The Vine by University of California Agriculture and Natural Resources

Tim Hammerich
News Reporter
Despite billions invested in the ag sector, there still seems to be a disconnect between tech entrepreneurs and farmers. Seeing that, California’s ag extension system, UCANR created “The Vine.” It’s purpose? To meet the needs of industry-driven innovation in California’s agrifood economy, says industry lead, Hannah Johnson.
Johnson… “We have two specific programs, Connect and Build. Connect focuses on like field trial readiness for startups that are probably already operational. They maybe don't have a lot of tech on the market, but like they can do a trial. We run them through a curriculum to really get good at being in front of growers, to do a high-level vetting of their tech, and then we provide access to grant funding to do additional trials. And then we have our Build program, which takes research and commercializes it into a company. And this is research that we already know can be a viable company. That is a solution that growers are looking for. A lot of times, like this is an amazing scientist or engineer or something else, but it's not a CEO.”
Johnson says the entire process for connecting and building these companies is driven by farmer needs.
Johnson… “And so we have to start there. So we have an industry advisory board that's representative of 10 of the top producing commodities grown in California, 10 of the most productive counties in California, and eight of the commodities that are only grown in California domestically, as well as three entities that represent various aspects of workforce.”
Learn more at thevine.io.