Regional Agricultural Innovation Cluster

Technology Commercialization video

On July, 29, 2011, SBA Region IX Administrator Elizabeth Echols visited the Marina Technology Cluster and checked out a real-time-water-testing robot being commercialized out of the Monterey Bay Aquarium Research Institute by MTC client Spyglass BioSecurity.

Welcome to the Project 17 web site!  Project 17 is named for the Central California Coast region's Highway 17 linking Silicon Valley to Santa Cruz, its 17th U.S. Congressional District and 17 Mile Drive in Carmel and Pacific Grove.  Project 17 is an SBA (Small Business Administration)-funded project to support the region's $4.5-billion-dollar-a-year agricultural industry with the development of advanced-ag-tech businesses to serve the ag industry and create jobs in Santa Cruz, Monterey and San Benito Counties.

The mission of Project 17
is to support the growth of the agricultural industry and technologies that advance higher-paying agricultural jobs, national food security, food and agricultural-technology exports, and investment in agriculture and advanced agricultural technologies in the tri-county region of the Monterey Bay Area, including Monterey, San Benito and Santa Cruz Counties.  

Central Coast Producers Pro-Active on Clean Water

In 2011 and 2012, several of the world’s largest producers of fresh vegetables and berries met at Hartnell College to discuss water – how to clean it up, keep it clean and reduce its use in their production of 85% of the world’s fresh vegetables and berries.

Screen shot 2011-12-02 at 10.15.35 AM

Our goal is to put the infrastructure in place upon which regional businesses, colleges and jurisdictions can build a critical mass of technology companies serving the ag industry and  increase everyone's bottom-line profitability.  Anyone who wants to sell technology into the ag industry will need to have a presence here.

Project 17 was envisioned to be a truly regional economic development program, so please peruse this site to find out how you can become part of Project 17.

Susan Barich, Director
Project 17-Monterey Bay
Susan.Barich@BarichBiz.com
831-462-1413

Screen shot 2013-04-15 at 3.10.08 PM

THE FUTURE OF FOOD:
Sandy Skees of Communications4Good moderates this panel whose members include New Leaf Community Market Owner and Founder Scott Roseman, Organic Food Research Foundation Executive Director Maureen Wilmot, commercial radicchio shipper and Salinas Mayor Dennis Donohue, and agricultural innovator and Bonnie Doon Winery Founder Randall Grahm. 

Copyright Barich Business Services 2012                Barich Business Services  831-462-1413  Project 17  is partially funded by a contract from the U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA). SBA’s funding should not be construed as an endorsement of any products, opinions, or services. All SBA-funded projects are extended to the public on a nondiscriminatory basis.