Industries

Agri-food tech

Nestled at the epicenter of California’s agricultural heartland, Greater Sacramento is innovating across the supply chain, from farming to food processing to food and plant science. The region’s industry is fueled by an ever-growing pipeline of plant and food scientists from UC Davis—the #1 agricultural sciences university in the U.S. 

#1

ag science university in the U.S.

2x

U.S. average concentration of biological scientists

1.8x

U.S. average concentration of life scientists

Sources: World University Rankings 2025, JobsEQ

Global leaders in the region

Bayer logo
Blue Diamond Logo
hm clause logo
Sakata Seed Logo
syngenta logo

Agri-food tech specialties

  • Plant and seed research 
  • Microbiome and enzyme research 
  • Alternative and cultivated proteins 
  • Farm robotics 

Expertise across the supply chain

From discovery to distribution, foodtech and agtech solutions are built in Greater Sacramento for use worldwide. Experts across the industry have clustered in the region, facilitating connections and catalyzing innovation. 


  • Technology transfer and economic development through patents, licensing and entrepreneurship 
  • Research on and production of clean plant materials for agricultural production 
  • Development of insect-resistant grape varieties for the wine industry 
  • Establishment of air quality standards with California’s Central Valley dairy industry 
  • Development of food safety partnerships with leafy-green growers 
  • Facilitation of growth in California’s seed industry 

Foodtech and agtech incubators and research park

BioSpace

BioSpace at The Bridge District is a 1.4 million square-foot Class A life science campus situated in West Sacramento’s waterfront mixed-use development near downtown Sacramento. Phase I includes a purpose-built lab of approximately 430,000 square feet.

Capitol Innovation District

Capitol Innovation District is a 60-acre advanced biomanufacturing (including GMP/cGMP) development, allowing life science users to have dedicated biomanufacturing space only 2.5 miles away from BioSpace at The Bridge District at the Port of West Sacramento.

Lab@AgStart

The Lab@AgStart is the only integrated wet lab and food lab in Northern California. It features 13,000 square feet of shared wet lab, food lab and coworking space, including 52 lab benches, a fermentation and tissue culture lab and a commercial kitchen for food product development and prototyping.

Bayer AG LifeHub California

Bayer AG LifeHub California focuses on agriculture and food sustainability and features 6,000 square feet of office and wet lab space on Bayer’s vegetable research and development site in Woodland.

HM.CLAUSE Innovation Center

HM.CLAUSE Innovation Center is a public-private partnership between UC Davis and HM.CLAUSE with 3,100 square feet of wet lab space with 13 lab benches equipped for chemistry and molecular and cell biology research. It also features a greenhouse and open field space with trial capabilities.

ThermoGenesis

ThermoGenesis’ ReadyStart CleanRooms and IncuStart Wet Labs feature 35,000 square feet of shared office and lab space, cGMP ISO 7 clean rooms and 26 wet lab benches with shared equipment.

Woodland Research and Technology Park

Woodland Research and Technology Park is a 350-acre project planned just seven miles from UC Davis. The research park will house 2 million square feet of office and lab space focused on agtech, biotech, energy efficiency technology, manufacturing and environmental technology. The park will be a live/work community, including multi-family homes and 23 acres of parks and open space.

Additional foodtech and agtech asssets

The March Fund is an early-late stage foodtech venture capital fund headquartered in Greater Sacramento that focuses on transformative biotechnologies, machine intelligence and nutrition product businesses. 

GSEC’s Food & Ag Council is comprised of esteemed industry professionals focused on aligning industry assets and resources, providing leadership on policy and initiatives and identifying new sources of capital for the industry. 

Learn more

Seed Central is a public-private partnership that facilitates communication and research between UC Davis and the seed and ag-biotech industry (including some 100 seed-related companies surrounding the university) to bring science to market faster. 

UC Davis’ iCAMP (Integrative Center for Alternative Meat & Protein) is the first center of excellence dedicated to accelerating the commercialization of plant, fungal, fermentation and cell-based alternative meat and proteins to address global food security. 

Business services

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