2026 PRIZES
GRAND PRIZE
$50,000 investment
Sponsored by:
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This award honors the best of the best—the team that demonstrated excellence across every dimension of the challenge. The winning team not only forged meaningful partnerships with industry, but also designed an innovative and elegant solution to a critical on-farm challenge. Their work reflects not only technical ingenuity, but also the vision, readiness, and potential to bring their project successfully to market.
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The Reservoir, an early-stage agtech venture capital firm, will make a $50,000 SAFE (Simple Agreement for Future Equity) investment for the winner of the 2026 Farm Robotics Challenge.
This new prize represents a significant opportunity for the winning team to accelerate their agricultural robotics venture beyond the competition.
This partnership signifies the Reservoir's commitment to supporting the next generation of agricultural innovators and helping transform breakthrough university research into market-ready solutions that address critical farming challenges.
Teams interested in learning more about the Reservoir's agricultural technology focus and investment philosophy can visit https://reservoir.co/ for additional information about their mission to bridge the gap between deep tech R&D and commercial deployment in precision agriculture. The investment is subject to Reservoir Ventures’ due diligence process and approval by its investment committee.
What is a SAFE Agreement?
A SAFE (Simple Agreement for Future Equity) is a financial instrument developed by Y Combinator that allows investors to provide capital to startups in exchange for the right to receive equity at a future date. Unlike traditional debt instruments, SAFEs do not accrue interest or have maturity dates, making them attractive for early-stage startups.
Key Features of the SAFE Investment
Investment Amount: $50,000
Flexibility: SAFEs provide startups with funding without requiring immediate valuation determination or equity issuance, allowing teams to focus on product development and market validation.
No Interest or Maturity: Unlike convertible notes, the SAFE does not accumulate interest or have a mandatory repayment date.
Conversion Terms: The SAFE will convert to equity during the startup's next priced funding round or upon a liquidity event, at a discount rate and with a valuation cap as agreed upon between the Reservoir and the winning team.
UC Non-Involvement
The University of California and UC Agriculture and Natural Resources are not parties to the SAFE investment agreement in any capacity. The SAFE investment terms, conditions, and execution are solely between the Reservoir and the winning team. UC assumes no responsibility, liability, or involvement in:
● Negotiation of SAFE terms
● Legal documentation or execution
● Investment performance or outcomes
● Dispute resolution between parties
● Compliance with securities, or other applicable, regulations
UC and UC ANR encourage the winning team to consult with their own legal, financial, and other appropriate advisors.
Independent Agreement
The SAFE investment represents a separate, independent business transaction that occurs outside the scope of the Farm Robotics Challenge competition, the terms of which are negotiated between the Reservoir and the winning team. The winning team's acceptance of the Award does not create any obligation to accept the SAFE investment offer.
Opt-Out Provision
Teams that prefer not to enter into a SAFE investment agreement may elect to receive an alternative cash gift in lieu of the SAFE investment. This option ensures that all winning teams can benefit from the Reservoir's sponsorship regardless of their interest in equity-based funding.
Next Steps for Winning Team
The winning team of the 2026 Farm Robotics Challenge Grand Prize Award will be contacted directly by the Reservoir to discuss:
SAFE investment terms and conditions
Legal documentation - the team will need to incorporate a for-profit legal entity
Timeline for decision making and agreement execution
Reporting - a structured reporting cadence to track progress and impact
5. Other terms as applicable
University of California students participating in the Farm Robotics Challenge competition remain subject to UC policies regarding development and ownership of intellectual property. Students of other institutions may be subject to their home institution’s policies, and should consult with their home institutions regarding any questions related to such policies.
AMIGA INNOVATION AWARD
$10,000 | $5,000 | $1,000
One award for each level of the Challenge - Division I, Division II, and Academy
+Eligibility for an Amiga Platform (Division I) a $25,000 value*
*Eligible to the winning team intending to commercialize their solution. Awarded upon incorporation of a new company.
Sponsored by:
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The Amiga Innovation Award honors the teams who demonstrate exceptional innovation using the Amiga platform to solve significant challenges in agricultural operations.
Winning entries should showcase unique applications, technical excellence, and measurable impact using Amiga’s features (like automation, attachments, or software). Solutions should demonstrate clear practical benefits and potential for wider adoption.
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$10,000 cash prize for Division I team
$5,000 cash prize for Division II team
$1,000 cash prize for the Academy team
Cash prizes are funded through UC Agriculture and Natural Resources (UC ANR). Sponsor contributions have been transferred to UC ANR, which will distribute awards directly.
