Agri-Tech Catalyst Round 9 - Competition Briefing and Networking Event

Agri-Tech Catalyst Round 9:
agriculture and food
systems innovation
Briefing & Consortia Building event
24th October 2019, Birmingham
#AgriTechCatalyst

Introduction to the
Event
Lucy Mather
Knowledge Transfer Manager (Agri-Food), KTN

Time
10.00 – 10.10 Introduction to the workshop
10.10 – 10.55 Innovate UK Overview
AgriTech Catalyst Round 9 scope & rules
Key Opportunities and needs in Africa and DFID requirements
10.55 – 11.15 Q&A
11.15 – 11.30 What makes a good application
Introduction to meeting mojo
11.30 – 12.00 Coffee Break
12.00 – 12.45 Facilitated networking activities
12.45 – 13.45 Lunch
13.45 – 14.05 Case Study
14.05 – 15.00 Delegate pitches
15.00 – 16.30 Meeting mojo and networking
16.30 Close
Agenda

KTN – Industry & Technology sectors
Materials
Chemistry
Environmental
Services
Agri-Food
Biosciences
Medical
Biotechnology
Health
ICT
Electronics,
Sensors &
Phototonics
Defence &
Security
Space
Built
Environment
Transport
Energy
Creative
Industries
Digital Economy
Design
Emerging Technologies, H2020, International, Access to Finance, Design, Manufacturing, Sustainability

How do we help you succeed…
Partnering
Access to a network of
industry & research
partners, help to find
partners for projects,
consortia building,
commercial partners
Funding
Help with finding &
obtaining funding
Organising events
For knowledge transfer
& collaboration
Strategic work
Strategy Reports,
Roadmaps,
International Expert
Missions, Special
Interest Groups
Information & News
Up-to-date –
newsletters, website,
social media

Event overview
Aims of today’s event:
1) Better understand competition objectives, scope and rules
2) Plenty of opportunities to network and develop ideas and partnerships for the
competition
- Pitch presentations
- Networking and consortia building sessions
- What makes a good project and examples of previously funded projects
- Speak with funders
Overall – Help you be successful!

Event overview
How to find potential collaborators
‒ Identify people during pitch presentations and networking session
‒ See delegate list for capabilities offered/requested
‒ Ask a KTN staff member
‒ Meeting Mojo
- Speak to as many people as possible!

LinkedIn group https://www.linkedin.com/groups/8766913/

Thank you for your attention
#AgriTechCatalyst
Register for KTN Agri-Food newsletters: https://ktn-uk.co.uk/newsletter

Agri-Tech Catalyst Round 9
Agriculture and food systems innovation

Lucy Mather – Knowledge Transfer Network (KTN)
Simon Baty – Knowledge Transfer Network (KTN)
Chris Danks – Knowledge Transfer Network (KTN)
Kathryn Miller – Innovation Lead, Innovate UK
Duncan Barker – Livelihoods Advisor, Department
for International Development (DFID)
Welcome

Innovate UK
Introduction and current funding
opportunities

We work with the government
to invest over £7 billion a year
in research and innovation by
partnering with academia and
industry to make the impossible,
possible. Through the UK’s nine
leading academic and industrial
funding councils, we create
knowledge with impact.

Innovate UK drives productivity and
growth by supporting businesses to
realise the potential of new technologies,
develop ideas and make them a
commercial success.
Innovate UK
To stay competitive as an advanced
economy, we need to do things that
others cannot do, or to do things in
different and better ways.

UK Research
and Innovation
Industry strategy challenge fund objectives
• Increased UK business investment in R&D and
improved R&D capability and capacity
• Increased multi- and interdisciplinary research
• Increased business-academic engagement on
innovation activities
• Increased collaboration between younger, smaller
companies and larger more established companies,
connecting up value chains (or networks)
• Increased overseas investment in R&D in the UK

Industrial Strategy Challenge Fund – Wave 1
Leading-Edge
Healthcare
Challenge
(including
Medicines Mfg)
up to £188m
National
Satellite Test
Facility
up to £99m
Next Gen.
Affordable
Lightweight
Materials Mfg
(ATI projects)
up to £26m
Autonomous
Vehicles (CCAV
projects)
up to £38m
Robotics and
AI in extreme
environments
Challenge
up to £93m
Faraday
Battery
Challenge
up to £246m

Industrial Strategy Challenge Fund – Wave 2
Data to early diagnosis and
precision medicine
(up to £196m)
Healthy ageing
(up to £98m)
Next generation services
(up to£20m)
Audience of the future
(up to £33m)
Quantum technology
(up to £20m)
Transforming construction
(up to £170m)
Prospering from the
energy revolution
(up to £102.5m)
Transforming food production
(up to £90m)

UK Research
and Innovation
Transforming Food Production
• Accelerating the development and
adoption of integrated precision
approaches to improve productivity in
agricultural systems
• Enable food to be produced in ways
that more efficient, resilient and
sustainable
• Driving economic growth across the
country
Towards net zero emissions
productive food systems by 2040

UK Research
and Innovation
1. Create integrated data-driven solutions to drive primary
agricultural productivity whilst driving towards net zero
emissions
2. Embed adoption of precision approaches to bridge the
productivity gap, strengthening connections between
researchers, businesses and practitioners
3. Stimulate the establishment of novel high value production
systems to position UK technologies at the forefront of new
industries.
4. Drive growth in UK precision technology companies, creating
high value jobs and adding value in the UK agricultural value
chain.
5. Develop export opportunities and increase investment into UK
research and innovation.
Transforming food production: objectives

