Seven firms win funding to develop satellite and AI tools for farmers
Seven British companies will share £560,000 in government funding to develop space and artificial intelligence technologies designed to transform farming and support nature recovery.
The projects aim to help farmers manage soil health, reduce input costs and improve environmental monitoring through the use of satellite data and AI-driven analysis.
Each of the seven businesses will receive £80,000 in Space Commercialisation Credits to accelerate their innovations and help bring new technologies to market.
The funding was awarded following a ‘hackathon’ organised by Defra and Innovate UK, which brought together experts from government, industry and academia to develop solutions to agricultural and environmental challenges.
The initiative is designed to harness space technology to support farm growth, strengthen food security and boost the UK’s agri-tech sector.
Defra says investment in Earth observation research delivers strong economic returns. For every £1 invested, up to £8.20 can flow back into the wider economy.
Among the successful projects is x10NI, which develops digital farm simulations that provide farmers with real-time soil health data, helping them manage inputs more efficiently while meeting environmental reporting requirements.
Another winning project, led by Gentian, uses AI-powered satellite analysis to monitor wildlife habitats and track biodiversity changes. The technology aims to speed up environmental risk assessments and reduce the need for costly site visits.
Ocean OS is also among the successful applicants, using satellite data to automatically map marine habitats and species, helping regulators approve offshore wind projects more quickly.
The funding supports the development of new agri-tech tools using satellite data and artificial intelligence, an area that has seen rapid growth as farmers adopt more data-driven technologies.
Defra science minister Dame Angela Eagle said the projects demonstrate how advanced technology can support agriculture and economic growth.
“Space data and AI are transforming how we produce food and grow our economy,” she said.
“These seven teams have shown what is possible when government, industry, and academia work together.”
She added that the government hopes the technologies will deliver benefits across farming and environmental protection.
“I look forward to seeing their ideas develop into products that benefit farmers, communities, and the environment,” Dame Angela said.
Gary Cutts, executive director for digital and technologies at Innovate UK, said supporting innovation would help strengthen the future of the UK economy.
“Innovation-led growth is central to the UK’s economic future,” he said.
“By backing businesses that apply space and AI technologies to real agricultural and environmental challenges, we are strengthening food security, supporting nature recovery, and creating the conditions for high-potential firms to secure private investment and scale.”
Each of the winning companies will receive expert technical and business support from the Satellite Applications Catapult over the next year to help bring their technologies to market.
