The UK is making significant strides in agri-tech manufacturing with the launch of AgriScale, a new pilot initiative aimed at helping innovative agricultural technology businesses scale up production. Announced by Defra Minister Dame Angela Eagle at the World Agri-Tech Innovation Summit in September, the programme is designed to bridge a critical gap in the innovation pipeline by supporting companies in transitioning from prototype to market-ready solutions.
Tackling the scale-up challenge
While the UK is renowned for its early-stage research and concept development in agri-tech, scaling up production has often proven to be a formidable hurdle. AgriScale directly addresses this challenge by focusing on accelerating the manufacturing of agri-tech products, rather than funding early research. The programme’s primary goal is to ensure that promising technologies reach farms faster, more reliably, and with the necessary infrastructure to thrive commercially.
Farming Minister Angela Eagle emphasised the importance of this initiative, stating, “Getting the latest technology from proof of concept to product manufacturing is vital if we’re to unlock the full potential of automation in the agriculture and horticulture sectors.” She further explained that AgriScale builds on the success of the government’s Farming Innovation Programme, leveraging the UK’s world-class creativity to equip farmers with productivity-boosting tech for the future. “This is about turning bold ambition into real-world impact and helping British farming to thrive,” she added.
Expertise through strategic partnerships
AgriScale leverages the capabilities of leading institutions, including Innovate UK, the High Value Manufacturing Catapult, the Manufacturing Technology Centre (MTC), and Warwick Manufacturing Group (WMG) at the University of Warwick. Through these partnerships, five carefully selected UK businesses will receive tailored support to overcome their specific manufacturing hurdles, ranging from automation and system reliability to sustainable design and flexible production methods. This hands-on guidance draws from successful scale-up models in sectors like automotive manufacturing, ensuring that UK agri-tech firms can grow efficiently and compete globally.
Meet the AgriScale participants
The pilot programme will support five UK-based companies tackling diverse challenges in the agri-tech manufacturing sector:
S&A Produce: Creators of an autonomous modular robot platform, AgriScale will help them scale production and achieve CE certification for broader deployment.
UPP: Innovators in novel broccoli products, support will focus on automating harvesters, optimising components, improving system design, and enhancing sustainability to meet rising demand.
Dogtooth Technologies: Developers of commercial robotic harvesting solutions, assistance will target usability, reliability, maintenance strategies, and reducing failure rates in their fifth-generation robots.
OxDrive: Designers of electric propulsion ‘e-hubs’ for off-highway autonomous machines, the programme will accelerate hardware and algorithm iteration through test fleet adoption and simulated environments.
Earth Rover: Builders of chemical-free, zero-emission weeding robots, AgriScale will guide them in pilot production, supply chain readiness, facility planning, and volume ramp strategies.
Building a competitive UK agri-tech manufacturing sector
AgriScale aligns with the UK’s Modern Industrial Strategy and the Manufacturing Sector Plan, applying lessons from advanced manufacturing sectors to agri-tech. By providing targeted support at the scale-up stage, the programme helps ensure the UK develops a globally competitive, sustainable, and resilient agri-tech manufacturing base. This initiative not only benefits individual companies but also strengthens the UK’s advanced manufacturing ecosystem. It addresses real-world challenges faced by innovators transitioning from prototypes to commercial deployment, ultimately accelerating the adoption of transformative agricultural technologies.
With the pilot phase of AgriScale underway, the selected businesses are set to gain practical, expert-led support over the coming months. If successful, this model could expand to support more UK innovators, creating a stronger, more agile agri-tech manufacturing sector capable of meeting domestic and international demand while driving innovation across agriculture.