Agstart
AgStart is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit operating The Lab@AgStart, a shared-use BSL-1 wet-lab, food-lab, fermentation, and tissue-culture incubator in Woodland, California, supporting AgriFoodTech startups with lab access, mentorship, and national network connectivity via AgTech Nation.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded2012
- HeadquartersWoodland, United States
- Headcount1–10
- GTM typeB2B
- OfferingServices
What Agstart does
AgStart is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit, founded in 2012 as a program of the AgTech Innovation Alliance, that operates a shared-use wet-lab incubator and entrepreneur-support ecosystem for AgriFoodTech startups in Northern California. Its flagship facility, The Lab@AgStart in downtown Woodland, California, combines approximately 13,000 square feet of physical infrastructure — including 52 dedicated BSL-1 user laboratory benches, shared equipment, a fermentation lab, a tissue culture lab, the Yocha Dehe Lab (sponsored by the Yocha Dehe Wintun Nation), the Raley's Food Lab (a certified commercial-grade kitchen), co-working and meeting space, and the AgStart Event Center — under one roof. The facility, originally capitalized with approximately $1.5M in public-private funding and expanded in 2023 via the Bayer LifeHub California @AgStart wing, is described as the only Northern California facility of its kind and the largest shared-use wet-lab for startups in California's Central Valley.
AgStart's business model is nonprofit, grant- and sponsorship-driven rather than transaction-priced. Revenue flows from a coalition of public sources (U.S. Economic Development Administration, U.S. Small Business Administration Growth Accelerator Fund Competition, State of California iBank, County of Yolo, City of Woodland) and private corporate sponsors (Bayer Crop Science, Raley's, Yocha Dehe Wintun Nation, First Northern Bank, Syngenta, Gowan Company, Sakata Seed, Bright People Foods, the Wiseman Company, the Dowling Family). Tenant access to lab benches and equipment is provided through sponsored programs — most notably the Bayer LifeHub California Golden Ticket competition, which awards a year of fully-paid lab use — rather than via publicly listed pricing tiers. Layered on the physical facility are AgStart's programs: AgStart Office Hours mentorship, the Food Frontier AgriFoodTech Innovation Cluster (a 15-county California regional partnership), and AgTech Nation (a coast-to-coast SBA-funded network of AgriFoodTech entrepreneur-support organizations). Since The Lab@AgStart opened in May 2021, 20 startups have used or occupied the incubator and have collectively created 66 full-time professional jobs and attracted over $70 million in private capital.
Agstart firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Agstart
- Legal name
- AgStart
- Website
- https://agstart.org
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 2012
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 1–10 employees
- Short description
- AgStart is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit operating The Lab@AgStart, a shared-use BSL-1 wet-lab, food-lab, fermentation, and tissue-culture incubator in Woodland, California, supporting AgriFoodTech startups with lab access, mentorship, and national network connectivity via AgTech Nation.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Agstart industry classification
Industry- Product category
- AgriFoodTech Business Incubator
- NAICS
- Support Activities for Crop Production (11511), Research and Development in Biotechnology (except Nanobiotechnology) (541714)
- SIC
- Laboratory Apparatus & Furniture (3821), Agricultural Services (700)
- akta.pro primary industry
- General Lab Equipment (Centrifuges, Incubators, Shakers, Ovens) (HLAGAIAC)
- akta.pro secondary industry
- Plant Tissue, Soil & Water Sampling Coordination (Agronomy-Focused) (AFACABAH)
Keywords
Where Agstart is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Woodland
- HQ country
- United States
- HQ region
- North America
Offices1 record
Markets served
Agstart business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Operations, Infrastructure, Personnel, Marketing or Sales, Others
Revenue model
- Public-private grants and sponsorships: AgStart is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit; primary revenue is a coalition of public grants (e.g., U.S. Economic Development Administration, State of California iBank, County of Yolo, City of Woodland, U.S. SBA Growth Accelerator Fund) and private corporate sponsorships (Bayer, Raley's, Yocha Dehe Wintun Nation, First Northern Bank, Syngenta, Gowan Company, Sakata Seed, Bright People Foods, Wiseman Company, Dowling Family).