UK Research
and Innovation
large scale,
ambitious,
integrated and
data-driven
solutions
£20 million available
multidisciplinary
projects with
diverse
collaborations

UK Research
and Innovation
Future Food Production Systems
In scope
A broad church of technologies:
• indoor growing systems
• aquaculture, including
deep water
algal culture
• new food sources, including:
insects
fermentation based systems
• others
Out of scope
Mainly non-food production systems:
• equine
• amenity horticulture
• wild caught fisheries

UK Research
and Innovation
FFPS – What should projects look like …
B L T C S
Business led Large
£1 million to
£10 million
Transforming Collaborative Short
24 – 33
months

UK Research
and Innovation
Future Food Production Systems - timeline
16 Sep – Competition opens
03 Oct – Update London
08 Oct – Briefing Edinburgh
23 Oct – Briefing Birmingham
Late Nov – Collaboration event
28 Feb – Invitation to interview
16 Mar – Interview
28 Mar - Notification
22 Jan – Competition closes
Sep Oct Nov Dec Jan 20 Feb Mar Apr

• Opportunity to apply for a share of up to £25
million to deliver ambitious or disruptive R&D
innovations with significant potential for impact
on the UK economy.
• Your application must include at least one
micro, small or medium-sized enterprise (SME).
• Your project must start by June 2020 and end
no later than June 2023.
• Projects can last between 6 and 36 months
• Total project costs can range from £25k to
£2million
Opened: 17 October 2019
Closes: 8 January 2020
SMART grants

Global Challenges Research Fund (GCRF)
Technology Accelerator Programme
£15m
Innovation
Awards
Early stage awards to
build and extend UK
capabilities for
African AgriFood
challenges
£800k
Dissemination and Collaboration
Activity
£2m
Skills
Training
£7m
Industry
focussed
CR&D
To support
investment in
the ATC
R8 £6.5m*
R9 £3m*
R10 £2.5m*
Intnl
Knowledge
Transfer
To embed new
capability in
African
businesses to
help them
grow
£7m
Programme running from 2019 – 2023/24
Capacity building
Missions and outreach: To
enhance understanding of
African needs across the
Agri-Food supply chain
Collaboration events: UK
and Africa events and
workshops to foster
collaboration
Seeding
Awards
Academic
pump-prime
grants for
existing
grant
recipients
(BBSRC
delivering)
£1m
Demo.
activities
Late Stage
only
£2m
*see AgriTech Catalyst funding summary

• GCRF AgriFood Africa Awards aim to encourage UK research partners, including Universities and
Research Technology Organisations (RTOs), to address AgriFood challenges in Africa.
• Up to £800k will be available to support a maximum of 20 Awards – Round 1 opening Dec 2019 (date
tbc)
• Projects must be between an African partner and a UK research partner that is likely to lead to a
longer-term relationship and follow-on projects, particularly in further rounds of the Agri-Tech Catalyst
• The grants are up to £40,000 awarded to the UK research partner to tackle a problem relevant to the
African partner(s), for projects up to 12 months
• Scope includes:
• primary crop and livestock production, including aquaculture
• improving the availability and accessibility of safe, healthy and nutritious foods
• challenges in food processing, distribution or storage, and value addition (such as through a
change in the physical state or form of the product)
• non-food uses of crops, excluding ornamentals and crops for energy use
GCRF AgriFood Awards

Agri-Tech Catalyst
Introduction and scope

Agri-Tech Strategy
• Launched 22 July 2013
• Aims to improve the translation of research
into practical application for agriculture and
related industries in UK and overseas
• £160M government investment over 5yrs:
• Agri-tech Catalyst (£70m)
• Centres for Agricultural Innovation (£90m) –
Agri-Tech Centres

Agri-Tech CentresAgri Tech Centres
- CHAP – Centre for
Crop Health and
Protection
- Agri-EPI – Agricultural
Engineering Precision
Innovation Centre
- Agrimetrics
- CIEL – Centre for
Innovation Excellence
in Livestock

- £70m investment to support agricultural innovations across 6 rounds (126 projects)
- Funding for collaborative projects, taking innovative ideas from any sector or discipline
to tackle challenges in agriculture & provide an economic boost to the UK
- £60m has been invested through Innovate UK and BBSRC
- £10m invested by DFID to support transfer of technology and new products to
developing countries
- In October 2018, the MOU between DFID and Innovate UK was amended and increased
ODA funding to total £20m, supporting three more competitions (R7 - 9)
To date

• £10m investment to support competitions including rounds 7 onwards
• £15m additional funding through GCRF from round 8 onwards
Timeline:
₋ Round 9 – 14 October 2019 – 8 January 2020 (this competition)
₋ Round 10 – To be confirmed, provisional open date April 2020
₋ Round 11 – To be confirmed, provisional open date March 2021
Latest funding available

DFID and the Agri-Tech Catalyst

- DFID is investing in the Agri-Tech Catalyst to test whether it can increase the pace of
development and scale of uptake of agriculture and food systems innovations in Africa by and
for:
- farmers/livestock keepers; or
- food systems actors (such as manufacturers, processors, retailers, distributors or
wholesalers).
- 75% of the poorest people are rural; depend on agriculture, livestock, forestry and fisheries for
their livelihoods.
- Innovation in developing country agriculture, particularly in Africa is low, and new innovation and
technology is needed to tackle emerging threats such as climate change and pests and
diseases.
- To improve nutrition for all in both rural and growing urban areas, we need to make changes not
only in how food is grown and produced, but also how it is processed, transported, marketed
and consumed.
DFID and the Catalyst

