Innovation Grants Program (AgTech Alliance)

Innovation Grants Program (AgTech Alliance) is sponsored by UC Agriculture and Natural Resources (UC ANR) / California AgTech Alliance. Provides service vouchers to help agricultural technology startups test, validate, and commercialize new tech solutions under real-world conditions. Funds cover access to specialized private farms, research centers, laboratories, and expert technical advisors.

Innovation Grants — California AgTech Alliance Test, validate and scale your AgTech innovation. Access the expertise, facilities and services you need to test, validate and scale technologies that benefit California agriculture. Begin startup application Become a service provider Deadline: November 20, 2026, at 11:59 p.

m. PST . Approximately $1.

7M across the program Up to $50K in service vouchers per proposal Up to 2 proposals per startup Requires $0 in matching funds Connecting startups with resources to address California’s agricultural challenges. California agriculture needs new solutions for water use, soil health, efficiency, worker safety, pest management and agricultural residues. Bringing those solutions to market takes more than a promising idea.

Startups need expertise, testing environments and resources that can be difficult to secure on their own. Innovation Grants help bridge that gap. With approximately $1.

7 million in anticipated program funding , the program provides AgTech startups with service-based vouchers of up to $50,000 per proposal to access expertise, facilities, and services that support testing, validation, and commercialization. Rather than receiving funds directly, selected startups use their vouchers to obtain approved services, with UC ANR paying Service Providers directly.

A voucher connects your project with the services it needs. Your startup leads the project and chooses its providers. The voucher gives your startup access to approved services, and UC ANR pays participating providers for that work.

Startups work with service providers to identify the support needed to advance their innovation. Startups submit a project for competitive review. Selected projects receive a voucher for approved services.

Providers deliver the approved services, and UC Agriculture and Natural Resources (UC ANR) pays them under the applicable agreement. The full voucher amount supports services performed in California. It covers your project’s combined approved services across providers.

No matching funds are required. Support for field trials, technical development and commercialization. A project can combine services from more than one provider.

All services must directly support the same project objectives.

Access to land for field trials, including private farms and Research and Extension Centers (RECs) Field testing, demonstrations and technology validation Research or extension support associated with eligible field activities Infrastructure and Technology Services R&D, prototyping, testing and validation Access to laboratories, makerspaces, specialized equipment or software Equipment or software needed to test or demonstrate a technology User testing and feedback Technical activities that reduce risk associated with early adoption Travel and supplies directly associated with eligible technology services Customer discovery and product-market fit Business and commercialization strategy Fundraising and investor readiness Marketing and market development Financial modeling and planning Business and technical assistance Executive and CXO advisory services Four priorities for innovation in California agriculture.

Projects align with the California Agricultural Research and Innovation Roadmap. 01 Water and Soil Management Improve water-use efficiency and soil health. 02 Automation and Technology Improve efficiency and worker safety while supporting the agricultural workforce.

Improve pest detection and the timing and targeting of treatments. Turn agricultural residues into useful products or energy. Who can apply and what your project must demonstrate.

Be a business, including a nonprofit business, developing, validating or advancing the adoption of an agricultural technology, product or innovation. Address a program priority and select one as your primary priority. Identify a defined innovation and the development need, technical question or commercialization barrier the project will address.

Have sufficient ownership or controlling rights to develop and commercialize the innovation. Remain substantively involved and lead technical direction, analysis, interpretation and reporting. The project director must have primary employment with your business at award and throughout the project.

Propose work achievable within the voucher support. Do not request services or costs already funded or reimbursed elsewhere. Disclose relevant provider relationships and obtain necessary regulatory approvals before the associated activities begin.

You don’t need to be based in California. Your services and impact do. The full voucher amount pays for services performed in California, and your application names where each voucher-supported service will take place.

Your project must also show a clear benefit to California agriculture, such as jobs, service delivery, production or other economic activity in the state. How applications are reviewed. 01 · Administrative screening Eligibility, ownership and control, California nexus, voucher amount, and completeness are checked first.