- SBA Growth Accelerator Fund Competition prizes: AgStart won $50,000 in Stage One (May 2023) and $150,000 in Stage Two (September 2023) of the U.S. SBA 2023 Growth Accelerator Fund Competition to catalyze its AgriFood Innovation Network / AgTech Nation.
- SBA Award (AgTech sector support grant): $150,000 SBA grant awarded to AgStart to support development of the agricultural technology (AgTech) sector.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Other | — | Bayer LifeHub California Golden Ticket (12-month fully-paid lab space, instruments, refrigeration, incubation at Bayer LifeHub California @AgStart) |
Go-to-market motion2 records
Distribution channels4 records
Marketing channels8 records
Agstart product offering
Product offeringCore offering
AgStart operates The Lab@AgStart, a 13,000 sq. ft. shared-use incubator facility in downtown Woodland, California, providing 52 Bio-Safety Level 1 (BSL-1) user laboratory benches, a Bio-Fermentation Lab, a Tissue Culture Lab, the Raley's Food Lab (certified commercial-grade kitchen), co-working and meeting space, and the AgStart Event Center. It supports AgriFoodTech startup companies with mentorship (AgStart Office Hours), regional collaboration (Food Frontier AgriFoodTech Innovation Cluster), and access to a national network (AgTech Nation).
Product overview
AgStart is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization founded in 2012 that operates a single integrated platform of programs and physical infrastructure to support entrepreneurs and startups commercializing innovations in AgriFoodTech across Northern California. Its core offering is The Lab@AgStart, a shared-use wet-lab incubator facility in downtown Woodland, California that brings together several co-located sub-facilities under one roof: the Yocha Dehe Lab (sponsored Bio-Safety Level 1 wet lab), the Raley's Food Lab (sponsored certified commercial-grade kitchen), the Bayer LifeHub California @AgStart (sponsored lab wing), a Bio-Fermentation Lab, a Tissue Culture Lab, co-working and meeting space, and the AgStart Event Center. Layered on top of the physical facility are AgStart's programs: AgStart Office Hours (mentorship), the Bayer Crop Science LifeHub California Golden Ticket competition (launched 2024), the Food Frontier AgriFoodTech Innovation Cluster (15-county California regional cluster), and AgTech Nation (a national SBA-funded network of AgriFoodTech entrepreneur-support organizations). AgStart's founding nonprofit sponsor is the AgTech Innovation Alliance (AgStart's 501(c)(3) parent), and AgStart's infrastructure is sustained through a public-private partnership involving Yolo County, City of Woodland, the Yocha Dehe Wintun Nation, the U.S. Economic Development Administration, the State of California iBank, and private sponsors including Raley's, Bayer, First Northern Bank, Syngenta, and others.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Brands
- The Lab@AgStart: Shared-use wet-lab, food lab, fermentation and tissue culture incubator facility located in Downtown Woodland, California, supporting Ag, Food, and Health startup companies.
- Yocha Dehe Lab
- Raley's Food Lab
- Bio-Fermentation Lab
- Food Frontier AgriFoodTech Innovation Cluster
Quantifiable outcome
- 66 new full-time professional jobs created by Lab@AgStart tenants
- +4 more outcomes
Companies that use Agstart
Customer profileNamed customers17 records
Segments4 records
Ideal customer profiles3 records
Agstart technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Feature4 records
Agstart partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
29 partnerships are on record, tiered core and flagship.
- Yield Lab Institute (H.A.R.V.E.S.T. Agtech / IN2 Agtech Program)coreSt. Louis-based Yield Lab Institute announced the launch of H.A.R.V.E.S.T. Agtech as the next-generation IN2 Agtech Program, partnering with AgTech Nation (catalyzed by AgStart) as the foundation of its U.S.-based Ecosystem Partner Network.
