Reservoir Farms launches premier agtech incubator

New 'Living Lab' in Salinas aims to accelerate startups through on-farm innovation

Mar. 17, 2026 at 11:03pm

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Reservoir Farms has opened a new agtech incubator in Salinas, California, providing office space, workshops, and 24 acres of dedicated commercial test fields to help startups scale solutions for global food production challenges. The facility is supported through a partnership with regional agriculture industry leaders and features a first cohort of 12 startups working on technologies like autonomous weeding, precision irrigation, and autonomous pest control.

Why it matters

The new Reservoir Farms incubator represents a unique model for advancing agricultural robotics and technology by embedding startups directly on working farmland. This 'living lab' approach allows young companies to test and validate their solutions in real-world commercial operations, helping to derisk R&D and accelerate the path to market for innovative agtech products.

The details

The Reservoir Farms incubator broke ground in August 2025 and features office space, workshops, and 24 acres of dedicated commercial test fields to support its first cohort of 12 startups. The facility is supported through partnerships with organizations like the Western Growers Association, John Deere, UC ANR, and local colleges, providing resources for go-to-market, testing, and validation. The startups are working on a range of technologies including autonomous weeding, precision irrigation, autonomous pest control, and more.

  • Reservoir Farms broke ground on the new incubator on August 25, 2025.
  • The facility held its grand opening on Monday, March 17, 2026.
  • Reservoir plans to break ground on a second location in Merced, California this June.

The players

Reservoir Farms

An agtech incubator that provides office space, workshops, and dedicated farmland to help startups scale solutions for global food production challenges.

Danny Bernstein

The founder, CEO, and investor of Reservoir Farms who conceived the vision for the new incubator.

Western Growers Association

A regional agriculture industry group that is partnering with Reservoir Farms to provide support and ensure the incubator's innovations are focused on solving real-world challenges for growers.

Walt Duflock

The vice president of innovation at Western Growers Association.

University of Arizona's Yuma Agricultural Center

A research institution that is hosting pilots for Reservoir Farms startups to test their technologies in commercial desert vegetable production.

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What they’re saying

“From our early days, Reservoir listened intently to partners to understand where innovation in agriculture was stuck. Once our vision to create an on-farm innovation center was clear, we worked relentlessly with partners across the industry to bring the energy, focus, and skills necessary to manifest the space and people necessary to make this a reality.”

— Danny Bernstein, Founder, CEO, and Investor, Reservoir Farms

“Growers have been at the heart of Reservoir from day one. Through Western Growers' partnership, our members have had a seat at the table from the very beginning to make sure this isn't innovation for innovation's sake, but rather innovation focused on solving the labor, cost, and sustainability pressures they feel every season.”

— Walt Duflock, Vice President of Innovation, Western Growers Association

What’s next

Reservoir Farms plans to break ground on a second location in Merced, California this June and is moving toward the first close of its venture capital fund, Reservoir VC.

The takeaway

The Reservoir Farms incubator represents a novel approach to advancing agricultural technology by embedding startups directly on working farmland. This 'living lab' model allows young agtech companies to test and validate their solutions in real-world commercial operations, helping to accelerate the path to market for innovative products that can address critical challenges facing the farming industry.