Western Growers AgTech, Canadian center form partnership

The Government of Canada is the first international partner of the Western Growers Center for Innovation & Technology.

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(Courtesy Western Growers Center for Innovation & Technology)

The Government of Canada is the first international partner of the Western Growers Center for Innovation & Technology.

The tech center, Salinas, Calif., is an incubator for ag-tech companies, designed to bring start-up entrepreneurs and growers together.

Through a partnership with the Western Growers center and the Consulate General of Canada, the Canadian Technology Accelerator now has access to the center’s programs in Salinas, according to a news release.

“As our technology center continues to advance solutions for farmers across the nation, we are elated to expand our global reach through this collaboration with Canada,” Dennis Donohue, director of the Western Growers Center for Innovation & Technology, said in the release. “We strive to move the needle on the development of ag-tech worldwide and look forward to serving as a destination for innovation on a global level.”

The Western Growers center will now provide Canadian start-ups access to work stations, office space and programming that includes classes, workshops and networking events. The programming is designed to provide business knowledge to bring their technologies to market, according to the release.

The agreement encourages collaboration between the start-ups in California and the Canadian Technology Accelerator.

“We are thrilled to be the first international partner of the Western Growers Center for Innovation & Technology,” Rana Sarkar, Consul General of Canada, based in San Francisco/Silicon Valley. “Through this partnership, we are strengthening the ag-tech ecosystems on both sides of the border and helping to build a sustainable future for North America.”

Related stories:

Salinas Ag Tech focuses on training labor

Energy forum focuses on independence for California growers

Western Growers compiles database of ag-tech startups

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