western Growers and other industry leaders. Through this incubator, AgTech entrepreneurs can refine their technologies, test their products in real farm settings, and bring transformative advancements to specialty crop farming.
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