- Bayer (Crop Science / Bayer LifeHub California)flagshipBayer Crop Science and AgStart co-sponsor the Bayer LifeHub California @AgStart facility wing (opened Jan 2023) and run the Bayer LifeHub California Golden Ticket competition, awarding a year of fully-paid lab space to a pre-seed-to-Series-A AgriFoodTech startup. Bayer is a multiyear sponsor of AgStart; relationship first referenced in the 2020 public-private partnership announcement and again in the 2025 Golden Ticket III launch.
- AgTech Nation (national partner network)flagshipAgStart catalyzed AgTech Nation as a coast-to-coast collaboration of entrepreneur-support organizations in agrifood tech. AgTech Nation includes 39 North AgTech Innovation District (St. Louis, MO), AgLaunch (Memphis, TN), The Combine (Lincoln, NE), Grand Farm (Fargo, ND), NC Biotech Center (Research Triangle Park, NC), Western Growers Center for Innovation and Technology (Salinas, CA), and the WET Center (Fresno, CA). Specialty partners include HSMC & Advocacy Chiefs (SBIR/STTR expertise), FourthWave Accelerator (female founders), and Manos Accelerator (Latino founders). Funded with $150,000 SBA Stage Two award.
- The Wiseman CompanycoreDeveloper and operator of the Woodland Corporate Center where The Lab@AgStart is housed (1100 Main Street); Wiseman is also a sponsor of the facility expansion.
- Raley'sflagshipRaley's sponsors the Raley's Food Lab at The Lab@AgStart, providing a certified food facility where innovators develop new food products, ingredients, and recipes. Raley's also provides mentorship and support to help entrepreneurs scale toward retail. Michael Teel, Raley's owner, is quoted as a key advocate of AgStart.
- Yocha Dehe Wintun NationflagshipSponsor of the Yocha Dehe Lab (one of the wet labs at The Lab@AgStart) and a major private funder of the facility through the Doyuti T'uhkama partnership. Tribal Council quoted as a key founding supporter.
- Life Science Innovation Center (LSIC Davis)coreFood Frontier AgriFoodTech Innovation Cluster member; provides lab space and equipment for life science startups transitioning technologies into commercial applications.
- InventopiacoreFood Frontier cluster member focused on 'tough tech' companies needing up-front R&D, prototyping and testing; provides low-cost access to laboratory and prototyping technologies.
- Carlsen Center for Innovation & Entrepreneurship (CSUS)coreFood Frontier cluster member; regional hub for entrepreneurial education, community and support to enable startup founders.
- Bayer LifeHub NetworkcoreFood Frontier cluster member; Bayer's global LifeHub network focused on advanced breeding and crop technologies.
- ChicoSTARTcoreFood Frontier cluster member empowering entrepreneurs, startups, and small businesses throughout Northern California with shared workspace and resources.
- FourthWavecoreFood Frontier cluster member and AgTech Nation partner; leading accelerator for female tech entrepreneurs focused on gender equity and economic growth.
- Growth FactorycoreFood Frontier cluster member that helps early-stage startups progress from MVP to product market fit and build funding/leadership capacity.
- LifeSpace LabscoreFood Frontier cluster member; flexible wet lab incubator with shared lab equipment, meeting rooms, and growth support.
- Aggie Square (UC Davis Sacramento)coreFood Frontier cluster member; planned UC Davis Sacramento innovation district where university, industry and community create opportunities; home to research programs, private industry partners, classrooms, housing.
- BEAM CircularcoreFood Frontier cluster member building a regional ecosystem for the circular bioeconomy in California's North San Joaquin Valley.
- The ReservoircoreFood Frontier cluster member providing strategic funding, industry connections and lab facilities for startups using AI, automation and bioengineering in rural markets.
- ThermoGenesiscoreFood Frontier cluster member focused on reducing cell and gene therapy drug manufacturing costs and improving patient accessibility.
