Reservoir Farms revealed that it will launch its second agtech incubator outside of California in Yakima, Washington, in an effort to bring agricultural automation and physical AI innovation to some of the hardest crops to grow, Danny Bernstein, founder and CEO of Reservoir, shared at the FIRA event on Oct. 20.
Currently, Reservoir provides more than 30 start-ups with farmland to test and develop their products and services across two locations in California (Salinas and Sonoma) and in Arizona, through a multi-tier subscription service, which includes a freemium option, according to a press release. Reservoir alumni Bonsai Robotics and Sky Sense and new members Cordon and Rootline are said that they will join the Washington location.
Reservoir is working with the Washington Tree Fruit Research Commission, Tri-City Development Council (TRIDEC), the North American Blueberry Council and other organizations to open the agtech incubator in spring of 2027.
The Washington location will be supported by Reservoir’s investments from John Deere and Western Growers, and a commitment from TRIDEC to boost economic development in the Tri-Cities region.
Additionally, Reservoir is exploring possible collaborative partnerships with Washington State University to further accelerate the development and testing of agricultural innovations.
“Opportunities to bring ag-tech startups together with our faculty to evaluate emerging technologies across diverse cropping systems, including orchards and vineyards, could give growers valuable insights within a single growing season and rigorous validation over multiple seasons, helping them make informed decisions, reduce risks, and improve productivity and profitability,” said Naidu Rayapati, director of WSU Prosser IAREC, in a press release.
Washington is a major producer of pears, sweet cherries, blueberries, and apples, accounting for about two-thirds of U.S. commercial apple production, according to USDA data. These specialty crops are labor intensive and face unique disease and pest pressures, making them ripe for technological advancements, Reservoir share.
“Tree fruit, blueberries, wine grapes and hops are some of the hardest crops in the world to automate, and labor is now the biggest cost Washington growers face. Expanding into the Pacific Northwest shows the Reservoir model is working. When you put builders on real farms with growers who will tell them the truth, rugged physical AI goes from prototype to production much faster,” said Bernstein in a press release.
