In a significant boost to the agri-tech and food-tech sectors, nine innovative projects across Mid and North Wales have secured a combined £2.95 million in Collaborative Research & Development (CR&D) funding from Innovate UK. This investment is set to strengthen the region’s innovation ecosystem, driving advancements in agriculture and food production technologies.
The projects are part of the Agri-tech and Food Technology Cluster for Mid and North Wales, a programme designed to foster innovation in these critical sectors. Coordinated by a Cluster Management Organisation led by Growing Mid Wales, the initiative is delivered in partnership with Ambition North Wales, M-Sparc, AberInnovation, AMRC Cymru, Innovate UK, and the Welsh Government. The cluster not only promotes a wide range of funding opportunities but also provides dedicated support to businesses and research partners, accelerating technological advancements.
The funding supports collaboration between businesses, researchers, and delivery partners to develop new technologies, products, and processes that address key challenges in the agri-food sector. These challenges include productivity, sustainability, crop health, packaging, and food resilience. Louise Jones, Wales Manager at Innovate UK, highlighted the significance of these awards, stating, “These awards highlight the depth of innovation capability across Mid and North Wales. Collaborative R&D funding helps businesses work with partners to reduce risk, accelerate innovation and bring new ideas closer to market.”
The Agri-tech and Food Technology Cluster for Mid and North Wales brings together businesses, researchers, and delivery partners to accelerate innovation. The Agri-tech Cluster, managed by M-SParc, supports businesses working in agricultural technologies such as precision farming, automation, and biotechnologies. Meanwhile, the Agri-food Cluster, managed by AberInnovation, focuses on innovation in food manufacturing, processing, and sustainability. Both clusters are guided by a strategic steering group composed of key regional partners, ensuring that activities align with business needs, regional priorities, and future growth opportunities.
The nine funded projects include a range of innovative solutions:
1. **Diagnostig, Anglesey**: Developing a rapid diagnostic platform for early detection of Johne’s disease in cattle, supporting healthier herds and improved productivity.
2. **Lacuna Space, Ceredigion**: Creating a low-cost, satellite-connected water quality monitoring system to help farmers and authorities track nutrient pollution and improve river health.
3. **Polytag, Flintshire**: Developing a digital traceability and storytelling platform for Welsh food and drink, using QR codes to meet new labelling requirements and share product stories with consumers.
4. **Lanotech, Powys**: Converting low-value Welsh wool into high-energy, feed-grade lanolin to replace imported soy and palm oil, creating a circular agricultural model.
5. **RapidX Bio, Ceredigion**: Developing a handheld, on-farm testing system for rapid plant disease and soil health diagnostics, helping farmers act earlier and improve yields sustainably.
6. **Neurabotics, Ceredigion**: Creating a semi-autonomous strawberry harvesting technology to help UK soft-fruit growers cut costs and improve productivity.
7. **Agroceutical Products, Powys, Denbighshire & Gwynedd**: Transforming invasive bracken into a sustainable, peat-free growing media, supporting peat reduction and circular agriculture.
8. **PlantSea, Denbighshire**: Developing recyclable and home-compostable packaging films from seaweed to replace single-use plastics and aluminium laminates.
9. **TetrimTeas, Ceredigion & Gwynedd**: Creating a nutritionally enhanced white bread using Welsh-grown mushrooms to boost vitamin D, protein, and fibre, improving public health and supporting sustainable regional food production.
Barbara Green, Project Manager for the Agri-tech and Food Cluster Management Organisation of Mid and North Wales, Growing Mid Wales, emphasized the regional impact of these projects. “Together, these projects showcase the ambition, creativity, and technical excellence coming out of Mid and North Wales. Just as importantly, this investment is being spent in the region — supporting local businesses, researchers, and farmers to turn bold ideas into practical innovations that have the potential to deliver economic and environmental benefits for the region.”
Elliw Hughes, Agri-food and Tourism Programme Manager for the North Wales Growth Deal, Ambition North Wales, added, “This investment reflects the value of regional collaboration, supporting businesses to scale innovation and contribute to a more productive regional economy.”
These projects not only highlight the innovative spirit of Mid and North Wales but also underscore the importance of regional collaboration in driving technological advancements. The funding and support provided by the Agri-tech and Food Technology Cluster are crucial in addressing the pressing challenges faced by the agri-food sector, paving the way for a more sustainable and productive future.