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Farming Futures R&D Fund: Automation and Robotics Competition

Expected to open. This call is for UK-registered agri-tech businesses, robotics/automation developers, and research organisations building collaborative R&D projects that benefit English farmers or growers. Projects must be led by a UK registered business (academics cannot lead or apply alone) and must demonstrate direct on-farm/grower benefit in England, with all project work and exploitation based in the UK. Prior rounds required a genuine consortium — collaboration is mandatory, and if farmers/growers claim grant funding, at least 50% of their grant costs must come from England-based farme…

Award
Indicative from prior rounds: Strand 1 (industrial research) project costs £500k–£1m with up to 70% grant-funded; Strand 2 (experimental development) project costs £750k–£1.5m with up to 45% grant-funded — total pot up to £12.5m across both strands (2023 figures; 2026 round terms not yet published)
Single applicants welcome

Application window

Rolling or to be confirmed

Official programme page

What it funds

Expected to open. This call is for UK-registered agri-tech businesses, robotics/automation developers, and research organisations building collaborative R&D projects that benefit English farmers or growers. Projects must be led by a UK registered business (academics cannot lead or apply alone) and must demonstrate direct on-farm/grower benefit in England, with all project work and exploitation based in the UK. Prior rounds required a genuine consortium — collaboration is mandatory, and if farmers/growers claim grant funding, at least 50% of their grant costs must come from England-based farme…

Who it suits

This call is for UK-registered agri-tech businesses, robotics/automation developers, and research organisations building collaborative R&D projects that benefit English farmers or growers. Projects must be led by a UK registered business (academics cannot lead or apply alone) and must demonstrate d…

  • Clean energy & net zero
  • Late stage & scale-up

Programme specifications

Award band£1m+
FunderInnovate UK
RegionUK-wide
Partners requiredNo
Next deadlineRolling or to be confirmed
Key sectors
Clean energy & net zero

Expert guidance

We only put companies forward for competitions they can genuinely win. A free funding fit call will tell you where you stand against this programme.

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