Agri-food innovators from the eastern England took centre stage at a major showcase event designed to highlight cutting-edge technologies that could transform the future of food production in the UK.

The region already had a worldwide reputation as a leader in food production and innovation when it attracted Innovate UK’s £7.5m Launchpad programme in 2023.

Led locally by Lincolnshire County Council’s own UK Food Valley team, on behalf of partners across Greater Lincolnshire, Norfolk, Suffolk and Cambridgeshire, the Launchpad programme has since supported 49 pioneering businesses across the region, including 10 in Lincolnshire, to develop and accelerate innovations across the sector.

This innovation showcase event marked the culmination of that programme, and investors, industry leaders and innovators in attendance were all keen to meet the businesses behind exciting agri-food projects, see their technologies in action, and explore opportunities for partnerships and investment to drive a path towards future commercialisation.

Just some of the innovative projects showcased were:

  • Fairman Knight and Sons’ feasibility study into the UK’s first commercial-scale insect farm, supporting low-carbon protein production
  • TH Clements and Sons’ CauliGrowth system, using predictive technology to optimise harvest timing and reduce food waste
  • UTAP, developing a blockchain-based cattle tracking system for transparency from farm to fork
  • AVGO Biotech, exhibiting their pharmaceutical grade calcium carbonate extracted from waste seashells
  • NFU Energy with the University of Lincoln, exploring the potential to use geothermal and novel glass coating technologies to improve controlled environment agriculture efficiency and productivity.

Effie Warwick-John, UK Food Valley Programme Manager, said: “There was a real buzz in the room for the event. It was a fantastic showcase for the local impact of the Launchpad programme, and the strength of industry and innovation across our region.

“Innovations don’t come out of nowhere, there are dozens of fantastic individuals and companies who help to drive their ideas into reality, and the Launchpad programme does an amazing job to bridge the gap between initial concepts and the ready-for-commercialisation technologies that we’ve seen here.

“In celebrating what our partnership has achieved with the projects on display, we’re also helping to connect a lot of innovators, investors, and businesses who can work together to help drive these ideas from industry innovations to industry standard.

“This event shows the model works, and we’re keen to continue that support for our businesses, helping them progress and attract investment and commercialisation opportunities that will help to boost the agri-food sector and our local economies."

Jack Ward, Director of the British Growers Association, said: “In a sector where margins are often slim, we look for certainty, and this naturally hits investment into new and emerging technologies. 

“By helping innovators in their early stages, the Launchpad programme de-risks investment for businesses and gives the sector confidence to take advantage of the great ideas coming forward.

“From this event, there’s been a number of robotic harvesting projects that have really stood out for me, as seasonal labour has been a huge issue for the fresh produce industry. 

“Programmes like this are really important to keep bringing through these innovations to a commercial scale, and are increasingly needed as we should be looking to reduce our reliance of imported food and develop stronger food security.”