- Projects must show the potential to deliver impact for poor people through the
uptake of agricultural and food systems technology and innovation
- Scope of the Catalyst includes:
- primary crop and livestock production including aquaculture
- non-food uses of crops, excluding ornamentals
- challenges in downstream food processing, distribution or storage and value
addition
- Improving availability and accessibility of safe, healthy and nutritious foods
- Your project’s innovations must:
- be sustainable in the context of environmental challenges such as climate
change and resource scarcity
- minimise negative effects such as pollution, food losses and waste
Agri-Tech Catalyst Round 9:
Scope

- The following are priorities for DFID funding. You could consider focusing on one or
more themes, but note this list is not exhaustive:
- integrating smallholders into global and local supply chains
- meeting quality standards and improving productivity
- increasing the value of production to smallholders
- innovation that supports food systems to deliver nutritious, healthy and safe
food
- control of crop pests, weeds and diseases
- reducing food losses ‘post-farm gate’ and through the value chain
- addressing food safety issues through the value chain
- addressing challenges in downstream food processing, distribution or storage
and value addition
- new food technologies and data-driven food systems, including for urban areas
Specific Themes of Interest

- Official Development Assistance (ODA) is defined as flows to countries and territories on
the DAC List of ODA Recipients
- Only research directly and primarily relevant to the problems of developing countries may
be counted as ODA
- This includes research into tropical pests, diseases, livestock and crops for developing
country conditions.
- The costs may still be counted as ODA if the research is carried out in a developed
country.
www.oecd.org/investment/stats/34086975.pdf
Official Development Assistance
and Research

Official Development Assistance
and Research
- ODA eligibility is a key component of the assessment process.
- Applications must clearly demonstrate that they propose work that will benefit
agriculture and food systems in Africa and how they will deliver this benefit.
- During the lifetime of a project, it may not impact large numbers of people, but
proposals must show how a project will build a pathway to future development
impact.
- There can be benefits to the UK – companies/researchers – but this must be
secondary in nature.
- Activities in the UK must clearly be for challenges in Africa, not for the UK
market.

Taken from the Global Panel on Agriculture and Food Systems for Nutrition
Agriculture and Food Systems
- To improve nutrition for all, we need to make changes in the food we produce, and how it is
processed, transported, marketed and consumed.
- The food environment from
which consumers should be
able to create healthy diets
is influenced by four
domains of economic
activity:
- Agricultural production
- Markets and trade systems
- Consumer purchasing
power
- Food transformation and
consumer demand

Types of project
Market readiness

Eligibility Criteria
Project Eligibility
• must be collaborative
• must include a partner from an eligible African country, who can be the
technical lead
• must include a UK-based administrative lead
• must be carried out in the UK or an eligible African country or both
• must include at least one business in the consortium
Project costs
• Early stage feasibility studies: £100,000 to £500,000, 12 to 18 months.
• Mid stage industrial research: £250,000 to £1 million, up to 3 years.
• Late stage experimental development: £150,000 to £800,000, up to 18
months.
Projects must start by 1 July 2020

Eligibility Criteria
Early Mid Late
Stage ü Feasibility ü Industrial ü Experimental development
Administrative Lead
ü Recipient of award
ü Manage and be accountable for the project’s finances
ü UK registered business of any size, academic institution, charity, public
sector or research organisation
ü Recipient of award
ü Manage and be accountable for
the project’s finances
ü UK registered business of any
size
Technical Lead
ü Lead on the development of the
scope and work packages
ü Can be partner organisation from
any country
ü Business of any size, academic
institution, charity, public sector
or research organisation
ü Lead on the development of the
scope and work packages
ü Can be partner organisation
from any country
ü Be a business (of any size)
ü Lead on the development of
the scope and work packages
ü Business of any size from any
country
ü Can be administrative lead if a UK organisation

Angola
Benin
Burkina Faso
Burundi
Cameroon
Central African Republic
Chad
Congo (Brazzaville)
Congo, Democratic
Republic of
Côte d'Ivoire
Eritrea
Ethiopia
Gambia, The
Ghana
Guinea
Guinea-Bissau
Kenya
Lesotho
Liberia
Madagascar
Malawi
Mali
Mozambique
Niger
Nigeria
Rwanda
Sao Tome and Principe
Senegal
Sierra Leone
Somalia
South Africa
South Sudan
Sudan
Tanzania
Togo
Uganda
Zambia
Zimbabwe
Eligible Countries

For Early Stage feasibility studies and industrial research awards, you
could get up to:
• 70% of eligible project costs for micro or small business
• 60% for medium-sized business
• 50% for large business
For experimental development projects which are nearer to market, you
could get up to:
• 45% of eligible project costs for micro or small business
• 35% for medium-sized business
• 25% for large business
Grant intervention rates for business

• For early-stage feasibility studies and mid stage industrial research
projects the total costs for your research partners must not exceed 50%
of the total project costs
• If your consortium contains more than one research organisation, this
maximum will be shared between them
• For late stage experimental development projects: research base
partners cannot claim funding but can participate as subcontractors.
• Universities can claim 100% (80% of Full Economic Costs)
• Other research organisations can claim 100% of their project costs
• Public Sector Organisation or Charity can claim 100% of their project
costs
Research partner participation rules

