Businesses are invited to apply for the latest round of funding from the £70 million Agri-Tech Catalyst, set up to support innovative solutions to global agricultural challenges.
The Agri-Tech Catalyst is run by Innovate UK in partnership with the Biotechnology and Biological Sciences Research Council.
Its aim is to make the UK a world leader in agricultural technology, innovation and sustainability by supporting business and researchers addressing the challenges of:
- a rising population
- rapid development of emerging economies
- shortages of land, water and energy
The fourth round of funding opens on 8 January 2015 and closes on 24 June 2015. It is open to any UK business or research partner and projects must be collaborative.
Key features
The Agri-Tech Catalyst funds projects in:
- primary production
- non-food uses of crops
- food security and nutrition challenges in international development
- challenges in food processing where the solution lies in primary production
There are three types of award:
- funding for early-stage feasibility studies
- funding for industrial research including technology development, laboratory prototypes, product development planning, field trials and market testing
- late-stage funding for real-life trials to evaluate commercial potential