Agri-Tech opportunities and Launchpad successes showcased at Royal Norfolk Show

The Connected Innovation team delivered an Agri-Tech Launchpad showcase event at the Royal Norfolk Show with Mid Norfolk MP George Freeman as a keynote speaker.

A panel session was also held with: Martin Collison, Chair of the Agri-Food Industry Council; Belinda Clarke OBE, Director of Agri-TechE; Emily Norton, Chair at AHDB (Agriculture and Horticulture Development Board), and Zoe Leach OBE, Eastern Regional Director for the National Farmers Union. The main focus of the session was to focus on getting agri-tech out of the lab and onto the field.

James Allen and Scott Cogman set out the relevant assets across the Connected Innovation ecosystem, as well as the support for start-ups, spin-ups and scale-ups provided through the £7.5m Agri-Tech and Food Tech Launchpad to more than 50 projects across Norfolk, Suffolk, Cambridgeshire and Lincolnshire.

Some of those recipients also presented on stage and spoke about their Launchpad journey, including the follow-on support we provide through the Cluster Management funding to link them with angel networks, the innovation grant mentoring project, Horizon Europe opportunities, and more.  

Mike Rigby, who presents the Eastern Promise podcast, recorded some of the panellists and keynote speeches, and the recording will be available shortly.