Key Information
£5 million available across three strands
• Open - 14 October 2019
• Close - 8 January 2020
• Applicants notified - 3 April 2020
• Projects start - 1 July 2020
Find out more
• 24 October - Briefing event Birmingham
• 30 October - Competition briefing
• 6 November - Theme-specific webinars
(crop, livestock, food systems/nutrition)

Search for a funding competition and review
criteria

Applicant: create an account
• To create your account:
• UK based businesses - Use
Companies House lookup as it
speeds up our checks by providing
your company number and your are
unable to enter it at a later date
• Research organisations,
academics & Universities - Enter
your information manually so you’re
not listed as a business on IFS and
ensure you receive the correct
funding

• Application Team
• Collaborators: Invite organisations who you are working with on the project
• Contributors: Invite colleagues from your own organisation to help you complete
your application
• Application Details
• Title, Timescales, Research Category, Innovation Area & Resubmission (y/n)
• Project Summary
• Short summary and objectives of the project including what is innovative about it
• Public Description
• Description of your project which will be published if you are successful
• Scope
• How does your project align with the scope of this competition?
• If your project is not in scope, it will be ineligible for funding
Project Details

Application Questions
Application form
Question 1 Business opportunity
Question 2 Market opportunity
Question 3 Project results
Question 4 Official development assistance (ODA)
Question 5 International development (gender equality) act
Question 6 Technical approach
Question 7 Innovation
Question 8 Risk
Question 9 Project team
Question 10 Financial commitment
Question 11 Added value
Appendix Q6
Appendix Q9
Appendix Q8
Appendix Q4
Detailed Guidance
Available on IFS

Application Assessment
• All applications are assessed by independent assessors drawn from
industry, academia and international development backgrounds
• What do they look for?
• Clear and concise answers
• The right amount of information
• not too much detail
• no assumptions
• Quantification and justification
• A proposal that presents a viable opportunity for growth, a level of
innovation that necessitates public sector investment, has potential
for significant impact for developing countries you are working in and
has the right team and approach to be successful
Keep your assessors
engaged and interested in
your proposal. You want
them to be fascinated and
excited by your idea!

Customer Support Services:
0300 321 4357 (Mon-Fri, 9am-5:30pm)
support@innovateuk.ukri.org
Knowledge Transfer Network: www.ktn-uk.co.uk
Innovate UK: https://www.gov.uk/government/organisations/innovate-uk
Contact Us

@InnovateUK Innovate UKInnovate
UK

Good Proposal Guide -
Hints and Tips
Simon Baty

• Advice on most appropriate scheme
• Assistance to help you be successful
– Finding the right partners
– Presentations/Guidance documents
– One-one advice
– Review of draft proposals – contact us early;
must receive draft >1 week before deadline
What’s available through the KTN?
Funding: help in finding and obtaining funding
Transforming Food Production 2018
Of the 31 funded projects:
• 25 attended briefing event/webinar
• 10 received feedback on their
application from KTN agri-food team
• The total value of these 10 projects is
>£8.8m.

A strong business case
A credible plan for Research and Development
The right consortium
A clear need for support (Risk)
Innovation
Alignment to the competition scope –must show the potential to have a positive
impact on poverty through the uptake of agricultural and food systems technology
innovation The points on these slides are not in the order of the application questions and do not cover all
the questions in the guidance document. They are intended to help in the formulation of good
proposal ideas
A Good Proposal Has:

What is the need or benefit that this project will address?
What is the current market like (size, dynamics etc.)?
Describe the route to market.
How will the project increase the pace of innovation in the development of
agricultural and food systems in Africa?
What will be the wider benefits? – ODA criteria and Gender equality
• These may be economic, social, environmental etc.
A Strong Business Case

Outcome focussed research
R & D: Make sure there is enough time for D within the project
Provide sufficient detail to be able to judge the quality and feasibility of the
technical plan and the value for money
• WP No. & Name, Partners involved, timeline (e.g. M0-12), Description
of activity, Milestone
Demonstrate the necessary skills and resources are available
Provide a clear/simple management structure & plan
A Credible Plan for R&D

Horizontal or vertical consortia (or both) possible
Why these partners? – what makes this a particularly strong consortium?
Are there any obvious gaps in the consortia that will be key to outcomes and
delivery?
Show how all the partners have an active role to play and how each benefits
in some way (No “passengers”)
The Right Consortium

Explain why the project would not go ahead (or would be delayed or reduced in
scope) without funding:
• Have you explained and justified why you are not funding the project yourselves?
• Have you explained how the project would be undertaken differently with AgriTech
Catalyst investment?
A realistic prospect of success, but sufficient uncertainty that there is still need
for research and development
A clear need for support

“funders recognise that projects of this type are inherently risky, but seek assurance that
projects have adequate arrangements for managing this risk”.
Explain the risks and how these will be mitigated –
‒ Technical (including regulatory)
‒ Commercial
‒ Managerial
‒ Environmental
Use the format: Risk, Rating (High/Medium/Low), Mitigation
State risk management tools e.g. risk register
A clear need for support (2) RISK

Show how your project is commercially/scientifically innovative (in a global context).
Explain how the project pushes boundaries beyond current leading-edge science and
technology, and/or it is looking to apply existing technologies in new areas
Provide evidence to support this, i.e. results of
‒ Patent searches
‒ Competitor analyses
‒ Literature surveys
Detail current IP, & strategy for protecting new IP
Innovation

