July 13, 2017

WG Center for Innovation & Tech Reaches 43 AgTech Startups

The Western Growers Center for Innovation & Technology (WGCIT) officially boasts 43 start-up companies who are working to develop and enhance technological solutions to ag’s biggest issues. Most of the newest startups to the Center have come as a result of a $30,000 grant from Wells Fargo, awarded at the Forbes AgTech Summit in 2016. The grant enabled Western Growers to create scholarships for ten budding companies who were looking to advance their innovations by joining the WGCIT. Western Growers will again be able to offer ten additional scholarships through a newly awarded grant by Wells Fargo. Read the press release announcing the grant for full details.

The new residents of the WGCIT include the following:

Aggrigator: Aggrigator is a B2B “farm-to-shelf” marketplace. Its technology provides a platform for both the buyers and sellers of fresh produce to access markets across the entire fresh produce transactional pipeline. The company brings participants in so they are able to buy, sell and fulfill transactions together to create viable economies of scale and construct a fresh produce supply chain capable of servicing large demand markets.

Ayrstone Productivity: Ayrstone Productivity® introduces the AyrMesh® System of Wireless Farm Networking for a farm, ranch or other rural property. The AyrMesh wireless network is a WiFi system that can provide wireless Internet access across an entire operation. It uses standard WiFi signals and standard Ethernet connectivity, so it can connect a huge variety of household and industrial equipment.

Harvesting Inc: Harvesting Inc provides online software as a service (SAAS) which allows stakeholders in the agriculture value chain to view, analyze and manage their agri-climatic business risk via data collection, data analysis and data reporting. Its technology platform helps financial institutions better understand agriculture communities and risks associated in lending farmers by leveraging advancements in remote sensing satellites and machine learning.

Intelligent Wireless Networks: Intelligent Wireless Networks is a provider of rural WiFi networks, applications and software to support precision farming. IWN designs, builds, monitors and maintains its proprietary wireless networks in the agriculture industry. IWN networks (called iNET) bridge the gaps left behind in rural communities and the high-density urban communities.

PastureMap: PastureMap offers ranch management software that helps ranchers make decisions that drive profitability. The software allows for ranch planning, including monitoring pastures, subdivisions, water tanks and gates. It also helps keep track of records, automatically calculates average daily gain and assists ranchers in seeing past moves and planning upcoming moves.

Resson: Resson uses the rapidly-expanding trend of drone application in agriculture and large scale cloud-based predictive analytics to optimize agricultural productivity. The RAMAS (Resson Agricultural Management and Analytics System) integrates large scale cloud-based data analytics with sensor fusion and robotic platforms to provide agricultural producers with an unequalled view of crop production and field conditions.

Soft Robotics: Soft Robotics has built a fundamentally new class of robotic grippers that are adaptive, plug and play, repeatable and reliable. Its novel soft gripping technology improves quality, productivity, safety and flexibility for better response to market.

In addition to generous sponsors such as Wells Fargo, there are a flurry of news sponsors who are helping move agtech forward and providing the crucial support needed to help bring these technologies from development to market.

Thank you to our newest WGCIT sponsors:

AT&T: AT&T delivers advanced mobile services, next-generation TV, high-speed internet and smart solutions for people and businesses. AT&T provides advanced services to nearly 3.5 million businesses on 6 continents.

The Nunes Company: The Nunes Company, founded in 1976, is a private, family-owned, vertically integrated grower/shipper and marketer of “Foxy” brand vegetables. The company began operations with 1,200 acres of iceberg lettuce in the Salinas Valley, and today the company has grown into one of the premier grower-shippers with over 22,000 acres in California, Arizona, and Nevada. Commodities include over 40 different conventional items and 35 different organic items.

ZAG Technical Services: ZAG is an IT consulting and services company established in 1998. ZAG is a full-service IT solutions provider offering a wide range of services—everything from IT project consulting to IT managed services and support.

To keep up to date on the latest happenings at the Center, visit the WGCIT websitenews blog or Facebook. For more information, please contact Hank Giclas at (949) 885-2205.