Key Takeaways
- Field trials in agriculture remain a critical barrier for startups seeking validation and commercialization.
- Reservoir Farms, founded by Danny Bernstein, offers on-farm testing hubs in Salinas and Yuma with expansion plans across California.
- Startups gain year-round access to professional growers, corporate partners, and neutral researchers for structured trials.
- Partnerships with John Deere, University of California, and local growers strengthen credibility and market readiness.
- Reservoir Farms operates as an incubator model, providing space, services, and community support tailored to early-stage companies.
The Role of Field Trials in Agriculture
For agtech startups, securing field trials in agriculture can be one of the most challenging steps in product development. Without access to farms and growers, companies struggle to prototype, test, and validate their technologies under real conditions. Speaking during a recent webinar, Danny Bernstein, CEO of Reservoir Farms, emphasized that this hurdle often delays progress by months or even years
“Startups may spend their first year simply trying to gain access to the right farm environment,” Bernstein explained. “Field trials are not only about validation—they are essential for prototyping and iterating products before commercialization.”
California, a global hub for specialty crops, illustrates the urgency. With more than 600 commodities grown in the state, crops such as asparagus and garlic have seen sharp declines due to rising costs and inefficiencies
Reservoir Farms aims to address these challenges by creating structured environments where startups can accelerate their testing.
Building a New Model for Startups
Reservoir Farms was launched to fill a critical gap: an incubator where agtech startups can immediately plug into professional farming operations. Its first hub in Salinas, California, is designed for leafy greens, vegetables, and strawberries. Partnerships with Tanamer & Antle and Nature Ripe Berry Growers ensure that trials are conducted alongside experienced growers, rather than in academic-only settings
The model provides startups with shop space adjacent to test plots. Crops such as celery, romaine lettuce, and strawberries are cultivated under commercial conditions, offering an authentic environment for early prototypes.
A second location in Yuma, Arizona, supports winter leafy green production. Together, Salinas and Yuma give startups year-round opportunities for field trials, a critical factor in reducing development timelines. Future hubs are planned for Sonoma (wine crops) and Merced (permanent crops such as almonds and citrus).
Leveraging Field Trials in Agriculture: The Acceleration Effect
Bernstein outlined how Reservoir Farms differs from conventional accelerators. Instead of following a rigid cohort model, startups join on rolling timelines, aligning with crop cycles and individual development stages.
“Our promise is that companies can move faster,” Bernstein said. “Rather than waiting months for seasonal windows, they gain continuous access to test plots, growers, and validation partners.”
This approach is reinforced by partnerships with corporate and academic institutions. John Deere has committed to a presence at Reservoir Farms, offering startups exposure to potential technology integrations. Meanwhile, collaborations with the University of California and University of Arizona provide structured research support, including neutral researchers to design credible validation trials.
While these services may carry costs, Bernstein argued that data verified by academic partners carries significant value for investors and growers alike.
Field Trials In Agriculture: Challenges for Startups
Field trials highlight deeper issues facing agtech innovators. Many startups are located far from agricultural regions, making it difficult to integrate into grower communities. Others lack peer networks, leaving them isolated compared to dense clusters seen in sectors such as artificial intelligence.
Bernstein noted that proximity is key: “If a company is working on strawberries, but its CEO is based in Los Angeles, the ability to iterate quickly is compromised. Success comes when teams immerse themselves directly in the farming ecosystem.”
The Reservoir model also addresses reluctance among some companies to relocate to rural hubs. By positioning test sites near major agricultural economies, the incubator encourages startups to embrace regional ecosystems where growers, dealers, and researchers converge.
A Pathway for Growth
Reservoir Farms operates with transparent pricing tiers, from bootstrapped startups to more advanced companies. Six startups have already joined, with half in the early “bootstrap” category. The program is designed for companies to remain six to eighteen months, after which they “graduate” into independent operations.
For Bernstein, the initiative is about demonstrating that agricultural innovation does not need to be slowed by structural barriers. “The reality is that field trials in agriculture can be optimized,” he said. “If we can reduce friction, startups can focus on disruptive technologies rather than spending their first years just finding a place to test.”
Looking Ahead
With expansion planned across California and internationally, Reservoir Farms aims to replicate its model in other regions. By creating dense hubs where startups, growers, and partners collaborate, the company believes it can help preserve and strengthen specialty crop production while addressing global food security and climate challenges.
As Bernstein concluded: “Field trials in agriculture are not a side project—they are the foundation of innovation. By rethinking access, we can accelerate solutions that benefit growers, consumers, and the planet.”