Agree key points of the collaboration agreement before you waste too much time on
an idea that won’t fly
Be clear, concise and realistic
Do not assume assessors are experts in your subject
Provide evidence wherever possible
‒ e.g. of market data, of track record or of patent searches & reference these (e.g.
Defra, 2018)
General Tips

Stress the added value of the funding applied for and the excellent value for money
Explain the financing – Break down & justify
Check ALL deadlines (competition closes at Noon)
Start discussing, planning and writing ASAP
Do not leave it too late to ask questions or submit!
Write a proposal that excites and inspires
General Tips – 2

KTN guide to writing a successful funding
application
Access a copy here:
https://ktn-uk.co.uk/news/how-to-prepare-
the-best-application-for-grant-competitions
General tips - 3

Contact us at an early stage to discuss:
-Project ideas
-Partners
-Funding
Keep in regular contact
Getting the most from the KTN

LinkedIn Group
https://www.linkedin.com/groups/8766913/

Thank you for your
attention
Register for KTN newsletters: https://ktn-uk.co.uk/register
#TransformingFoodProduction

Coffee break – back at
12pm

Facilitated networking
activities

Round table introductions
1) Who I am and Who I work for
2) What I do/my organisation does
3) Why I am here e.g.
- What I am looking for
- What I can offer to others

Lunch – back at 1.45pm

Case Study

@@CIELivestock1
Centre for Innovation Excellence in Livestock
www.CIELivestock.co.uk
DfID Agri-Tech
Catalyst R9
Development of a novel
diagnostic test for Contagious
Pleuropneumonia disease
Kasi McReddie | 24 October 2019

Centre for Innovation Excellence in
Livestock
Overview
• CIEL – who are we?
• Project Background – why is CBPP/CCPP a
problem?
• Building the project – finding the right
partners
• Project plan & deliverables
• Summary of progress
• Learnings

Livestock
CIEL Overview
Strateg
y Launched 22 July 2013
Aim to improve translation of research into
practical application for agriculture and related
industries in UK and overseas
£160M government investment over 5yrs:
Agri-tech Catalyst (£70m)
Centres for Agricultural Innovation (£90m)
= Agri-Tech Centres

Livestock
Introduction to CIEL
CIEL
Government
BEIS, IUK, Defra,
Health
CIEL
Board
Academic
partners
12
Universities &
Institutions
Farming
associations:
e.g. NFUs,
HCC, QMS
Industry
Retailers,
processors,
farmers, farm
supply sector
Public /
Consume
r groups
Agri-
Tech
Centres
CIEL provides a central
hub for industry, academia
and government
CIEL Overview

Livestock
What does CIEL do?
CIEL Overview
Create valuable collaborations and consortia for R&D
& identify funding sources
Support & deliver innovative research
through project management & KE services
Improve research facilities & expertise
Act as advocates for livestock sector

Livestock
Contagious pleuropneumonia
Affected Zebu - Source: Cirad

Livestock
Contagious pleuropneumonia
• Ruminant disease
• Affects respiratory organs
• Endemic in sub-Saharan Africa
• High mortality rate of <80%
• Economic impact - £1.1bn pa
• No vaccines available
• Existing testing requires skilled
individuals and lab facilities
• Well documented challenge
Test for causative pathogen
(Mycoplasma mycoides
mycoides)
XXXX Test

Livestock
Project Building
1) Understanding the real-
world problem
2) Finding a solution provider
3) Forming a consortium and
preparing the grant application

Livestock
Project Partners
Project management &
Knowledge Exchange
services
Trialing prototype
diagnostic test with local
samples
Developing prototype diagnostic
test
CommercialisationCommercialisation
Bid writing (Lead) Bid writing (Contributor) Bid writing (Contributor)

Livestock
Project Plan Complete
Designing affinity probesWork
Package 1
Designing detection, amplification & reporting systemsWork
Package 2
Incorporating componentsWork
Package 3
Control reactionsWork
Package 4
Field work preparationWork
Package 5
Trial of prototypeWork
Package 6
Commercialisation planningWork
Package 7
✓
✓
✓
✓
✓
WP0ProjectMgmt
✓
✓

Livestock
Learnings
• Projects don’t always run smoothly!
• Cultural differences in attitude to reporting
• Don’t be afraid to have very regular contact!
• Intermittent wi-fi and wide geographies will impact communication
• Useful to have an independent project management partner
• Great willingness to make the project a success!
• Focused on post-project commercialisation
• Great fun to work with!
• Great to be involved in a project with such a positive impact

@@CIELivestock1
Centre for Innovation Excellence in Livestock
www.CIELivestock.co.uk
Questions?
kasi.mcreddie@cielivestock.co.uk
07468 496 923

Order First Name Surname Company
1 Clive Bailye TWB Farms
2 Crispin Halsall Lancaster University
3 Kate Shurgaia Powerhive
4 Liangxiu Han MMU
5 Arije Abdullahi Arije Investment Industries
6 Karen Hampson Farm Radio
7 Richard Gonzalez Sensor IT
8 Richard Randle-Boggis University of Glasgow
9 Richard Glass CHAP
10 Job Oyebisi Farmcorps
11 Ben Scott-Robinson Small Robot Company