- 39 North AgTech Innovation District (St. Louis, MO)coreAgTech Nation partner; vibrant innovation district cultivating infrastructure, talent, and access to capital to facilitate agrifood tech innovation.
- AgLaunch (Memphis, TN)coreAgTech Nation partner; national platform of innovative farmers that crowdsource due diligence, share data, coordinate field trials, and provide investment capital to agtech startups from idea-to-scale.
- The Combine (Lincoln, NE)coreAgTech Nation partner; statewide initiative supporting high-growth Nebraska food and agriculture entrepreneurs through mentorship, capital readiness, networking events and incubation space.
- Grand Farm (Fargo, ND)coreAgTech Nation partner; collaborative network of growers, technologists, corporations, startups, educators, policymakers, and investors solving problems in agriculture.
- North Carolina Biotechnology CentercoreAgTech Nation partner; supports progression of innovation from research lab to marketplace in crop science, animal health, food tech, and precision ag.
- Western Growers Center for Innovation and Technology (Salinas, CA)coreAgTech Nation partner; aids Western Growers' CA/AZ/CO/NM vegetable, fruit and nut membership by supporting startups with facilities, administration, marketing and promotion.
- Water Energy and Technology (WET) Center (Fresno, CA)coreAgTech Nation partner; addresses the critical nexus of water and energy resources in agriculture by testing and commercializing cutting-edge technologies.
- HSMC & Advocacy ChiefscoreAgTech Nation partner; experienced SBIR/STTR collaborative team that brings knowledge, resources, tools and relationships with participating agencies to aid small businesses in pursuing SBIR/STTR grants.
- Manos Accelerator (San Jose, CA)coreAgTech Nation partner; mentorship-driven accelerator providing hands-on education, business resources, infrastructure, capital, and guidance for Latino-led startup companies.
- University of California, Davis (UC Davis)flagshipUC Davis is the leading academic research partner; multiple Lab@AgStart companies are UC Davis spinouts (BCD Bioscience, InnovaNutra, MyFloraDNA, Persist AI). The university awarded AgStart a 2022 Chancellor's Innovation Award. AgStart is an anchor node of the Food Frontier AgriFoodTech Innovation Cluster, which spans UC Davis and surrounding 15 counties.
- Greater Sacramento Economic CouncilcoreRegional economic development body that has profiled AgStart and The Lab@AgStart as a regional Success Story and supported promotion of the Greater Sacramento area as an AgriFoodTech hub.
Scale indicators12 records
Recent moves8 records
Expansion highlights4 records
Agstart competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- Western Growers Center for Innovation and Technology: Salinas, CA-based agtech incubator supporting startups serving Western Growers' CA/AZ/CO/NM vegetable, fruit, and nut membership. Directly comparable to AgStart as a regional agtech incubator with facilities, administration, marketing, and tenant-support services — and is in fact a named AgTech Nation partner of AgStart.
- AgLaunch: Memphis, TN-based national platform that crowdsources due diligence with innovative farmers, coordinates field trials, and provides investment capital to agtech startups from idea to scale. Directly comparable to AgStart as a peer AgTech Nation founding member with a shared focus on early-stage agtech commercialization and farmer/industry engagement.
- The Combine: Lincoln, NE statewide initiative supporting high-growth Nebraska food and agriculture entrepreneurs through mentorship, capital readiness, networking events, and incubation space. Directly comparable as a regional AgriFoodTech incubator/accelerator and a founding AgTech Nation partner of AgStart.
- Grand Farm: Fargo, ND collaborative network of growers, technologists, corporations, startups, educators, policymakers, and investors solving problems in agriculture. Directly comparable to AgStart as an AgTech Nation partner with shared focus on applied agtech innovation, ecosystem-building, and corporate-startup engagement.
- 39 North / BRDG Park: St. Louis, MO AgTech Innovation District cultivating infrastructure, talent, and access to capital to facilitate agrifood tech innovation. Directly comparable to AgStart as a regional agtech cluster/incubator and founding AgTech Nation partner, with overlapping sponsor profiles (Bayer, Danforth Plant Science Center).
