November 3, 2026
A walkthrough of the Innovation Grants Request for Applications for AgTech startups and service providers, with live Q&A.
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Connecting agricultural expertise across California.
The California AgTech Alliance brings people, programs, and resources together to advance agricultural innovation and expand opportunities for workers and businesses.
About the Alliance
Start here
Find your place in the Alliance
California’s agricultural strengths span farms, research institutions, businesses, classrooms, and communities. Whether you’re an entrepreneur looking for testing partners, a worker exploring training, or an educator connecting with employers, the Alliance connects you to the programs, partners, and opportunities that fit your work.
Find support for
Entrepreneurs & Startups
Move your agricultural technology forward with a clearer understanding of the people who will use it. The Alliance connects you with partner programs, regional expertise, and commercialization pathways that can help you develop an early idea, prepare for demonstrations, or explore your next business challenge.
See all 86 programs for Entrepreneurs & StartupsInvestors & Funders
Understand the people, programs, and agricultural needs shaping innovation across California. Whether you invest in companies, fund community initiatives, or lead economic development at home or abroad, the Alliance offers a starting point for exploring the ecosystem and finding where your interests intersect with partner work.
See all 6 partners for Investors & FundersWorkers & Learners
Build on your experience, explore new skills, and find a path into California’s changing agricultural workforce. The California AgTech Alliance helps you identify relevant training partners and career connections, whether you are a student, work in agriculture today, or are considering a move into the field.
See all 92 programs for Workers & LearnersFarmers & Agricultural Operations
Find expertise for technology and workforce decisions on your operation. The Alliance connects growers and agricultural businesses with innovators, educators, and program partners across California. Explore demonstrations, share the challenges a technology needs to address, and connect your team's skills needs with relevant workforce partnerships.
See all 73 programs for Farmers & Agricultural OperationsIndustry & Policy Leaders
Help keep agricultural innovation grounded in the needs of California’s farms, businesses, and workforce. The Alliance connects industry experience and public-sector perspectives with research, education, and commercialization partners, creating opportunities to share evidence, identify challenges, and inform collaboration across regions.
See all 15 partners for Industry & Policy Leaders
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Events & Open Calls
Coming up
Call for participation
Annual farmer policy survey(opens in a new tab)
An annual survey, in English and Spanish, where California farmers, ranchers and land stewards weigh in on policy priorities and programs.
Course
Soil Health Systems course(opens in a new tab)
An online course on soil properties, soil-health metrics and how production practices shape them, with sampling and monitoring methods.
Internship
U21 Sustainable AI micro-internship applications(opens in a new tab)
A free, remote micro-internship for UC Davis students on a sustainability project spanning industry, innovation, infrastructure and AI, about five hours a week.
Grant
2026 CalAgPlate agricultural education grants(opens in a new tab)
Grants of $2,500 to $10,000 for agricultural education, career training and leadership programs, from a pool of about $230,000.
Course
Associate Project Management Exam Preparation Bootcamp(opens in a new tab)
Online preparation for the Certified Associate in Project Management (CAPM) exam, part of a specialized certificate in project management.
Training
Drone Pilot Training applications(opens in a new tab)
Drone pilot training for students, with agriculture and general tracks, practical flights, GIS and FAA Part 107 exam preparation, plus a completion award and exam-fee coverage.
Training
Farmer Financial Training 101(opens in a new tab)
A three-session financial training for farmers covering the basics of farm business finances.
Course
Leadership Essentials(opens in a new tab)
A free, self-paced online course on leadership, emotional intelligence, accountability, decision-making, teamwork and workplace ethics.
Training
Private Applicator Certification preparation(opens in a new tab)
A guided-study course in Spanish that prepares vineyard workers for the private pesticide applicator certification exam; the November class is full and has a waitlist.
Grant
California Nutrition Incentive Program, CalFresh round(opens in a new tab)
Funding from a $13.5 million pool for certified farmers markets, mobile markets, CSAs, farm stands and small retailers that offer CalFresh shoppers incentives to buy fresh produce.
Forum
Emerging Technology Exchange: Intentional AI(opens in a new tab)
A full-day exchange on practical and responsible uses of AI for learning, teaching and work, with lightning talks, demos and a public live stream.
Webinar
Food + Ag Scaling Series, session 1(opens in a new tab)
A founder webinar series on finance, regulation, intellectual property, partnerships and the food and ag investment landscape.
Showcase
Innovation Showcase(opens in a new tab)
The fourth cohort of Faculty Innovation Fellows presents their research, followed by networking and Q&A.
Training
Produce Safety Grower Training (November early)(opens in a new tab)
Two-day produce food-safety training for growers and handlers, online; this session is full, with later dates on the schedule.
Summit
Silicon Valley November Summit(opens in a new tab)
A Silicon Valley summit with an agtech expo and a session on agricultural investment, for startups, investors and food and sustainability partners.
Webinar
Wildfire Resilience as a Service webinar(opens in a new tab)
A webinar introducing a wildfire-protection-as-a-service approach for vineyards and rural properties.
Volunteer call
CalAgPlate volunteer Technical Review Committee(opens in a new tab)
Volunteer reviewers score agricultural education and leadership grant proposals over about four weeks in November and December.