Muddy Boots is a UK Technology company with solutions that
improve supply chain transparency and performance in the agri-
food industry
An SME approx. 100 people with international offices UK Europe
Australia, Kenya, China and partnerships in US
Representing the Seed Assure Alliance a
UK/African public and private coalition
committed to bolster the African seed sector by
digitizing the seed inspection, certification and trade.
Stakeholders include Muddy Boots, FERA,
Cellsoft, Acquity, Comessa, AATF, AFSTA, NML
Details: Jonathan Evans
jon.evans@muddyboots.com
+44 7967 553003

Problem: Millions of farmers of farmers in Africa suffer low productivity
because they don’t use quality certified seed
Outcomes:
• On farm digital tools to standardize
inspection process
• Data generated creates a seed lot
passport foundation for traceability
• Seed assurance and trust
• Improvement in on farm yield,
productivity and livelihoods
Challenges:
• High failure rate of seed in production
• Inadequately qualified inspectors
• Entire process paper based
• Fraud, lack of trust on authenticity
• Slow border movement of seed due to
harmonization of standards at regional level
Needs:
• UK Funding to participate and support this transformative initiative
• Other UK companies to support Muddy Boots and Fera with complimentary capabilities
and technologies that would add value
Current Status:
• Seed Assure being extensively promoted at industry and governmental level across Africa
significant international stakeholder traction
• 12 Seed Companies participating in Field Trials using Muddy Boots proprietary solutions
• McKinsey’s engaged to conduct a study to crate a long term commercial sustainability
mode
Solution: Digital Seed Inspection and Certification underpin seed authenticity

• About your company
• Clive Bailye, Managing Partner TWB Farms, Founder / Director The Farming Forum
• Staffordshire based Combinable crops farm at scale and contract farming . ”Soil Farmers of the
year 2016” Long term Zero Tillage and conservation agriculture specialists / practitioners
• SME
• Contact details
• Clive Balye
• clive@twbfarms.co.uk
• Office 01543686209 mobile 07968961730

1. My Project idea
• To use field scale low volume
drip tape irrigation / fertigation
to close the gap between best &
average combinable crop yields
• Possible “next step” in zero
tillage, controlled traffic farm
productivity
•
2. What’s innovative about it?
• Potential doubling of yields ?
• Potential to halve synthetic input
use ?
• Better utilization of resources &
reduced pollution
• Mitigation of climate change
3. The services I can offer?
• Land, long term zerotill
• Professional management
• 12m CTF system / RTK Network
• Logistics, weighbridge, detailed
historical record keeping
• Knowledge transfer
4. The partners/services I seek?
• Hardware / technology
• Precision farming RTK specialists
• Agronomy / nutrition specialists
• Local / remote sensing
• Quantification / reporting
• Organisation /Project management
•
Sub surface precession irrigation and fertigation of combinable crops in a Zero
Tillage conservation agriculture, controlled traffic farming system

• LANCASTER UNIVERSITY & ARID AGRITEC LTD (SME)
• ENVIRONMENTAL CHEMISTRY & HORTICULTURAL TECHNOLOGY
• Contact details
• PROFESSOR CRISPIN HALSALL
• c.halsall@lancaster.ac.uk
• 01524 594330

1. Your Project idea
• HIGHLY NOVEL ALGORITHM TECHNOLOGY
FOR ACCURATELY PREDICTING PESTICIDE
BREAKDOWN RATES ON PROTECTED CROPS
TO SAFE LEVELS.
• DEVELOP ALGORITHM FOR ALL MAJOR
AFRICAN SPECIFIC PESTICIDE CHEMICAL
ACTIVES.
• DELIVER ACCESS TO THE ALGORITHM VIA AN
APP OR TEXT MESSAGE SERVICE (DEPENDENT
ON LOCAL NETWORK) ENPOWERING
GROWERS ACROSS THE CONTINENT TO
PRODUCE SAFE CROPS.
• FIRST VIABLE APPROACH IN 40 YEARS OF
INDUSTRY CAPABLE OF PREDICTING PESTICIDE
BREAKDOWN TIMES FOR ALL CROPS, AT ALL
LOCATIONS ON EARTH UNDER ANY PROTECTIVE
CROP COVER PRODUCT.
• ADDRESSING LONG-TERM AND WIDE RANGING
DOMESTIC FOOD SAFETY ISSUES RELATING TO
CHEMICAL RESIDUES ON FRESH FOOD PRODUCE.
• ADDRESSES ONE OF THE MAJOR TECHNICAL
BARRIERS FOR AFRICAN FARMERS TO GLOBAL
TRADE IN THEIR FRESH PRODUCE (MRLs –
MAXIMUM RESIDUE LEVELS).
3. The services you can offer?
• A UNIQUE QUANTITATIVE ASSESSMENT OF
PESTICIDE FATE ON CROP SURFACES UNDER
DIFFERENT LIGHT AND TEMPERATURE
REGIMES
• A BESPOKE APP-BASED SERVICE THAT
PROVIDES ADVICE ON SAFE-TIME-TO-
HARVEST TO AVOID UNWANTED RESIDUES
ON HARVESTED CROPS
•
4. The partners/services you seek?
• AFRICA BASED FOOD RETAILERS
• FRESH PRODUCE SUPPLY CHAIN BUSINESSES
ACROSS THE CONTINENT.
• REGULATORY AGENCIES WITH
RESPONSIBILITY FOR PESTICDE USAGE IN
EDIBLE / NON EDIBLE CROPS.