- Water, Energy, and Technology (WET) Center: Fresno, CA center addressing the water-energy-agriculture nexus by testing and commercializing cutting-edge technologies with startup tenants. Directly comparable to AgStart as a fellow California Central Valley agtech-focused incubator and AgTech Nation partner.
- North Carolina Biotechnology Center: Research Triangle Park, NC life-sciences support organization helping innovations move from lab to marketplace across crop science, animal health, food tech, and precision ag. Comparable to AgStart as a state-level entrepreneur-support organization focused on life science commercialization and an AgTech Nation partner.
- Life Science Innovation Center (LSIC Davis): Davis, CA nonprofit providing lab space and equipment for life science startups transitioning technologies into commercial applications. Directly comparable to AgStart as a Sacramento-region life-science incubator and a named Food Frontier AgriFoodTech Innovation Cluster partner.
- Yield Lab Institute: St. Louis, MO nonprofit managing the IN2 Agtech (now H.A.R.V.E.S.T. Agtech) program that in September 2025 selected AgTech Nation — catalyzed by AgStart — as the foundation of its U.S.-based Ecosystem Partner Network. Comparable to AgStart as a national agtech accelerator and ecosystem orchestrator with overlapping capital-readiness programming.
Broad incumbents
- Bayer LifeHub Network: Bayer Crop Science's global network of open-innovation hubs focused on advanced breeding and crop technologies. Comparable to AgStart as a broader portfolio of which the Bayer LifeHub California @AgStart wing is a node, providing AgStart with access to Bayer's global innovator network and mentorship.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat6 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
Agstart social profiles
Digital presenceAgstart compliance and trust
Trust signalCompliance2 records
Agstart financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Agstart leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles4 records
Agstart subsidiaries and ownership
Company hierarchySubsidiaries1 record
Agstart funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds1 record
Investors1 record
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Agstart M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about Agstart
What does Agstart do?
AgStart operates The Lab@AgStart, a 13,000 sq. ft. shared-use incubator facility in downtown Woodland, California, providing 52 Bio-Safety Level 1 (BSL-1) user laboratory benches, a Bio-Fermentation Lab, a Tissue Culture Lab, the Raley's Food Lab (certified commercial-grade kitchen), co-working and meeting space, and the AgStart Event Center. It supports AgriFoodTech startup companies with mentorship (AgStart Office Hours), regional collaboration (Food Frontier AgriFoodTech Innovation Cluster), and access to a national network (AgTech Nation).
Is Agstart a public or private company?
Agstart is a private company. It is classified as nonprofit foundation owned and is currently operating.
When was Agstart founded?
Agstart was founded in 2012. It employs 1 to 10 people.
Where is Agstart based?
Agstart is headquartered in Woodland, United States, in the North America region.
How does Agstart make money?
Three revenue lines are on record. Public-private grants and sponsorships are the primary driver. The others are SBA Growth Accelerator Fund Competition prizes and SBA Award (AgTech sector support grant).
Who are Agstart's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are Western Growers Center for Innovation and Technology, AgLaunch, The Combine, Grand Farm, 39 North / BRDG Park, Water, Energy, and Technology (WET) Center, North Carolina Biotechnology Center, Life Science Innovation Center (LSIC Davis) and Yield Lab Institute. Bayer LifeHub Network is listed as a broad incumbent.
Does Agstart have an API?
No public API is recorded for Agstart.
What industry is Agstart in?
Agstart's product category is AgriFoodTech Business Incubator. Its primary akta.pro industry code is HLAGAIAC, General Lab Equipment (Centrifuges, Incubators, Shakers, Ovens), with a secondary code of AFACABAH, Plant Tissue, Soil & Water Sampling Coordination (Agronomy-Focused). Its NAICS code is 11511 and its SIC code is 3821.