April 27, 2015
Western Growers (WG) and venture capital group, Silicon Valley Global Partners (SVG) have formed an exclusive partnership created for the acceleration of developments in agricultural technology.
The partnership will promote and invest in select agricultural technologies, and will also work together on the establishment of innovation centers in Salinas and San Jose, California.
Among other technologies,the partnership will be focusing on robotics and drone technology, however, as California in is in its fourth year of a severe drought, the support and development of new technologies that can be applied to the efficient use and conservation of water will be paramount.
Bringing a model that has been employed by other sectors, Western Growers will be operating the Salinas Innovation Center with the aim of bringing together entrepreneurs with technology firms to bring theoretical ideas to application. This structure has been already facilitated through the Thrive Accelerator in Salinas – a mentorship and investment accelerator that connects tech startups with agricultural companies.
The alliance will give SVG access to WG’s membership including global agricultural producers and shippers, while WG’s investment in the SVG Technology Growth Fund will add financial strength and creditability to the venture, while addressing pressing food production challenges and providing an exciting investment opportunity.
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