Alora

Norwich Research Park

Alora is an ‘ocean agriculture’ company that is pioneering a technique that will enable rice to be grown on the surface of the oceans. It has developed a patented genetic design that will enable its rice crop to grow in the highly salinated environment you find in the sea. This means that crops can be grown without fertiliser or fresh water whilst achieving increased yields and incurring lower production costs. It has already developed a salt-tolerance trait allowing rice to grow in environments of up to 50% the salinity of the oceans. Its revolutionary technology is set to increase yields, use zero fresh water and minimal land.

Alora arrived at Norwich Research Park in April 2024, from Canada, after going through the IndieBio biotech accelerator programme based in San Francisco in California, where it received funded for a development programme.

Rory Hornby, COO and co-founder said, “Moving to Norwich was like strapping a rocket booster to the company. We’ve been able to do more in the last six months than we have in the last year and a half. I wish we’d moved here a year or two before!”