Company name: Powerhive, SME
What we do: Powerhive develops scalable, bankable, off-grid utility
solutions to create a future where everyone has access to clean
energy and the opportunities that come with it.
Are you an SME, Large business or research organisation:
Commercial SME
Contact details
• Chris Webb
• c.webb@powerhive.com
• 07786 392359

• Help release the potential of
farming in Kenya by testing a
combination of productivity
enhancing equipment and training
in combination with access to
financing and markets
• Use the test case and knowledge
gained to help farmers across Africa
• We are addressing the entire
value chain from planning to
transporting and selling the produce
•Data based approach working with
farmers to use data to facilitate the
entire growing process
• Building upon existing customer
relationships
• 6 years of experience in rural
Kenya + team of +40 people who
have already piloted this concept
on a smaller scale
• Utilise Powerhive’s existing 2K
customer relationships
• Expertise in rural African farming
who can help us in our drive to
increase productivity using data,
technology and education

Prof. Liangxiu Han
Director of Centre for Advanced Computational Science, & Deputy Director of MMU
Crime and Wellbeing Big Data Centre
Email & Telephone Contact: l.han@mmu.ac.uk; 01612471225
Website: http://www2.docm.mmu.ac.uk/STAFF/L.Han/
Our expertise: Big data processing and analytics using various large
datasets (e.g. images such as satellite, drone, biomedical scans, texts,
sensors, etc.) with underpinning technologies:
• Novel data analytics/Machine learning/AI
• Novel intelligent architectures/Cloud computing/Parallel computing
With big data applications to different domains (to list a few):
• Precision Agriculture: Automatic Crop Disease Diagnosis -(techniques: image
processing machine learning/AI/Cloud computing/mobile) --
https://youtu.be/IDTOd4G4rhA , https://youtu.be/oGqjDtbwl8Y,
http://www2.mmu.ac.uk/news-and-events/news/story/index.php?id=6643 ,
https://www2.mmu.ac.uk/news-and-events/news/story/8539/
• Health: Automatic Glaucoma Detector (techniques: image processing, machine
learning/AI)-- https://youtu.be/SnlR-3PWNAw
• Energy/Smart City: Automatic Real-Time Prediction of Energy Consumption based on
Occupancy Pattern for Energy Efficiency Management in Buildings-(big data/Cloud)-
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tvpNNMp8hso

• Crop disease diagnosis and
monitoring using big
data/AI/Drone/Mobile
• A mobile-enabled drone controller which
can facilitate automatic control of drone to
capture imagery
• Multiple data source integration and
learning (Satellite, Drone, ground sensing)
• Data integration from above the
field (e.g. satellite, drone images) and
within the field (e.g. data from
sensors, smartphones).
• Disease diagnosis and monitoring at
multiple scales with immediate
results & advices
•A mobile-based on-device machine
vision tool which can diagnose
diseases in real time without needing
the internet-connection in the field
(over 20 disease types)
• Industry partners /academic
partners in Africa

ARIJE INVESTMENT INDUSTRISES NIGERIA LIMTED
• Who are you? AgricTech, Agricultural Project Developer and Exporter
• What is your business? Agribusiness and Agricultural Production
• Are you an SME, Large business or research organisation? Small and Medium Entrepreneur
• Contact details
• Name Abdullahi Arije
• Email arijeinvest@yahoo.com
• Phone +234-8034467099

• Using Cover Crops, in combination
with other regenerative practices.
• creates conditions where soils can
regenerate themselves instead of
eroding and/or desertifying.
• The plants that cover the ground
are meant to be there to protect,
build, and nourish the living soil.
• Reduce water and wind erosion on farmland
• Shade the soil from direct sun, keeping soil
temperatures down which protects carbon
filled soil aggregates and the soil life that
accompanies them
• Protect soil from raindrops. When rain falls
on cover crops, the speed of the droplets are
slowed down and dispersed, allowing water
to gently filter into the soil.
• Agritech development ,
Agricultural project developer
• Organic agricultural practices
• Seeking partnership with Research
Institutions or University to achieve
goal of regenerative agricultural
Practices Africa and Nigeria in particular

Farm Radio International (FRI) is a Canadian non-profit organization developing
and implementing digital tools for communication, extension and change at scale.
FRI works with radio stations in sub-Saharan Africa to develop and air interactive
radio-based approaches tailored to support organisations and small-scale farmers
in achieving different outcomes: awareness, knowledge; market linkages;
adoption of good practice; and changes in attitude and behaviour.
• Karen Hampson, Senior Manager, Programme Development
• khampson@farmradio.org
• 01497 238546

-Use radio+mobile to promote new
ideas/products/services among large
dispersed populations
•Develop franchise or social
entrepreneurial impact investment
model for sustainability of stations
•Use of digital tools for reaching,
monitoring, tracking and interacting
with large populations
• New funding/investment model for
international development
• Scale – reaching hundreds of
thousands of radio listeners
•Closed feedback loops with
audiences through mobile phone
integration
•Communication specialists
Partners who can add value to our digital
services eg new tech or tools
•Partners with services, products, information
to promote which will support small scale
farmers or radio stations
•Partners with business acumen

• Sensor IT is an Internet of Things (IoT) technology and services provider
• We develop IoT prototypes and provide consultancy services related to the implementation and
design of IoT Systems
• WE are a SME
• Contact details
• Richard Gonzalez
• richardg@sensorit.co.uk
• +44 7477 430 542

