Reservoir today announced its pilot expansion into Arizona with a new location live and operational on October 1, 2026, in time for the fall and winter growing season. Developed in collaboration with the University of Arizona’s Yuma Center for Excellence in Desert Agriculture (YCEDA) and the Yuma Agricultural Center (YAC), Reservoir will extend the company’s on-farm innovation model into one of the nation’s most important specialty crop regions. This expansion builds on a longstanding relationship between the agricultural industries of Salinas and Yuma, often called Salinas's "sister city." Yuma grows an estimated 90% of the nation's leafy greens during the winter season, from November through March.
By placing the Yuma Agricultural Center at the center of the Arizona effort, Reservoir is strengthening the connection between field research, commercial production and startup development. The pilot aims to bring physical AI innovations—such as robotics and automation—directly to farms, addressing critical labor shortages and efficiency challenges in specialty crop production. Reservoir’s model combines an agricultural innovation platform with a venture capital fund to advance the impact of rugged AI in critical industries, especially agriculture. Reservoir Farms are the world’s first on-farm robotics innovation centers, starting in the Salinas Valley and expanding to other key regions across California and the American West.
Reservoir VC backs startups solving real problems in specialty crops that compound to other outdoor industries and across the rugged physical AI stack. By combining R&D space, hands-on grower input, and early-stage capital, Reservoir helps turn promising ideas into tools for the growers who feed the world. The Arizona pilot is a significant step in scaling this model to a region that produces a substantial portion of the nation's winter vegetables, ensuring that technological advancements are tested and implemented in real-world conditions. For more information about Reservoir's initiatives, visit https://reservoir.co.
