Engineered FOR Resilience
A first-of-its-kind deep tech conference for ag robotics and the physical AI stack. For teams building rugged, field-ready systems that perform in real farm environments.
What is Ruggedize?
A NEW DEEP TECH CONFERENCE FOR AG
This a technical gathering focused on the hard problems: dust, heat, vibration, biological variability, and the relentless demand for shorter-term ROI.
KEY PARTNERS
CORE FOCUS AREas
ENGINEERED FOR THE REAL WORLD
Deep dives into the specific technical challenges of deploying physical AI in unstructured agriculture environments
Perception & sensing
Operation in dust, variable light , and biological noise that breaks conventional computer vision
Autonomous operations
Continuous in-field operation without human intervention across unpredictable terrain.
System integration
Hardware, Software, and firmware working as one cohesive platform in the field
Testing & validation
Simulation and validation methodologies tied directly to real-world field performance.
Reliability & engineering
failure modes, recovery protocols, and building systems that survive thousands of field hours.
ROI-driven design
serviceability, economics, and design decisions that make sense in real production environments.
CONFIRMED Speakers
ROBOTICS & PHYSICAL AI PRACTITIONERS
Industry leaders, engineers, and founders pushing the boundaries of robotics and physical AI.
Paige Bailey
AI Developer Relations Lead, Google DeepMind
Matthew Potter
Director, Engineering - Robotics & Mobility Technology John Deere
Paul Mikesell
CEO, Carbon Robotics
Danny Bernstein
CEO, Reservoir
Jorge Heraud
CEO, TerraBlaster
Gabe Sibley
CEO, Verdant Robotics
Dr. Stavros Vougioukas
Professor, UC Davis
Ben Palone
Senior Director, Western Growers
snapshot
TENTATIVE AGENDA
Technical Sessions on Day 1, Technical Demonstrations on Day 2
day one - 26th AUG, 2026
Technical Sessions
Opening Keynote
Perception & Sensing
System Integrations
Open Source Models
Safety & Reliability
day TWO - 27th AUG, 2026
Technical demonstrations
Autonomy
Vision
Precision
What works
LEARN MORE
Get Involved
Ruggedize is designed for the technical community advancing ag robotics and physical AI. This is an early, evolving platform, and we want practitioners in the room. We’re looking for sponsors, speakers, demo teams, and engaged participants. If you’re building or backing field-ready autonomy, register your interest and get involved
For teams building ruggedized, ROI-constrained physical AI, Ruggedize will serve as a working forum for advancing the state of the art in real-world deployment.
Reservoir Farms
Salinas, CA - Highway 68
Experience robotics and AI systems in one of the most productive agriculture regions in the world