The Robot Report Podcast FIRA 2025 Ag robotics recap
Oct 24, 2025
Danny Bernstein, Founder and CEO of The Reservoir, an agtech incubator, dives into the cutting-edge innovations showcased at the FIRA 2025 Ag Robotics event. He shares his vision of supporting ag robotics startups with on-farm test acreage and resources. The conversation uncovers key flaws in the agtech R&D pipeline and highlights The Reservoir's unique location in Salinas. Bernstein emphasizes the importance of collaboration, offering insights on commercialization strategies, and the need for engineers to engage with rural communities to better understand agricultural challenges.
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Orchard Autonomy Is Unique
- Orchard autonomy requires sensor fusion beyond GPS because tree canopies block satellite signals.
- Systems must distinguish passable canopy (limbs) from non-passable obstacles like trunks, people, or vehicles.
Lower Barriers To Enter Ag
- Danny built The Reservoir to lower barriers that prevent roboticists entering agriculture by providing testing space and farm integration.
- He urges structuring incubators so engineers can 'live' the crop ecosystem to build relevant solutions.
Live The Crop To Solve It
- Do immerse your team in rural ecosystems; remote engineering teams struggle to solve specialty-crop problems remotely.
- Build dense hub-like resources so startups can test, iterate, and access shared amenities.
