Michael Reardon, Business Development Manager at the UK Agri-Tech Centre, shares practical steps that’ll help your agri-tech solution not just get off the ground, but thrive in the real world.
Agri-tech is rewriting the rulebook for food production—think advanced sensors and AI to controlled environments and robotics in the field. If you’re already involved in developing tech, you’re helping to shape a future where agriculture is more sustainable, productive and profitable.
Turning bright ideas into real-world solutions isn’t easy. Many agri-tech innovations get stuck in that tricky patch between coming up with a great concept and seeing it used on farms. It’s where projects can stall from a lack of funding, real-world proof or support.
To bridge that gap, you need to inspire real confidence, not just from the end-user, but from the whole supply chain. Showcasing your innovation’s real-world value is what gets people excited, invested and ready to make your idea the next industry game-changer.
Here’s how to bridge the gap:
Validate with real-world data and tools
You’ve got a promising idea or even a working prototype. But before you go all-in, you need to know: will it actually work in the real world?
That’s where validation comes in. By testing your tech in environments that reflect actual market conditions, you can gather the evidence you need to move forward. It’s about putting your innovation through its paces—running experiments, collecting data and seeing how it performs with real users. This helps you confirm what’s working, spot what needs refining and avoid costly missteps later on.
Having solid, practical evidence isn’t just useful; it shows investors, partners and early adopters that your solution isn’t just clever, it’s also commercially viable and ready to scale.
If you’re at that stage, the UK Agri-Tech Centre offers access to commercial-scale, controlled environments, such as the Vertical Farming Development Centre, Marine Aquaculture Innovation Centre and the South West Dairy Development Centre. These aren’t just test sites. They’re innovation playgrounds, equipped with advanced sensors, AI and data analytics to help you validate your tech in a meaningful way.
If you’re ready to turn your prototype into a proven solution, this is your chance to do it with confidence.
Data-backed innovation: Drone technology to support strawberry pollination
The UK Agri-Tech Centre has supported Polybee to validate drone technology in controlled environments, ensuring that it can work safely within the daily operations of commercial growers.
Put your tech to the test on real farms
Getting your innovation onto a working farm is a real game-changer, giving you fast, flexible testing. Whether it’s in a high-tech greenhouse or out in the field, you can tweak, prove and showcase your technology where it actually matters.
When you test in real farm settings, you get to work with farmers, co-developing your tech with those who’ll use it means you’re not just being innovative, you’re making sure your solution is practical and solves real problems. That’s how you take the risk out of commercial adoption.
The UK Agri-Tech Centre’s network of 25 farms across the UK enables you to test, learn and improve your product quickly. Our farm network has supported over 40 collaborative projects, providing innovators like you with the support needed to transition from prototype to proven product.
Field tested: Chirrup Nano
The UK Agri-Tech Centre invited 100 farmers to trial the groundbreaking nature monitoring tech, helping to refine it before a wider rollout.
Tap into agri-tech expertise
Whether you need troubleshooting, technical know-how or business strategy, expert support keeps your project moving and helps you sidestep common pitfalls.
The UK Agri-Tech Centre team are experts in horticulture, aquaculture and livestock, combining market savvy with in-depth technical know-how. That means they’re perfectly placed to help you figure out exactly how your tech could work in the real world. Plus, with a powerhouse network of specialists behind you, you’ll have all the support you need to overcome challenges and push your innovation further.
Expertise in action: Lupin Loop
This project is looking at the improvement of region-specific agronomy traits of lupin production and processing of lupin into a range of ingredients and food products. The UK Agri-Tech Centre team supported every step, bringing project management expertise, sharing commercial and scientific insights and helping to communicate the project’s impact to the broader industry.
