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Grow your own way with the UK Agri-Tech Centre

Businesses engaged with the UK Agri-Tech Centre

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SMEs engaged through R&D commercial projects

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Agri-tech businesses out on-farm

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Businesses using our capabilities

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*Data accurate as of April 2025

Our #GrowYourOwnWay campaign champions the trailblazers redefining agriculture with breakthrough technologies. From artificial intelligence, robotics and advanced sensors to next-generation controlled environment systems, we’re not just talking about innovation:

We’re delivering it.

By accelerating the commercialisation of agri-tech, we’re growing the sector, creating jobs, driving sustainable practices and enabling organisations to grow their own way with our support.

As part of the campaign, the UK Agri-Tech Centre will host events, including a dedicated Growth Week running across the 2nd – 6th February 2026 with a mix of online and in-person activity aimed at enabling businesses to grow and addressing barriers to sector growth.

Supporting commercialisation

Enabling widespread adoption 

Driving economic growth 

Featured growth stories​

Accelerating the commercialisation of agri-tech to drive sustainable practices, create jobs and enable growth across the entire sector.  

Robotics revolutionising horticulture 

UPP Freya tackles labour shortages and food waste by automating broccoli harvesting and upcycling crop by-products. The ISO 9001-certified Harvesta machine reduces carbon emissions, boosts UK food security and now harvests three rows at once while producing ingredients from side-streams.

Growth:

Now at TRL 7-9, UPP has secured notable funding and partnerships with Harper Adams, the UK Agri-Tech Centre and James Hutton Institute. UPP collaborates with UK and US farmers and is trialling products with 14 major food companies. The SusProt project supported pilot-scale protein production.

What’s next for the business?

UPP aims for BRCGS status by January 2026 to begin large-scale shipments. Its ingredients are set to reach supermarkets in H1 2026, with plans to scale production beyond 100 tons daily.

AI powered crop diagnostics

Fotenix provides scouting services using non‑destructive multispectral imaging and AI to detect crop stress, pests and disease before they become visible. This enables growers to target interventions, reduce waste, improve forecasting and boost yield quality and profit.

Growth:

They secured £2.1 million in new funding. This round was led by River Capital, with additional investment from EHE Ventures' AI Growth Fund and included a £1.6 million grant from Innovate UK.

What’s next for the business?

Fotenix is scaling commercial deployments and broadening use cases across indoor systems. They are seeking leading CEA growers (glasshouses and vertical farms) who are investing in data‑driven food production at scale.

AI and Epigenomics to enhance productivity

Antler Bio, established in 2020, created EpiHerd—a decision-support tool using epigenomics to improve dairy herd productivity, efficiency and sustainability by up to 22%. EpiHerd explains why genetically similar animals differ in performance by analysing their molecular responses to the environment.

Growth:

Starting as a three-person venture, Antler Bio now generates revenue and aims to expand EpiHerd to more species, collaborating with feed producers, veterinarians and pharmaceutical partners for greater data value.

What’s next for the business?

Focusing on broader market reach and faster adoption, Antler Bio is set to make EpiHerd central to precision livestock management and prepare for global growth.

“Collaboration with the UK Agri-Tech Centre has helped Outfield expand into new markets such as Morocco and into new industries such as viticulture. It’s been great to work with the UK Agri-Tech Centre team and their network of innovation farms, and we are looking forward to much more collaboration in the seasons to come.”
Oli HilbourneCo-Chief Executive and Founder of Outfield
“It is through working with the likes of the UK Agri-Tech Centre and Innovate UK that we’ve been able to access the growers, engineers and biologists that we need to develop and build our first prototypes of this technology. We’ve been able to expand our testing and generate the data to prove our claims and show the impact we can have at scale due to this support.”
Ben CrowtherChief Technology Officer & Co-Founder of LettUs Grow
“The UK Agri-Tech Centre has been an invaluable partner throughout this project, providing expert technical advice and access to demonstrator-scale R&D vertical farm facility to advance and validate our product and ensure it meets commercial requirements. The UK Agri-Tech Centre also facilitated crucial introduction to growers which accelerated global traction.”
Dr Beenish SiddiqueFounder and CEO, AEH Innovative Hydrogel
“Utilising the dairy centre and the resources at the UK Agri-Tech Centre has provided an excellent controlled centre for further development of our device with validated data capture.”
Anthony MarshDirector of Hoofcount

Accelerating the commercialisation of agri-tech to drive sustainable practices, create jobs and enable growth across the entire sector.  

Ready to validate your solution?

Our Business Sprints provide targeted, high-impact support to help you overcome hurdles and move your agri-tech solution forward towards commercialisation.

Learn about Business Sprints

Ready to scale your innovation?

FASTA is a programme designed to help innovators scale Measurement, Reporting and Verification (MRV) technologies that enable sustainable farming and carbon reduction.

Learn about FASTA

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