Region a growing force as AgriTech initiative wins £5m funding
Agri-tech Commercialisation Ecosystems (ACE), a partnership project from the universities of Lincoln, Cambridge and East Anglia, has been awarded £5 million by the UKRI-Research England CCF-RED Fund.
It will enable the creation of a national agri-tech ‘Technology Transfer Office’ and the new company Ceres Agri-Tech Ltd that will support the commercialisation of early-stage agricultural innovations. Ceres Agri-Tech is a collaborative initiative founded by and located at Cambridge Enterprise, the innovation arm of the University of Cambridge.
The project targets key regional challenges, including low wages, workforce skills gaps, and climate resilience, by supporting high-quality, inclusive employment and environmentally focused agri-tech innovation.
Professor Simon Pearson, Founding Director of the Lincoln Institute for Agri-Food Technology (LIAT) at the University of Lincoln, said: “We are thrilled that the ACE project has received a vital £5 million award from Research England, which will enable incredible growth within agri-tech and the creation of many new ‘spin-out’ businesses over the next decade and beyond.
“Within the next 10 years, ACE aims to fund 95 research projects, create over 1,300 new jobs within the sector and bring a projected £506 million into the UK economy.
“In a world where geopolitical instability, climate change and resource scarcity seem to be threatening food security, we now have a great opportunity to create an innovation cluster for the UK that will deliver positive economic, societal and environmental impacts for many years to come.”
The ACE project will harness the agricultural and research strengths of Greater Lincolnshire, East Anglia, and Cambridgeshire, turning them into a globally competitive innovation cluster. The region’s dense concentration of crop production, agri-tech infrastructure, and civic support creates a unique platform for high-impact investment and sustainable food system development.
Dr Louise Sutherland, Director of Ceres Agri-Tech at Cambridge Enterprise, University of Cambridge, said: “Since its foundation in 2018, the Ceres Agri-Tech collaborative partnership has played a pivotal role in agri-tech innovation, translating cutting-edge university research into innovative real-world solutions addressing global challenges such as food security, climate change, and sustainable agriculture.
“I am delighted that this Research England Agri-Tech Commercialisation Ecosystems (ACE) funding will enable the creation of a national agri-tech ‘Technology Transfer Office’ that will support the translation of early-stage agricultural innovations and strengthen the UK’s position as a global leader in agri-tech innovation."
Research England is investing £30 million into four regional projects through its University Commercialisation Ecosystem initiative. These projects will bring together universities, industry and other partners to deliver a step change in knowledge exchange activity.
The funding forms part of Research England’s wider work to support research commercialisation across the country. It builds on the Connecting Capability Fund (CCF) and the Research England Development (RED) Fund, which aim to drive innovation by supporting collaboration and commercialisation.