Applications failing mandatory requirements may be deemed nonresponsive and not forwarded for merit review. Responsive applications are evaluated by the California AgTech Alliance Grant Committee. Reviewers may include individuals with relevant expertise in agriculture, technology, innovation, entrepreneurship, and related fields.

03 · Final award selection Applications scoring at least 70 of 100 points are eligible for funding consideration. Meeting the minimum score does not guarantee an award. Final decisions also weigh program goals and available funding, company size and access to other sources of capital, geographic balance and portfolio mix, and Service Provider readiness and demonstrated startup need.

Preliminary evaluation criteria Points Responsiveness to California AgTech Priorities 10 Significance of the Problem or Opportunity 15 Technical Merit, Innovation and Rationale 20 Objectives, Approach, Feasibility, and Expected Outcomes 15 Team and Service Provider Capability 10 Market Opportunity, Adoption and Commercialization Potential 15 Budget and Service Justification 10 Grower/End-User Support 5 Total 100 Minimum for consideration 70 Two cohorts, October 2026 through December 2027.

Nov 20, 2026 Application due Next Nov 20 – Dec 12, 2026 Initial screening and review Dec 14, 2026 Review Committee kickoff Jan 22, 2027 Decisions communicated to applicants 2–4 weeks after Contracting Startups can find preparation guidance, document downloads and the application form on the application page. Organizations with expertise, facilities or field environments to offer startups can apply to become service providers.

Begin startup application Become a service provider Read the full RFA Questions about the program or your project’s fit? Contact the program team at aspesce@ucanr. edu Frequently asked questions.

For detailed requirements, see eligibility and application materials . Service providers can find qualifications and intake on the service provider page . Is this a cash grant?

No. Awards are service vouchers. UC ANR pays your approved service providers directly for the services in your budget; no voucher money is paid to the startup. Does my company need to be in California?

No. You don’t need to be headquartered or incorporated in California, but your project has to clearly benefit California agriculture, and the full voucher amount must support services performed in California. Can nonprofits apply? Yes.

Eligible applicants are businesses, including nonprofit businesses, developing, validating or advancing the adoption of an agricultural technology, product or innovation. The same eligibility and California nexus requirements apply. How much can I request?

Up to $50,000 per proposal. The project has to be achievable within the voucher, without depending on other funds. No matching funds are required.

Can I work with more than one provider? Yes. You can combine providers, and Land, Infrastructure and Technology, and Professional Services, in one project, as long as every service supports the same objectives and each provider and service is named in your application.

What if the provider I want isn’t on the list? Ask them to apply as a service provider. Being listed doesn’t guarantee work: startups choose their providers.

Can work start as soon as I’m selected? No. Services can begin only after the required award documents are fully signed and you’ve been authorized to proceed. Costs from before then can’t be paid.

How many proposals can I submit? Up to two per startup. Can growers or farms apply?

Startups are the applicants. Growers take part by writing letters of support, or as Land Services providers paid to host trials and demonstrations. The grants don’t pay for farms to buy technology or equipment.

Can a UC unit or Research and Extension Center be a provider? Yes. They take part through internal UC agreements rather than vendor onboarding.

Whether a center can take on a particular project is confirmed with that center. Can my provider and I already work together? Yes.

Existing, legitimate business relationships with an independent provider are allowed. You must disclose any financial, ownership, management or other relationship that could create a conflict of interest. Who owns the intellectual property?

Inventions made only by your employees stay yours. Inventions made jointly with a provider’s employees are owned jointly. The Voucher Grant Agreement sets the full terms.

Is my application confidential? You can mark information in your application as confidential or proprietary; it’s shared only as needed to run and review the program. If you’re selected, the Alliance and UC ANR may share your company name, project title, voucher amount, providers, and non-confidential description and results.

What reporting is required? Two short reports, both written by the startup: a midpoint progress report and a final report on results, lessons learned and progress toward adoption. The format and deadlines are shared on award.

What if my plans change? With prior approval you can make one project modification, such as changing services or replacing a provider, and request one no-cost extension of up to three months. Neither can raise the voucher above $50,000 or change the project’s basic purpose.