New £5m agri-tech competition launched to help ideas reach farms

Farming businesses developing new technologies and on-farm innovations are being offered a share of £5 million in government funding aimed at helping ideas reach commercial use.

The new Farming Innovation Investor Partnerships competition is now open for applications from UK agri-tech and agricultural businesses.

The funding is aimed at projects that could help farmers improve productivity, cut costs and farm more sustainably through practical technologies designed for use on farms across England.

Defra officials say the grants are intended to help businesses secure private investment and scale up promising innovations by reducing the risks linked to late-stage research and development.

Investment backing will come through Innovate UK’s Investor Partner Pool.

The competition is open to UK-registered micro, small and medium-sized businesses developing innovations close to commercial application.

Projects must demonstrate clear benefits for farmers, growers or agricultural businesses in England.

Eligible businesses can apply for projects worth between £750,000 and £3 million, with grants covering up to 45% of costs for smaller organisations and up to 35% for medium-sized firms.

Projects can last for up to 18 months and must be carried out within the UK.

Investment in agricultural technology is increasingly being seen as key to improving productivity, sustainability and resilience across the farming sector.

Previous recipients of support through the initiative include insect farming business AGRIGRUB, which uses surplus food from supermarket supply chains to produce Black Soldier Fly larvae for livestock feed.

The business says its approach helps reduce reliance on imported soya feed linked to rainforest deforestation while also cutting food waste and greenhouse gas emissions.

AGRIGRUB estimates its circular production model reduced UK carbon dioxide emissions by more than 800 tonnes last year.

Founder and director Joe Halstead said the funding programme had played a major role in helping the business expand.

“The Investor Partnerships programme has been key in unlocking the investment needed to scale our insect farming business and grow this emerging sector,” he said.

He added the initiative had also helped attract investors who had “strengthened the team around us”.

Applications for the latest competition close on 17 June 2026.

An online briefing session explaining the competition and application process will also be held on 18 May.

Defra officials hope the initiative will help accelerate the development of practical technologies capable of delivering long-term benefits for UK agriculture.