Posted by Patrick Dosier, TransValley AgTech. Apps for Ag is a competitive hackathon intended to solve real problems in agriculture and food. The application to compete is open through July 15. Anyone from around the state – including UC students and staff – is encouraged to sign up to participate in the hackathon. It will be held at the UC Agriculture and Natural Resources (UC ANR) facility in Davis, July 15 – 17. The event will culminate with a competitive “pitchfest” in front of a live audience at the California State Fair on Sunday, July 17, 1:00-3:00 p.m. Prizes totaling more than $9500 will be awarded.
“We would really like to see participants come from all corners of the state,” said Gabe Youtsey, CIO of UC ANR. “Let’s see what happens when we mix developers from Silicon Valley and Southern California with agricultural experts from the Central Valley, coast, and desert regions.”
This event is being hosted by UC ANR and the California State Fair, both of which have a statewide presence. The purpose of Apps for Ag is to bring together the seemingly disparate worlds of software development and commercial farming and develop useful technology to address the needs of today’s grower. Developers, designers, entrepreneurs, and agricultural experts from across the state are encouraged to attend.
“Apps for Ag Hackathons have already resulted in multiple startups and we want to see this momentum continue to grow,” said Robert Tse, chief strategy officer for agriculture technology and innovation, USDA California Rural Development. “There is no better place than the State Fair in the Capitol to showcase the ingenuity of the California’s AgTech community.”
Apps for Ag is a pro-bono endeavor supported by several AgTech hubs around California, and founded by the AgTech Roundtable, whose members include the USDA, CDFA, California Department of Technology, California Farm Bureau Federation, California Association of Pest Control Advisers, and many other organizations. For more information, contact info@apps-for-ag.com.