In order to put the UK at the forefront of sustainable increases in agricultural production, the Biotechnology and Biological Sciences Research Council and Technology Strategy Board set up new Agri-Tech Catalyst, which will help to commercialise UK agricultural innovation and bridge the so called 'valley of death' between the lab and the marketplace.
The Agri-Tech Catalyst offers funding for collaborative projects, taking innovative ideas from any sector or discipline with the potential to provide an economic boost to the UK agri-tech industry, by tackling challenges in agriculture.
These challenges may be domestic or international: funding for the Agri-Tech Catalyst includes an element specifically targeted at contributing to international development.
Professor Douglas Kell, BBSRC Chief Executive, said: "Advances in agricultural technologies have underpinned virtually the whole of human civilisation and development. Today, advances in relevant basic, strategic and applied science provide a wealth of opportunity for the UK, both economically and socially."
"The launch of this catalyst will help to translate our world-leading food and farming research into practice so that we can make the most of these opportunities and offer real contributions to global food security."
The Agri-Tech Catalyst will help to take innovations all the way from concept to commercialisation, awarding grants for early-stage pre-industrial research feasibility studies, industrial research, and late-stage pre-experimental and experimental feasibility studies. Any UK business or academic researcher can apply.
