Growth Week was all about backing agri-tech businesses to grow with confidence. Between 2–6 February, the UK Agri-Tech Centre brought together innovators, farmers, investors and industry partners for a focused week of activity designed to help ventures overcome barriers, prove their solutions and move more quickly towards commercial success.
Through practical insight, specialist support and real-world connections, Growth Week showcased how the UK Agri-Tech Centre is evolving to support businesses at every stage of their growth journey. Part of the ‘Grow Your Own Way; We Mean Business When it Comes to Agri-Tech’ campaign, Growth Week highlighted what it takes to scale agri-tech successfully: practical support, strong supply-chain alignment, international opportunity and a focus on real-world impact.
Addressing barriers to growth
Across the week, one message came through loud and clear: innovation alone isn’t enough. For agri-tech businesses to thrive, solutions must be robust, relevant and ready to scale within commercial farming systems.
Through expert-led podcasts and webinars, Growth Week explored the role of agri-tech in modern supply chains, the policy and regulatory environment shaping growth and how technology can be better aligned with the needs of farmers and buyers. Conversations were grounded in real-world experience, with perspectives from supply-chain leaders, policy experts, farmers and agri-tech founders who are navigating these challenges every day.
Helen Brookes, Engagement Director at the UK Agri-Tech Centre, said: “We really do mean business when it comes to agri-tech. Our ambition is to help the sector to grow through supporting agri-tech businesses; ensuring technology solutions are tested and trialled on-farm to be robust and relevant to meet industry challenges.”
Focused support from idea to impact
A central theme of Growth Week was how the sector can move innovations through the pipeline more efficiently and deliver impact at scale.
Steve McLean, new CEO of the UK Agri-Tech Centre, said: “We’re very focused on how we can help businesses adopt commercial realisation and move with pace and scale. In other words, how do we take concepts and land them in core commercial farming systems faster than they can without our assistance? The UK Agri-Tech Centre is evolving so that it’s very focused on what it delivers for our customers.”
This focus reflects how the UK Agri-Tech Centre is shifting to deliver greater value for agri-tech ventures. With test, trial and demonstration facilities across the UK, businesses are supported to generate robust evidence, strengthen credibility and accelerate adoption.
Sessions such as ‘How to ensure agri-tech is fit for farms’ and the ‘Capability roadshow’ on proving and validating solutions reinforced the importance of farmer insight and independent validation in helping innovations succeed in real-world commercial systems.
New initiatives to accelerate growth
Growth Week also marked the introduction of new initiatives from the UK Agri-Tech Centre designed to help agri-tech businesses scale with confidence.
The FASTA initiative brings together technical specialists, industry leaders and sustainability advisors to support businesses developing MRV solutions, helping them refine propositions, accelerate commercialisation and grow through a single, joined-up programme.
Alongside this, the Agri-Tech Solution Sprints were announced, which are delivering focused, expert support to tackle specific growth challenges and move innovation closer to market more quickly. Registrations for the Solution Sprints are open until 23 February 2026, offering new opportunities for forward-thinking micro, small and medium-sized businesses.
Building global connections
International opportunities were another strong thread running through the week. With a growing global demand for high-impact, sustainable agri-tech, Growth Week explored exporting to markets including the Middle East, New Zealand and Australia, sharing practical insights from UK businesses already operating overseas.
A highlight of the week was the in-person networking breakfast at Dairy-Tech, which welcomed a Canadian delegation through the Twin Pastures programme. The breakfast, alongside the panel session on ‘Global dairy innovation: Emerging technologies and trends from Canada’, provided valuable insight into cutting-edge livestock technologies and underlined the importance of international collaboration in accelerating innovation and commercial growth.
Looking ahead
Growth Week was committed to delivering targeted, value-led, focused and meaningful insights for agri-tech ventures, supply chains and farmers. As the UK Agri-Tech Centre looks ahead, the emphasis remains on impact: supporting agri-tech businesses to move faster, scale smarter and deliver technologies that make a real difference on farm and across the wider agri-food system.
Thank you to everyone who joined us online and in person throughout the week.
