News

A recent article in the Wall Street Journal featured Salinas Valley-based Driscoll’s and its automated berry picker, as part of a spotlight on the future of automated field harvesting. Highlighting the company’s work with robotics startups such as Agrobot and Harvest CROO, the story explains how Driscoll’s has invested in the development of robotic strawberry pickers...

CNBC recently produced a broadcast segment on Bear Flag Robotics, an autonomous tractor company with a presence in Salinas’ Western Growers Center for Innovation and Technology (WGCIT). The story highlights Bear Flag Robotics’ race to get the first self-driving tractor on the commercial market before larger corporations do. Visual demonstrations showcase the impressive machines plowing...

IRVINE, Calif., (August 30, 2018) — Western Growers (WG) has formalized a new strategic partnership with Agritech New Zealand to strengthen, share and accelerate the development of agricultural technologies, as well as help businesses in both countries access U.S. and New Zealand agriculture markets. “We are currently facing a myriad of issues that are severely impacting...

CNBC recently featured local agtech startups and their work with large farming corporations in a broadcast segment titled “How robots are changing the farming industry.” Opening with Salinas Valley-based Driscoll’s – the world’s largest berry distributor in the world – the video highlights the company’s use of automated berry pickers and how the technology has helped...

This just in – Salinas has ranked No. 22 on U.S. News & World Report’s 25 Most Desirable Places to Live in the U.S. in 2018. The ranking, which examines the quality of life, affordability and job opportunities, is based on a Google Consumer Survey of the most desired places to live out of the...

Silicon Valley-based startup accelerator THRIVE Agtech is now accepting applications for its fifth cohort. Ten startups will be selected to participate in the five-month accelerator, which kicks off Spring 2019 and culminates with THRIVE’s Demo Day held at the Forbes AgTech Summit in June 2019. Early stage agtech companies can specialize in a variety of...

A surprising trend is emerging in one of America’s oldest industries: there is a growing number of millennials who are leaving their corporate jobs to become farmers. For only the second time in the last century, the number of farmers under 35 years old is increasing, according to the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s latest Census...

The Forbes AgTech Summit will return to Salinas for its fourth year on June 26-28, 2018. This annual event brings together 600+ industry experts and entrepreneurs from across the globe who are tackling some of today’s biggest agricultural challenges through innovation and technology.  

The 10 startups that comprise THRIVE’s 2018 accelerator cohort will be showcased next Wednesday, April 18 from 5:30 – 7:30 pm at the Old Salinas Firehouse. In addition to these startups, THRIVE alumni and corporate partners will be available for networking.