Prizes will be issued as checks made payable to the winning institution (or its representative foundation) and sent to the team’s faculty or staff advisor. Awards are provided in the form of a gift, giving faculty/staff advisors flexibility in how the funds are used to support their teams.
Payment Process:
The winning team must submit required information to UC ANR (including a W-9 form for U.S. participants or W-8BEN for international participants, along with contact details).
The Farm Robotics Challenge (FRC) Director will guide each winning team through this process to ensure timely distribution.
Once paperwork is submitted, please allow up to two months for the check to be received by the designated team contact.
EXCELLENCE IN SPECIALTY CROPS
$5,000 | $2,500 | $1,000
One award for each level of the Challenge - Division I, Division II, and Academy
Sponsored by:
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The Excellence in Specialty Crops award honors teams whose projects show outstanding potential to advance specialty crop production through cutting-edge automation, precision agriculture, AI, and innovative on-farm technology. This category highlights solutions that address the unique challenges of high-value fruit, vegetable, and nut crops—with a focus on real-world impact, food safety, sustainability, and industry adoption.
Projects will be evaluated on their effectiveness in addressing specialty crop issues, their relevance and value to growers, and the likelihood that the technology will be adopted in the industry. Successful teams will demonstrate a measurable impact and provide clear evidence of grower outreach or validation.
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$5,000 cash prize for Division I team
$2,500 cash prize for Division II team
$1,000 cash prize for the Academy team
Cash prizes are funded through UC Agriculture and Natural Resources (UC ANR). Sponsor contributions have been transferred to UC ANR, which will distribute awards directly.
Prizes will be issued as checks made payable to the winning institution (or its representative foundation) and sent to the team’s faculty or staff advisor. Awards are provided in the form of a gift, giving faculty/staff advisors flexibility in how the funds are used to support their teams.
Payment Process:
The winning team must submit required information to UC ANR (including a W-9 form for U.S. participants or W-8BEN for international participants, along with contact details).
The Farm Robotics Challenge (FRC) Director will guide each winning team through this process to ensure timely distribution.
Once paperwork is submitted, please allow up to two months for the check to be received by the designated team contact.
EXCELLENCE IN DRONE APPLICATIONS
$5,000 | $2,500 | $1,000
One award for each level of the Challenge - Division I, Division II, and Academy
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The Excellence in Drone Applications award honors teams that pioneer novel uses of drone technology to solve pressing challenges in agricultural environments. Eligible projects can showcase drones used in roles such as autonomous field mapping, crop health assessment, targeted application systems, livestock monitoring, or innovative aerial robotics for production enhancement.
Projects will be evaluated for their technical sophistication, measurable impact on farm management, and creative integration of drones with other automation, sensing, or AI systems. Winning entries should clearly demonstrate practical benefits to growers, improvements in operational efficiency or sustainability, and evidence of pilot testing or field validation.
This award aims to spotlight the transformative role that drone robotics are playing in modern agriculture, supporting teams that push the boundaries with aerial technology and contribute meaningfully to the success and sustainability of farming operations.
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$5,000 cash prize for Division I team
$2,500 cash prize for Division II team
$1,000 cash prize for the Academy team
Cash prizes are funded through UC Agriculture and Natural Resources (UC ANR). Sponsor contributions have been transferred to UC ANR, which will distribute awards directly.
Prizes will be issued as checks made payable to the winning institution (or its representative foundation) and sent to the team’s faculty or staff advisor. Awards are provided in the form of a gift, giving faculty/staff advisors flexibility in how the funds are used to support their teams.
Payment Process:
The winning team must submit required information to UC ANR (including a W-9 form for U.S. participants or W-8BEN for international participants, along with contact details).
The Farm Robotics Challenge (FRC) Director will guide each winning team through this process to ensure timely distribution.
Once paperwork is submitted, please allow up to two months for the check to be received by the designated team contact.
EXCELLENCE IN AI
$5,000 | $2,500 | $1,000
One award for each level of the Challenge - Division I, Division II, and Academy
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The award for Excellence in AI recognizes the teams that demonstrate the most innovative, effective, and impactful application of artificial intelligence (AI) within the Farm Robotics Challenge. The award highlights the role of AI as a transformative tool for agriculture, whether applied through robotic hardware systems, software-only solutions, or integrated approaches across crops, livestock, or mixed farming environments.
