Ten Things You Don’t Know about the Western Growers CIT
Posted on July 12, 2018 10:26 AM by elyons
- The WG Board of Directors launched an initiative to accelerate technologies that addressed challenges facing its members in July, 2014.
- Construction began for the Western Growers Center for Innovation & Technology inside the Taylor Farms building in downtown Salinas in June, 2015.
- Western Growers CIT celebrated 2 full years of successes, made up with 50 resident startup companies and 26 sponsoring companies, in December of 2017.
- Since opening its doors in December, 2015, the Center has created over 140 new jobs connected to the City of Salinas.
- Western Growers has connected the startup companies with over 4,000 farmers to date.
- Many of the startups give out baseball caps with their logo on them. The reception desk at the WGCIT has a hat stand full of WGCIT companies, and residents often try to move theirs to the top.
- CRAFT Design Build and Peninsula Business Interiors helped WG “transform our 2,800 square feet empty office into a warm, collaborative-driven workplace.” – Hank Giclas, Senior Vice President Science & Technology, Strategic Planning, Western Growers
- Tech Talks, which are offered at no cost, are hosted by the Center to introduce WG members and the community to the latest innovations.
- ‘WG Insider’ presentations are organized by the Center with the goal of residents meeting with industry leaders inside the WGCIT workspace. These are only open to WGCIT startups.
- Dennis Donohue has added two new programming components with the launch of the ‘Voices of the Valley’ WG podcast, and “AgTechx - Innovation in your Backyard” road show events.