Competition
Social Innovation Challenge applications(opens in a new tab)
A challenge inviting students in any field to design solutions to the harmful effects of rapid technology change on human flourishing, with prizes up to $1,000.
Workshop
Waste Discharge Requirements workshop(opens in a new tab)
A workshop at Cakebread Cellars helping Napa growers understand and meet waste discharge requirements.
Tour
What Happens After Harvest(opens in a new tab)
Cellar tours at Opus One and Inglenook showing how wineries operate after harvest and how sustainable viticulture carries through; the tour is full, with a waitlist.
Workshop
Yuba and Sutter roadside-weeds meeting(opens in a new tab)
A half-day meeting on roadside weed control, sprayer calibration, biological control and weed identification, with DPR and CCA continuing-education hours.
Field day
Connect Field Day: Agtech for Permanent Crops(opens in a new tab)
The Connect cohort’s culminating field day, with live demonstrations of permanent-crop technology, founder Q&A, a research-station tour and networking with growers, researchers and commodity groups.
Forum
Fall Economic Perspective(opens in a new tab)
A regional economic and workforce outlook focused on opportunity for the next generation, with live Spanish interpretation.
Training
Herbicide resistance continuing education(opens in a new tab)
Weed-management training on herbicide resistance, grazing and mechanical controls, with continuing-education hours and member pricing.
Webinar
Knowledge Exchange: New FDA Rules for Food Ingredients(opens in a new tab)
A Knowledge Exchange webinar on new FDA food-ingredient rules and what they mean for food startups.
Conference
ROOTSTOCK vineyard workforce conference(opens in a new tab)
A grower conference on Napa agriculture, the vineyard workforce and business planning.
Grant
Rustici Rangeland and Cattle Research proposals(opens in a new tab)
Research funding of up to $100,000 a year for up to three years for practical, collaborative work on cattle health, rangelands and ranch operations, including new technologies.
Webinar
Transition to Organic for Livestock Producers, session 1(opens in a new tab)
A three-part webinar series introducing livestock producers to organic transition.
Networking
Lunch with Leaders(opens in a new tab)
A networking lunch for Napa business and community leaders with a guest speaker.
Forum
State of the Region 2026(opens in a new tab)
A convening on the Central Coast economy, covering conditions, trends, workforce development and inclusive growth, with updates on Uplift Central Coast and Regions Rise Together.
Workshop
Virtual Fencing from the Agency and Rancher Perspective(opens in a new tab)
A free in-person workshop with rancher and agency perspectives on virtual fencing, sheep applications and NRCS cost-share.
Course
Math intensive(opens in a new tab)
An intensive math course for registered Napa County farmworkers, taught mostly in Spanish.
Workshop
¡Valle! Get Your Start in Tech!(opens in a new tab)
A free weekend workshop at UC Merced building tech-career, communication, networking and coding skills with drones, with meals and up to $150 for participants.
Job
Farm and Climate Program Manager(opens in a new tab)
A full-time role managing research and demonstration farms, climate-smart practices, farm data and technology tools, paying $72,384 to $89,880.
Job
Low Desert Weed Management Advisor job(opens in a new tab)
A position leading applied research and extension on weed management for low-desert crops, with county travel; requires a master’s degree in weed science or a related field.
Grant
Tech for Social Good, technology track(opens in a new tab)
Awards of $500 to $5,000 for cross-disciplinary student projects that use technology to address social challenges.
Training
Train-the-Trainer, Spanish (November session)(opens in a new tab)
Spanish-language training that prepares agricultural supervisors, growers and safety trainers to lead pesticide safety training, with five continuing-education credits in laws and regulations.
Grant
Innovation Grants applications
Service vouchers of up to $50,000 per proposal help agtech startups test, validate and commercialize, paid directly to approved service providers.
Course
English intensive(opens in a new tab)
An intensive English course for beginner and intermediate learners working in Napa vineyards, starting with a placement test.
Grant
2027 CNIP Expansion: WIC and Senior FMNP(opens in a new tab)
Funding for nutrition incentives and electronic-benefit support for eligible WIC and Senior Farmers' Market Nutrition Program shoppers, from a $750,000 pool.
Grant
Western IPM Center 2027 grants(opens in a new tab)
Grants of up to $40,000 for integrated pest management research and outreach across the western United States.
Training
Ag Technology and Mechatronics enrollment(opens in a new tab)
Technical training and credentials in agricultural technology and mechatronics, with support services, for young people ages 16 to 24 without a high school diploma.
Certificate
AgTEC certificates(opens in a new tab)
Free agricultural systems certificates in English or Spanish for farmworkers and learners, combining online coursework with in-person skills assessments; no prior education required.
Farm access
Associate membership tier(opens in a new tab)
A no-cost associate tier for startups, with a card and insurance on file, that gives shared farm access and letters of support.
Exhibitor call
California Pavilion at NAMPO 2027(opens in a new tab)
Kiosk space for California agricultural small businesses in a turnkey state pavilion at a major agricultural equipment and technology show, at a discounted exhibiting fee.
Nothing of this kind is coming up yet. To see what’s open now, browse all events and open calls.