A funding partnership has been awarded to the Greater Lincolnshire Local Enterprise Partnership, New Anglia LEP, and the Cambridgeshire & Peterborough Combined Authority by Innovate UK under the Launchpads programme. This programme offers competitive grants for R&D and innovation projects in the agrifood sector, providing an opportunity for SMEs in the region.
Grant funding amounts range from £25,000 to £300,000, aimed at projects that demonstrate exceptional impact within the cluster. To be eligible, projects must make a significant contribution to enhancing productivity in primary crops, bioeconomy, livestock, aquaculture, ornamental plants, biotechnologies related to agriculture, food, and nutrition, as well as promoting safe, healthy, and nutritious diets.
Projects can also focus on resource-efficient production methods for low-emission foods. Sustainability, animal welfare, nutritional composition, food manufacturing, processing, packaging, safety, and minimizing negative effects such as pollution, food loss, and waste are among the areas of interest. Additionally, resilience and responsiveness in the supply chain, mitigating risks, interruptions, or disruptions are valued.
To qualify for grant funding, businesses must be based in Greater Lincolnshire and Rutland, Norfolk, Suffolk, or Cambridgeshire, or provide evidence of significant benefits to these areas. Sarah-Louise Fairburn, Chair of the Greater Lincolnshire LEP’s Food Board, expressed enthusiasm for the Launchpad’s support of SMEs in the agrifood sector.
“This announcement follows shortly after the £4.9 million grant from the Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council, contributing to the transformation of the Lincolnshire and north Cambridgeshire region. Securing one of only eight Innovation Launchpads in the country for our food and agritech sectors demonstrates our commitment to achieving Greater Lincolnshire’s position as a top 10 global food cluster.”
