A groundbreaking partnership project, Agri-tech Commercialisation Ecosystems (ACE), spearheaded by the universities of Lincoln, Cambridge, and East Anglia, has secured a substantial £5 million grant from the UKRI-Research England CCF-RED Fund. This significant investment will pave the way for the establishment of a national agri-tech ‘Technology Transfer Office’ and the inception of a new company, Ceres Agri-Tech Ltd, dedicated to fostering the commercialisation of early-stage agricultural innovations.
Ceres Agri-Tech, a collaborative venture founded by and housed at Cambridge Enterprise, the innovation arm of the University of Cambridge, is poised to address key regional challenges. These include low wages, workforce skills gaps, and climate resilience, by championing 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, expressed his enthusiasm for the project. He highlighted that the £5 million award from Research England will catalyse remarkable growth within the agri-tech sector, leading to the creation of numerous new ‘spin-out’ businesses over the next decade and beyond. The ACE project sets ambitious targets, aiming to fund 95 research projects, generate over 1,300 new jobs within the sector, and inject a projected £506 million into the UK economy within the next 10 years.
In a world grappling with geopolitical instability, climate change, and resource scarcity, the ACE project presents a unique opportunity to create an innovation cluster for the UK. This cluster is expected to deliver positive economic, societal, and environmental impacts for many years to come. The project will leverage the agricultural and research strengths of Greater Lincolnshire, East Anglia, and Cambridgeshire, transforming them into a globally competitive innovation cluster. The region’s dense concentration of crop production, agri-tech infrastructure, and civic support provides 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, underscored the pivotal role that the Ceres Agri-Tech collaborative partnership has played in agri-tech innovation since its foundation in 2018. The partnership has been instrumental in translating cutting-edge university research into innovative real-world solutions that address global challenges such as food security, climate change, and sustainable agriculture. The 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.
The ACE project is part of a larger initiative by Research England, which is investing £30 million into four regional projects through its University Commercialisation Ecosystem initiative. These projects aim to bring together universities, industry, and other partners to deliver a step change in knowledge exchange activity. The funding forms part of Research England’s broader work to support research commercialisation across the country, building on the Connecting Capability Fund (CCF) and the Research England Development (RED) Fund, which aim to drive innovation by supporting collaboration and commercialisation.
The implications of the ACE project are far-reaching. By fostering the commercialisation of early-stage agricultural innovations, the project has the potential to revolutionise the agri-tech sector, creating jobs, stimulating economic growth, and addressing pressing global challenges. Moreover, the project’s focus on environmentally focused agri-tech innovation aligns with the urgent need to develop sustainable solutions to mitigate the impacts of climate change and ensure food security for future generations.
