Seed to Scale: UCR’s Agricultural Innovation Program

Explore market opportunities, build practical skills, and grow with two flexible learning pathways

Seed to Scale is UCR's agricultural innovation program designed for innovators, growers, researchers, and founders who want to evaluate agricultural business opportunities and apply modern production technologies to real-world challenges.

REGISTER FOR SEED TO SCALE 2026

Program Overview

Seed to Scale is UCR’s agriculture-focused innovation program designed to help participants move from opportunity exploration to practical implementation.

The program is built for individuals and companies with an existing concept, product, technology, or operational challenge they want to explore further.

The program brings together two distinct learning opportunities:

INNOVAR - a customer discovery and market validation class designed to help participants test assumptions, explore customer needs, and assess market fit
Controlled Environment Agriculture (CEA) - a technical and business-focused class that explores modern controlled growing systems and their applications in nursery and specialty crop production

This structure allows Seed to Scale to serve a range of participants - from those seeking a full innovation-to-application pathway, to those who need targeted support in either market validation or technical agricultural development.

Two Experiential Learning Experiences

In 2026, Seed to Scale includes two complementary learning experiences:

INNOVAR - a customer discovery course focused on validating opportunities and identifying market fit
Controlled Environment Agriculture (CEA) - a technical and business-focused course exploring greenhouse, nursery, and specialty crop innovation

Participants may enroll in one or both classes depending on their goals, stage of development, and areas of interest. Together, these components provide a structured pathway for participants to assess opportunities, strengthen their strategy, and build toward scalable agricultural innovation.

How Seed to Scale Works

Seed to Scale combines two distinct but complementary learning experiences designed to help participants validate opportunities and apply agricultural innovation in practice.

Part 1 - INNOVAR: Customer Discovery & Market Validation

INNOVAR is a 10-week venture development course focused on customer discovery and market validation.

This course is designed for participants who already have a business concept, technology, product, or operational opportunity they want to explore. Rather than teaching participants to simply “come up with an idea,” INNOVAR helps them test assumptions, gather feedback from real stakeholders, and evaluate whether there is a viable market opportunity worth pursuing.

Participants will learn how to:

Clarify the problem they are solving
Identify target customers and stakeholders
Conduct customer discovery interviews
Test assumptions and validate demand
Refine their value proposition
Assess product-market fit before investing further in development

2026 Schedule

Dates: June 24 - August 26, 2026
Time: Wednesdays, 5:00 PM - 7:00 PM
Format: Hybrid
Special Notes: First and final sessions will be held in person

Part 2 - Controlled Environment Agriculture (CEA): Technical & Business Applications for Agricultural Innovation

The Controlled Environment Agriculture (CEA) course introduces participants to the principles, technologies, and business applications of modern controlled growing systems, with a focus on nursery and specialty crop production.

Participants will explore how environmental control, automation, irrigation, fertigation, and infrastructure planning can improve production efficiency, support operational modernization, and create new opportunities in agriculture.

The course also examines how CEA knowledge can be translated into business opportunities - whether through the development of new ventures or the integration of advanced growing systems into existing operations.

Topics include:

Greenhouse and nursery production systems
Climate control and environmental management
Water and nutrient management
Fertigation systems and irrigation planning
Sensors, automation, and controls
Capital investment and infrastructure decision-making
Emerging CEA models, including container farming and plant factories
Real-world business applications in nursery and specialty crop production

2026 Schedule

Start Date: Tuesday, May 26, 2026
Time: Tuesdays at 6:00 PM
Format: Online
Additional Format Notes: Includes weekly online discussion sessions with supplemental self-paced course materials and optional mentorship

Who Should Apply

Seed to Scale is designed for individuals and organizations interested in evaluating agricultural opportunities and applying innovation in real-world settings.

Ideal participants include:

Agricultural business owners, growers, and nursery operators looking to modernize or expand production
AgTech innovators exploring new products, systems, or services
Researchers or technical founders evaluating the commercial potential of an agricultural innovation
Industry professionals seeking to better understand CEA systems, automation, and investment planning
Participants in specialty crop or licensed plant propagation ecosystems
Entrepreneurs and operators interested in applying Controlled Environment Agriculture to nursery and specialty crop production

The CEA course is specifically intended for small to medium agricultural businesses, nursery operators, growers, technical staff, licensed plant propagation participants, and individuals exploring CEA-related innovation

REGISTER FOR SEED TO SCALE 2026

2026 Seed to Scale Class Offerings

Controlled Environment Agriculture (CEA)

Begins: Tuesday, May 26, 2026
Weekly Session: Tuesdays at 6:00 PM
Format: Online
Includes: Weekly discussion sessions, self-paced course materials, and optional mentorship

INNOVAR - Customer Discovery & Market Validation

Dates: June 24 - August 26, 2026
Weekly Session: Wednesdays, 5:00 PM - 7:00 PM
Format: Hybrid
Includes: First and final sessions held in person

What Participants Will Gain

Through Seed to Scale, participants will gain practical tools and insight to better evaluate opportunities, strengthen business strategy, and apply agricultural innovation with greater confidence.

Participants will:

Learn how to conduct customer discovery and validate real market demand
Better understand customer needs, pain points, and market opportunities
Refine their value proposition and assess product-market fit
Explore practical applications of Controlled Environment Agriculture in nursery and specialty crop production
Understand core CEA systems, including climate control, automation, fertigation, and infrastructure planning
Identify opportunities for operational improvement, expansion, or new venture development
Connect with UCR’s Office of Technology Partnerships network for continued support, mentorship, and business resources

Certificate

Participants who complete the CEA course will receive a University of California Certificate of Completion (non-credit)

Why Seed to Scale?

Agriculture is evolving rapidly, from changing production conditions and resource constraints to new technologies, systems, and market demands.

Seed to Scale was created to help participants navigate that change with a practical, structured pathway that combines market validation with technical agricultural innovation.

By pairing customer discovery through INNOVAR with specialized instruction in Controlled Environment Agriculture, the program helps participants better understand both what the market needs and how modern agricultural systems can support scalable solutions.

Whether you are refining a new concept, modernizing an existing operation, or exploring how CEA can strengthen your business model, Seed to Scale provides a strong foundation for informed next steps.

Ready to Explore What’s Next for Your Agricultural Innovation?

Seed to Scale is designed for participants who want to better understand market demand, strengthen their strategy, and explore how modern agricultural technologies can support growth.

REGISTER FOR SEED TO SCALE 2026

Frequently Asked Questions

Do I need to have a business idea before applying?

Participants should have an existing concept, product, technology, operational challenge, or area of opportunity they want to explore further. Seed to Scale is designed to help participants validate and refine opportunities - not simply generate ideas from scratch.
Is INNOVAR an entrepreneurship course?

INNOVAR focuses on customer discovery and market validation. Participants learn how to test assumptions, understand customer needs, and evaluate market fit for an existing concept or opportunity.
Do I need to participate in both components?

No. While Seed to Scale is designed as a two-part program and participants are strongly encouraged to complete both components for the full experience, each course may also be taken independently.
Participants who are primarily interested in developing technical skills in Controlled Environment Agriculture (CEA) may enroll in the CEA course as a standalone offering.
Likewise, INNOVAR may be taken independently by participants seeking customer discovery and market validation support for a concept, product, or opportunity - even if it is not agriculture-related.
What is the format of the CEA course?

The CEA course includes weekly online sessions, self-paced learning materials, and optional mentorship opportunities. Additional activities may include networking opportunities and potential in-person experiences.
Will I receive a certificate?

Participants who complete the CEA course will receive a University of California Certificate of Completion (non-credit).