Launching on the 24 July, the Farming Innovation Investor Partnership Competition aims to accelerate agricultural research and development.
Projects are encouraged to apply from across the livestock, arable, horticulture, bioeconomy and agroforestry sectors. The competition is specifically looking to support pioneering projects across the sector that have shown the potential to grow and generate revenue, supporting the commercialisation of on-farm technologies that can then be rolled out across the industry.
Applicants can bid for up to 45% of project costs in grant funding, which must be matched by at least twice the amount in private investment.
The competition, funded by Defra, is being run in partnership with UK Research & Innovation (UKRI) and delivered by Innovate UK, and represents an extension of the government’s £270m Farming Innovation Programme.
In order to apply, projects must be led by a sole UK registered micro, small, or medium-sized business and exhibit clear and tangible connections to farmers, growers, agri-businesses, and other potential end-users. Investors for the programme will be selected from the pool of Innovate UK Investor Partners which currently comprises 80 partners and growing.