• Design of customised, tailored to
specific requirements Agriculture-
related IoT prototypes
• Sensor IT designs, develops and
manufactures its own designs, which
means they can be tailored to
specific requirements, instead of the
other way around
• IoT Hardware and Software
Prototype Design
• IoT implementation
Consultancy Services
• Project Management and
Delivery
• Companies wishing to
incorporate IoT technologies in
their AgriTech submission

• About your company (Research group)
• Research Associate – background in biology, ecology and international sustainable
infrastructure
• Researching hybrid food-energy systems for East Africa
• Organisation type: Research Organisation
• Contact details
• Richard Randle-Boggis
• School of Engineering
• richard.randle-boggis@glasgow.ac.uk
Richard Randle-Boggis
University of Glasgow

• What? Agrivoltaic systems: Combined, synergistic crop and
energy systems.
• Why? Improve livelihoods: Tackle food insecurity and
improve crop yields, nutrient content, and drought
resilience.
• How? Bridge gaps: Address the food-energy-water nexus
while avoiding land use conflicts.
• Harvesting the sun twice a developing approach, in agriculture
and totally new to Africa.
• Integrated rainwater harvesting and energy for sustainable and
productive farming operations.
• Facilitates production of high-value crops and extends growing
seasons in semi-arid areas challenging for agriculture.
• An established team and pilot project site in East Africa.
• Research skills to explore, understand and optimise agri-
tech innovations.
• Locally-relevant knowledge of agricultural challenges and
operations backed by “on the ground” collaborators.
• Business “know-how” to support technology uptake and exploit
emerging opportunities.
• Expertise in crop markets.
• UK agri-tech and solar energy business partners to expand AV
systems in the region.

Crop Health and Protection
• One of the Agri-Tech centres with academic and industry partners
• Developing new technologies and techniques for crop protection and production with more
sustainable food production systems
• We are a research organisation
• Contact details
• Richard Glass
• richard.glass@chap-solutions.co.uk
• 07866 799160

• Scanning for crop stress/disease
• Decision support in realtime
• Biocontrol timing/application
• Presymptomatic detection
• Digital platform for data
• Automated data
collection/mapping
• Network of academic partners
• Modern research facilities
• Bid writing/project management
• Novel technologies to validate
• Pest disease problems to control
• Wanting sustainable production, IPM

About Your Company
FarmCorps provide innovative mobile solutions to address supply chain
challenges in Africa’s Agribusiness industry. Through our mobile platform,
farmcorps.net, we connect smallholder farmers to capital and formal markets
and currently have over 5,000 smallholder farmers on our platform;
leveraging mobile identity systems, risk analysis and tokenization of funds to
enable donors and micro-finance institutions to easily finance quality farm-
inputs purchase for smallholders an
We are an SME with our headquarters in Nigeria but planned operations in
other West-African countries like Ghana and Senegal
Contact details
• Name: Job Oyebisi
• Email: ceo@farmcorps.net, job.oyebisi@gmail.com
• Phone: +2348034111096

1. Implementation of satellite/UAV imagery
combined with blockchain for smallholder
alternative data for financing, farm
advisory/decision support and traceability
of food produce.
2. Modular Photo-Voltaic, Greenhouse
Production of quality vegetables like
tomatoes, chilli, pumpkin, with for
distribution
1. Data-driven traceability and farm
advisory services/extension support
for farmers to grow quality food.
2. A modular greenhouse with its own
energy system will transform crop
production in Africa.
3. The services you can offer.
1. Access to thousands of farmers in our network in
Africa especially Nigeria, Ghana and Rwanda
2. Access to other strategic partners for public-
private co-operation.
3. Mobile solutions design and development;
mobile apps, SMS, Interactive Voice Response (IVR)
& Chatbots.
4. Design and implementation of emerging
technology
solutions e.g blockchain, machine learning, satellite
imagery and Internet of things (IoT).
1. Design and implementation of satellite
imagery and UAVs for agriculture.
2. High yielding seed production technology
of
vegetable seeds and orphan crops.
3. Design and implementation of low cost,
photo-voltaic greenhouses for rural and
urban agricultural production.

Small Robot Company
Building a service of small robots, driven by an AI powered operating system to make arable farming sustainable and profitable
SME
Contact details
Ben Scott-Robinson
ben@smallrobotcompany.com
07890412074
Small Robot
Company

Replacing big tractors with small, precise
lightweight robots
Creating a per-plant view of a wheat crop
Farming as a Service paid for by the
hectare- no capital costs
A completely revolutionary way to look at
arable crop production
Reduce energy and chemical use by 90%+
Zero risk adoption by farmers
Robotic crop monitoring, and Partner on
deploying novel crop and soil sensors
Partner on non-chemical precision crop
care applications
Partner on autonomous localisation,
routing and navigation projects
Developers of novel sensors
Corporate sponsors looking for co-development
and shared values
Businesses looking to trial technology
Small Robot
Company

Meeting mojo meetings and networking

Thank you for your attention
Simon Baty
Simon.baty@ktn-uk.org
07931 511641
Chris Danks
Chris.danks@ktn-uk.org
07583 022666
Lucy Mather
Lucy.mather@ktn-uk.org
07731 326262
Register for KTN Agri-Food newsletters: https://ktn-uk.co.uk/newsletter

Agri-Tech Catalyst Round 9 - Competition Briefing and Networking Event

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