Teams aiming for the Excellence in AI Award should focus on demonstrating novel and advanced uses of artificial intelligence, whether through creative algorithms or innovative integration with robotics and sensing systems. Projects will be evaluated on the depth and rigor of their technical approach, including how well data is collected, models are developed and justified, and how reliably the solution performs in real or simulated field conditions.
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$5,000 cash prize for Division I team
$2,500 cash prize for Division II team
$1,000 cash prize for the Academy team
Cash prizes are funded through UC Agriculture and Natural Resources (UC ANR). Sponsor contributions have been transferred to UC ANR, which will distribute awards directly.
Prizes will be issued as checks made payable to the winning institution (or its representative foundation) and sent to the team’s faculty or staff advisor. Awards are provided in the form of a gift, giving faculty/staff advisors flexibility in how the funds are used to support their teams.
Payment Process:
The winning team must submit required information to UC ANR (including a W-9 form for U.S. participants or W-8BEN for international participants, along with contact details).
The Farm Robotics Challenge (FRC) Director will guide each winning team through this process to ensure timely distribution.
Once paperwork is submitted, please allow up to two months for the check to be received by the designated team contact.
EXCELLENCE IN REGENERATIVE AG
$5,000 | $2,500 | $1,000
One award for each level of the Challenge - Division I, Division II, and Academy
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The Excellence in Regenerative Ag award recognizes teams whose projects demonstrate outstanding advancement in sustainable and regenerative practices within agriculture, forestry, or natural resource management through the innovative use of robotics and AI.
Projects are evaluated on their measurable regenerative impact, effective deployment of robotics and AI for resource efficiency and resilience, and the novelty of their approach compared to conventional methods. Additional criteria include scalability across diverse environments, strong collaboration with communities and stakeholders, clear societal and commercial benefits, and evidence-based results.
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$5,000 cash prize for Division I team
$2,500 cash prize for Division II team
$1,000 cash prize for the Academy team
Cash prizes are funded through UC Agriculture and Natural Resources (UC ANR). Sponsor contributions have been transferred to UC ANR, which will distribute awards directly.
Prizes will be issued as checks made payable to the winning institution (or its representative foundation) and sent to the team’s faculty or staff advisor. Awards are provided in the form of a gift, giving faculty/staff advisors flexibility in how the funds are used to support their teams.
Payment Process:
The winning team must submit required information to UC ANR (including a W-9 form for U.S. participants or W-8BEN for international participants, along with contact details).
The Farm Robotics Challenge (FRC) Director will guide each winning team through this process to ensure timely distribution.
Once paperwork is submitted, please allow up to two months for the check to be received by the designated team contact.
Plug and Play Pitch Opportunity
One standout FRC team will be selected for an exclusive invitation to pitch their project live at at future Plug and Play event. This is your opportunity to take the stage and share your innovation with a powerful audience of investors, corporate executives, academic leaders, and ag tech start-up founders.
This is a once‑in‑a‑lifetime moment to showcase your vision on a global stage and demonstrate how the next generation of innovators is transforming the future of agriculture.
Sponsored by:
FIRA USA - TRAVEL STIPENDS
FIRA USA is recognized as North America’s leading ag tech gathering, bringing together innovators, researchers, and industry leaders to showcase the technologies shaping the future of agriculture. The Farm Robotics Challenge is proud to align with this event and will host a winners’ reception at FIRA to celebrate the outstanding achievements of our 2026 teams.
Teams earning the following awards will also receive travel stipends to attend the conference:
Grand Prize
Amiga Innovation Award (Division I & Division II)
Excellence in Specialty Crops (Division I & Division II)
Excellence in Drone Applications (Division I)
Excellence in AI (Division I)
Excellence in Regenerative Ag (Division I)
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Participating teams will be awarded at least $2,500 each, providing direct support for their attendance at the FIRA USA conference.
Details on the 2026 conference dates and location will be shared as they are confirmed.
Prize Eligibility and Participation Rules
Participation Requirement
To remain eligible for prizes, teams must:Fully participate in the competition by submitting all required deliverables, and
Comply with competition guidelines regarding team composition.
Required Submissions:
Project Proposal – Due November 14
Final Project Video and Written Report – Due May 3
Rule Adjustments: While no changes are expected, the competition rules, criteria, and eligibility requirements may be updated at any time.
Prize Conditions: Some prizes may include specific restrictions, conditions, or eligibility requirements, which will be detailed in their individual descriptions.
Geographic Considerations: In general, prizes are not limited by geographic location. However, participants should review each prize description for any exceptions.