Despite the development of highly innovative solutions, significant challenges remain. In some cases, whilst products are near fully developed and ready for end user adoption, there is need for scaling in both business and manufacturing processes. This is to ensure these innovations can be reliably manufactured and supported at scale to reach the market, with businesses becoming viable.

AgriScale: Accelerating Agri-tech Manufacturing is a new UK funding initiative, unveiled by Defra and Innovate UK, designed to transition innovative agricultural technology from prototypes to commercial, large-scale production.

The grant funding is available in two separate strands: Industrial Research and Experimental Development.

For the Industrial Research strand, your project should aim to close technology gaps that prevent products being proven, demonstrated and accepted in end user conditions.

For the Experimental Development strand, your project should target getting products to market to accelerate end user adoption.

Your proposal must be a late stage project and demonstrate how you will develop your product to higher levels of performance, reliability and adoption readiness. You must also demonstrate how you will move your business, technologies and products closer to manufacturing readiness.

Innovate UK, part of UK Research and Innovation (UKRI), will invest up to £13 million in these AgriScale competitions.

AgriScale is not intended to fund development of early or mid-stage technologies or concepts.

Industrial Research

The aim of this competition is to enable Agri-tech innovators to advance their product performance and reliability and start development of their manufacturing and supply chain capability.

Your project should aim to close technology gaps that prevent products being proven, demonstrated and accepted in end user conditions.

UK registered businesses can apply for a share of up to £5 million for projects with costs of £250k-£750k and duration 6-12 months.

Apply for Industrial Research Funding: https://apply-for-innovation-funding.service.gov.uk/competition/2428/overview/85fd40be-646f-4b95-8a12-f881334d871d

Experimental Development 

The aim of this competition is to enable Agri-tech innovators to advance their product performance and reliability, and their manufacturing and supply chain capability, to achieve production at scale.

Your project should target getting products to market to accelerate end user adoption.

UK registered businesses can apply for a share of up to £8 million for projects with costs of £1m-£3m and duration 6-18 months.

Apply for Experimental Development Funding: https://apply-for-innovation-funding.service.gov.uk/competition/2427/overview/cb071e4d-3a72-4d77-9350-b2ae3d50a79f