Our Story
“From Farms to Incubators: Spotlighting women innovators working to solve farming challenges”
Agriculture and technology are industries that both have a long history in California, but until recently have rarely intersected. Technology is focused on disruption and innovation, while much of Central Valley and Central Coast’s agriculture is still managed with clipboards and pencils. Moreover, women and individuals with diverse cultural/ethnic backgrounds, have historically been underrepresented in both industries. Now, a new generation of startups led by women, with a diversity of backgrounds and ethnicities, are seeking to provide novel perspectives and solutions to agriculture’s problems with tech innovation. Such initiatives are timely as growers in the U.S. and globally face rising challenges including climate change, limited water and land supply, uncertainties in immigration policy, a severe labor shortage and the need to feed a rising population estimated at 9 billion in 2050.
At its heart “From Farms to Incubators” uses content and digital storytelling to increase awareness of women leaders and entrepreneurs and their contribution using technology through the agriculture sector, and encourage women to pursue careers in agtech. The initiative includes an award-winning documentary “From Farms to Incubators” that profile some of the women entrepreneurs in agtech. The film has screened at over two dozen film festivals and venues including at SXSW. The screenings are paired with panel discussions that have served as a vehicle to connect women in agtech with investors and those interested in food, farming and agtech. In the pipeline is a directory and speakers bureau for women in agtech.
