#6 - Danny Bernstein, CEO & Managing Partner at The Reservoir
07/30/2025
Guest
Danny Bernstein
CEO & Managing Partner at
Danny is the Managing Partner of Reservoir Ventures and the CEO of the Reservoir, a California-based ecosystem of nonprofit and for-profit ventures dedicated to tackling the state’s most urgent challenges and opportunities. Under Danny’s leadership, the Reservoir connects startups with real-world environments and resources across agriculture, forests, biomanufacturing, and sustainability. With a focus on AI, automation, and natural resource markets, Danny’s work ensures that California remains at the forefront of innovation and impact.
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Episode details
In Episode #6 of Slice of Agriculture our guest is:
Danny Bernstein, CEO & Managing Partner at The Reservoir .
Listen to the full episode to learn about:
- Traditional AgTech incubators lacked field access—The Reservoir fills that gap with real farm integration.
- The Reservoir promotes global AgTech R&D by fostering international founder exchanges.
- Startups are advised to follow an 80/10/10 model: prioritize off-the-shelf components.
- Community, collaboration, and exposure to growers are at the heart of The Reservoir’s model.
- A long-term vision includes lowering R&D costs and building inclusive access for small and large farms alike.
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Redefining AgTech Incubation
Danny Bernstein launched The Reservoir after realizing traditional AgTech incubators resembled tech coworking spaces more than agricultural hubs. Lacking access to real farms, fields, and greenhouses, they failed to support true AgTech innovation. The Reservoir flips this model, offering hands-on, farm-based development environments where roboticists can immediately engage with land, growers, and fabrication facilities.
A Global Ecosystem in Motion
With plans to expand globally within five years, The Reservoir aims to establish bilateral exchange programs in markets like the Netherlands, Israel, India, and Australia. These collaborations will enable cross-border learning and commercialization, creating a truly international AgTech startup accelerator.
Practical Startup Advice: The 80/10/10 Rule
Bernstein emphasizes a pragmatic framework for AgTech startups: 80% off-the-shelf components, 10% integration, and 10% innovation. By avoiding the mistake of building everything from scratch, startups can iterate faster and form vital partnerships through exposure at The Reservoir.
An Olympic Village for AgTech
Startups entering The Reservoir instantly gain access to fabrication tools, farmland, and a network of growers. The goal is to reduce the initial legwork of launching in AgTech and instead immerse founders in a dynamic, collaborative community. Bernstein likens it to an “Olympic Village” where global minds converge, collaborate, and grow.
Balancing Tech Rigor with Agricultural Realities
The Reservoir is carefully designed to be both secure and stimulating. Shop areas are protected with key card access to foster serious engineering work, while community zones are kept vibrant for knowledge-sharing and networking. Regular events and demo days create structure without compromising focus.
Driving Inclusivity and Cost-Effective Innovation
Committed to inclusivity, The Reservoir supports scalable solutions for both small and production-level farms. Collaborations with partners like Pacific Ag Rentals offer flexible commercialization models, making AgTech more accessible to all growers. Bernstein’s ultimate moonshot? Merging AI like ChatGPT with fragmented farm and supply chain data to create a revolutionary AI agent for agriculture.
Closing Thoughts
Bernstein’s core belief as a founder and investor is that great teams are everything. His vision for The Reservoir is not just to grow companies, but to build a movement—an ecosystem where AgTech startups can thrive, learn, and reshape the global food system.
