F3 Innovate

What F3 Innovate does

F3 Innovate (F3i) is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit founded in 2023 and headquartered in Fresno, California, that develops and deploys climate-smart agrifood technologies through an integrated program stack. The stack comprises talent development, a Commercialization Engine, a Catalyst Fund that disburses Innovation Grants, AI-focused Data Challenges, and an AI Launchpad co-developed with Microsoft. Its flagship asset, launched in July 2026, is an AI Supercomputing Center housed at Fresno State and operated in technical partnership with the San Diego Supercomputer Center at UC San Diego, providing high-performance compute infrastructure for agricultural AI workloads.

The organization serves a regional agrifood ecosystem that produces roughly one-quarter of U.S. food supply: over 5 million production acres, 350+ commodities, 350+ farming enterprises, and 13,600 farming and food-processing operations generating approximately $70 billion in annual value. End users span growers (including named partner HMC Farms), academic and applied researchers, agtech startups (the five 2025 Innovation Grant recipients), and food processors. F3i's economic model is grant- and partnership-funded rather than revenue-generating; it captures no direct product fees, instead catalyzing adoption of compute-intensive agrifood AI tools across its regional ecosystem.

Additional partnerships extend F3i's reach internationally and into specialized applied AI: a flagship agreement with the Queensland Department of Primary Industries signals cross-border expansion; collaboration with Reedley College targets AI crop modeling; and a Farm Robotics Challenge partnership with Carnegie Mellon and the University of Georgia extends into agricultural robotics. The organization is led by CEO Priscilla Koepke and participated in the 2026 World Ag Expo to publicly position its supercomputing initiative to the global agriculture industry.

Name

F3 Innovate

Legal name

F3 Innovate

Website

https://f3innovate.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

2023

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

F3 Innovate is a Fresno, California-based 501(c)(3) nonprofit that operates an integrated suite of climate-smart agrifood technology programs—talent development, commercialization, innovation grants, and an AI supercomputing center—serving growers, researchers, and agtech startups in a region producing roughly one-quarter of U.S. food.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Agricultural Technology Services

NAICS

Computer Systems Design Services (541512), Computer Training (611420)

SIC

Services-Computer Integrated Systems Design (7373)

akta.pro primary industry

STEM, Digital Literacy & Maker Education Nonprofits (BPAGADAG)

akta.pro secondary industries

AI Compiler, Runtime & Kernel Optimization Software (CUDA/ROCm/XLA, graph compilers) (HDAAAAAI), Accelerators & Incubators (Investor-Operated) (FSANAAAM), AI & Emerging Technology Literacy (EDAAAIAJ)

Keywords

• Agricultural innovation
• AI supercomputing services
• Agtech workforce development
• Agrifood technology programs
• Agriculture research grants

Headquarters

HQ city

Fresno

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Technology or R&D, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure

Revenue model

1. Innovation Grants: F3i awards innovation grants to selected companies through its Catalyst Fund program to drive adoption of agricultural innovation across farms of all sizes

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

F3 Innovate is a 501c(3) nonprofit that operates the F3i AI Supercomputing Center at Fresno State, providing shared high-performance computing, applied AI consulting, and workforce development services to growers, food processors, agtech startups, and academic researchers in California's Central Valley. Its offerings are bundled into three programs — Talent Development, Commercialization Engine, and Catalyst Fund — which together aim to accelerate adoption of agricultural innovation and scale proven solutions across farms of all sizes.

Product overview

F3 Innovate is a nonprofit organization operating a multi-program platform for agricultural innovation in California's Central Valley. The core infrastructure is the AI Supercomputing Center (launched July 2026), which provides high-performance computing access to the agricultural sector. This is supported by three interconnected programs: Talent Development (workforce training and student engagement), Commercialization Engine (driving adoption across farms), and Catalyst Fund (capital and grants including the F3i Innovation Grants). Additional programs include Data Challenges and the AI Launchpad (developed with Microsoft) for workforce development. The programs collectively serve 5M+ acres, 350+ commodities, 13.6k farming enterprises, and $70B in annual value created across the region's agricultural operations.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• F3i AI Supercomputing Center: Regional supercomputing center providing advanced computing resources and AI tools for agriculture
• AI Launchpad
• Data Challenges
• Farm Robotics Challenge

Products and services

• F3i AI Supercomputing Center High-performance computing and AI resource center providing shared computing resources, applied AI consulting, and AI tools for agricultural operations (fleet management, irrigation optimization) to growers, food processors, manufacturers, researchers, and startups in California's Central Valley.
• Talent Development Program Workforce development program building the workforce for the next generation of secure food production through hands-on educational programs and student engagement initiatives, including the AI Launchpad and Data Challenges programs co-developed with Microsoft.
• Commercialization Engine Program driving adoption of agricultural innovation across farms of all sizes by connecting growers, researchers, startups, and educators to commercialize proven agricultural technology solutions.
• Catalyst Fund Purpose-built capital program to scale proven agricultural solutions at industry scale, including the F3i Innovation Grants awarded annually to selected companies to drive adoption of agricultural innovation.

