Reservoir Acquires Contain to Scale Agtech Startups

In a significant development for the agricultural technology sector, Reservoir Co., an investment firm, has announced its first-ever corporate acquisition with the purchase of Contain Inc., a Reno, Nev.-based agriculture finance and data platform. As part of the acquisition, Nicola Kerslake, founder of Contain, has been appointed as a general partner at Reservoir and will chair the company's investment committee, overseeing underwriting functions as Reservoir expands its footprint into agricultural equipment and controlled environment agriculture (CEA).

The acquisition marks a strategic move by Reservoir to support 'rugged AI' startups in transitioning from pilot to commercial scale. According to Danny Bernstein, founder and CEO of Reservoir and managing partner of Reservoir VC, the company invests at the intersection of AI, hardware, and agriculture, and Contain's expertise will provide valuable support to startups in this space. Bernstein noted that Contain's founder, Nicola Kerslake, has built a discipline that understands deployment, unit economics, and business models, which will be essential in helping startups scale rugged AI-enabled technology.

The transaction adds a new layer to Reservoir's value-creation model for startups, providing access to Contain's marketplace, underwriting, financing experience, and market intelligence capabilities. This expansion will enable Reservoir to better support startups in moving from pilot to commercial scale. Kerslake, who has over a decade of experience in managing early-stage venture capital mandates, will work closely with Reservoir to develop its next fund, focusing on the rugged AI thesis.

Before founding Contain, Kerslake founded Newbean Capital and launched and sold Indoor Ag-Con, one of the sector's largest and best-known conferences for indoor and controlled-environment farming. Her background spans institutional investment, venture capital, and agricultural finance, making her a valuable addition to the Reservoir team.

Reservoir is set to host a two-day event in August 2026 called Ruggedize, focused on the challenges of building robots and automation for agricultural applications. The event will be hosted at Reservoir's site in Salinas and will provide a platform for industry professionals to discuss the latest developments in agtech innovation.

The acquisition of Contain by Reservoir is a significant development for the agtech sector, highlighting the growing importance of technology-driven automation and workflow transformation. As the sector continues to evolve, it is likely that we will see more strategic acquisitions and partnerships aimed at supporting the growth of rugged AI startups and driving innovation in agricultural technology.