By Sarah Kaya

I’m pleased to say the Farming Innovation Investor Partnerships competition is now open. 

The competition is part of the Farming Innovation Programme, delivered by Defra in partnership with Innovate UK.  

It provides a combination of public grant funding and private investment to help agri-tech businesses scale and commercialise late-stage innovations. 

This round has up to £5 million in grant funding available. 

About the competition 

The Investor Partnerships competition supports agri-tech businesses to bring near-market innovations into use on farms. 

Through this competition, grant funding from Defra is matched with private investment from a pool of more than 150 pre-approved investors. These investors have been selected for their track record in supporting innovative, high-growth businesses. 

The competition builds on a successful pilot round that supported 5 projects and leveraged more than £10 million in private investment. 

The guidance contains details of eligibility, scope, dates, how to apply, and more information on supporting materials. In summary, applicants must be: 

• a UK-registered micro, small or medium-sized business 

• seeking late seed or Series A stage investment 

• working on an innovation that is close to commercial use 

Projects must: 

• demonstrate clear benefits for farmers, growers or agricultural businesses in England 

• have eligible costs between £750,000 and £3 million 

• last up to 18 months 

• carry out all work in the UK 

Grant funding will cover: 

• up to 45% of costs for micro or small organisations 

• up to 35% of costs for medium-sized organisations 

How to apply 

Applications must be made through the Innovation Funding Service on GOV.UK. They will be assessed by independent experts from business and academia. 

Dates to note

• 2 June 2025 – Competition opens 

• 5 June 2025 – Online briefing event at 11am 
  (Briefing slides will be available to download from the Supporting Information section after the event and a recording will be shared.) Register to attend the webinar. 

• 2 July 2025 at 11am – Competition closes 

• 8 August 2025 – Applicants notified  

• 3 December 2025 – Deadline to agree heads of terms with a lead investor 

• 19 December 2025 – Final applicant notifications 

• From 1 April 2026 – Projects can begin 

Good luck with your application.