Casselton, N.D. — September 17, 2026 — Grand Farm and Wells Fargo today announced a new partnership focused on strengthening rural innovation, supporting early-stage agricultural technology companies, and expanding opportunities for collaboration across the agricultural ecosystem.

A key component of the partnership will support Grand Farm’s Startup Plot Program, helping early-stage companies access real-world testing and demonstration environments at the Grand Farm Innovation Campus in Casselton, North Dakota, and UGA Grand Farm in Perry, Georgia.

Through the partnership, participating startups will have greater access to field testing, grower feedback, technology demonstrations, and connections with researchers, investors, industry leaders, and other partners across the Grand Farm ecosystem.

“Agricultural startups are developing solutions to some of the biggest challenges facing producers, but getting those technologies into a real-world environment can be a significant hurdle,” said Brian Carroll, Co-founder of Grand Farm. “Wells Fargo’s support helps us lower that barrier and give more early-stage companies the opportunity to put their ideas in the field, learn directly from producers, and move promising technologies closer to adoption.”

Grand Farm’s Startup Plot Program provides participating companies with dedicated space for field testing, project management and field operations support, visibility through campus tours and field days, demonstration and speaking opportunities, ecosystem introductions, and promotional support.

With startup plots available in both North Dakota and Georgia, companies can access different growing environments, crops, climates, and producer networks while working alongside Grand Farm’s broader network of growers, researchers, corporations, startups, educators, government leaders, and investors.

“The most promising agricultural technologies are shaped by direct collaboration with the producers they are designed to serve,” said Amange Aware, Wells Fargo Commercial Banking Market Executive. “Wells Fargo is proud to support Grand Farm in connecting entrepreneurs with the real-world testing, feedback and relationships they need to advance new solutions and strengthen the future of rural communities.”

The Startup Plot Program is designed to accelerate technologies addressing challenges identified by producers and the agricultural industry, including input efficiency, labor shortages, water management, crop protection, soil health, farm profitability, robotics, autonomy, artificial intelligence, and precision agriculture.

Beyond startup support, the partnership will strengthen Grand Farm’s regional ecosystem activities and programming that bring together producers, entrepreneurs, researchers, industry leaders, policymakers, and investors. Wells Fargo representatives will also have opportunities to engage with startups and producers through field days, startup showcases, campus tours, conferences, and conversations centered on rural innovation and economic resilience.

The partnership reflects a shared commitment to strengthening rural communities by giving emerging companies greater access to the environments, relationships, and feedback they need to develop technologies that can improve producer profitability, increase efficiency, reduce operational risk, and build a more resilient agricultural economy.

About Grand Farm 

Grand Farm is a network of growers, technologists, corporations, startups, educators, government, and investors working together to solve problems in ​​agriculture with applied technology. Through research, testing, validation, and demonstration, Grand Farm ensures AgTech problem-solving aligns with real grower needs. By fostering partnerships and facilitating collaborations, Grand Farm accelerates technology adoption and drives innovation across the agricultural ecosystem.

About Wells Fargo

Wells Fargo & Company (NYSE: WFC) is a leading financial services company that has approximately $2.3 trillion in assets. We provide a diversified set of banking, investment and mortgage products and services, as well as consumer and commercial finance, through our four reportable operating segments: Consumer Banking and Lending, Commercial Banking, Corporate and Investment Banking, and Wealth & Investment Management. Wells Fargo ranked No. 38 on Fortune’s 2026 rankings of America’s largest corporations. News, insights, and perspectives from Wells Fargo are also available at Wells Fargo Stories.