Quantifiable outcome

• Over 14,000 farming and food-processing operations in California's Central Valley served by the F3i Supercomputing Center
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers1 record

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed Yes

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

AI capability1 record

Feature3 records

Partnerships

Seven partnerships are on record, tiered core, flagship and minor.

• MicrosoftcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 19 July 2026Microsoft collaborated with F3 Innovate to develop the Data Challenges and AI Launchpad program, providing workforce development for agricultural professionals in AI technologies.
• Fresno State (California State University, Fresno)flagshipStrategic or Co-development Partner · 6 July 2026Fresno State hosts the F3i Supercomputing Center and provides agricultural research capabilities. The partnership combines Fresno State's agricultural expertise with the San Diego Supercomputer Center's technical infrastructure and F3 Innovate's industry network to strengthen the Central Valley's innovation ecosystem.
• San Diego Supercomputer Center (UC San Diego)coreTechnology or Integration · 6 July 2026The San Diego Supercomputer Center provides technical expertise and access to supercomputing resources that are tapped into by the F3i Supercomputing Center at Fresno State, enabling advanced computing and AI capabilities for Central Valley agricultural operations.
• Reedley CollegecoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 24 March 2026Reedley College partners with F3 Innovate on AI crop modeling and farming education, with AI crop models of grapes developed at Reedley College farming partner locations.
• Queensland Department of Primary IndustriesflagshipStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2025F3i announced partnership with Queensland's Department of Primary Industries to expand international agricultural innovation collaboration.
• Farm Robotics Challenge (Carnegie Mellon, University of Georgia)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerF3 Innovate supports the Farm Robotics Challenge with partners including Carnegie Mellon and University of Georgia, showcasing agricultural robotics innovation.
• HMC FarmscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerHMC Farms, represented by VP Drew Ketelson (F3I board member), is an early adopter using the supercomputer to optimize fleet management and irrigation decisions, demonstrating real-world agricultural AI applications.

Scale indicators7 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights7 records

Broad incumbents

• Climate Corporation (Bayer): Climate Corp, owned by Bayer, is one of the largest digital agriculture platforms offering AI-driven agronomic recommendations to growers globally. Comparable as a mature agtech platform applying AI to irrigation, planting, and field decisions — the same use cases HMC Farms runs on F3i's supercomputer.
• Indigo Ag: Indigo Ag is an established agtech company using data science, microbiology, and digital tools across the agricultural value chain. Comparable as a US-based, agriculture-focused organization applying advanced computation to grower decisions, though operating commercially rather than as a nonprofit hub.
• Plug and Play Tech Center (AgTech vertical): Plug and Play is a large global tech accelerator running a dedicated AgTech vertical with corporate partners and pilots. Comparable as an accelerator model serving agtech startups, but operates at much broader scale and across many industries rather than specializing in a single ag region.
• Microsoft FarmBeats: Microsoft's FarmBeats is a hyperscaler-led ag AI/data platform combining IoT sensors, drones, and ML for farm decision-making. Comparable to F3i in applying AI to grower decisions and in being explicitly partnered with F3i via the AI Launchpad, but FarmBeats is a global enterprise platform rather than a regional innovation center.

Direct peers

• Western Growers Center for Innovation & Technology: Western Growers' CIT is a regional agtech innovation center in Salinas, California that supports startups, growers, and automation/robotics adoption. Directly comparable as a US agtech innovation hub providing workspace, programming, and grower connections in a specific high-value ag region.
• AgLaunch: AgLaunch is a nonprofit agtech accelerator and farmer-led innovation network based in the Mid-South, running accelerator cohorts, on-farm trials, and an investment fund. Comparable to F3i as a nonprofit agtech commercialization and capital platform serving a defined US growing region.
• SVG Ventures / Elemental Excelerator: Elemental (formerly SVG Ventures) is an agtech-focused accelerator and innovation platform running programs for startups, growers, and corporate partners. It is directly comparable as a regional/international agtech innovation hub, although Elemental is a for-profit impact accelerator whereas F3i is a nonprofit.
• The Yield Lab: The Yield Lab operates a global network of agtech accelerators and venture funds. Comparable to F3i's Catalyst Fund + Commercialization Engine model as a multi-region accelerator serving early-stage agtech startups with capital and corporate partners.

Others

• AgFunder: AgFunder is a venture capital firm and research platform focused on agtech investment. Comparable ecosystem participant — adjacent to F3i's Catalyst Fund as a capital channel for agtech startups, but AgFunder is a for-profit VC rather than a nonprofit innovation hub.

Emerging players

• NCSA (National Center for Supercomputing Applications): NCSA is a US academic supercomputing center providing HPC resources to researchers and industry partners. Comparable to the F3i Supercomputing Center in providing shared HPC/AI access to domain users, though NCSA operates across many scientific domains rather than specializing in agriculture.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles1 record

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about F3 Innovate