Innovate UK has launched two new competitions offering £13 million to UK businesses developing automation, robotics and sensing technologies that drive productivity and sustainability in agriculture.
AgriScale – Accelerating Agri-tech manufacturing has two strands, targeting innovations at different stages of product development:
- Industrial Research – Projects with £250,000 to £750,000 in eligible costs, looking to close technology gaps and prove products in real-world conditions
- Experimental Development – Projects with £1 million to £3 million in eligible costs, advancing technologies that are nearer to market
Below, I have explained the key things you need to know about these competitions before you apply: who is eligible, how much funding is on the table, and what the application process looks like.
Find Out if You’re Eligible Now
To find out if you and your project are suitable for the two AgriScale competitions, book in a free Competitiveness and Eligibility Assessment. In just 25 minutes, I’ll tell you:
- Whether you’re a strong candidate for this competition
- Other grants you may be eligible for
- What other sources of funding we can help you secure
Never Miss a Funding Opportunity
New grant competitions are opening all the time. Make sure you don’t miss out by subscribing to GrantTree’s newsletter.
Who is Eligible?
Your Organisation
Projects must be delivered by consortia, i.e. groups of more than one organisation. Groups must be led by a UK-registered business.
You can collaborate with a lead if you are UK-registered and one of the following types of organisation.
- Academic institutions
- Businesses of any size
- Charities
- Not-for-profit organisations
- Public sector organisations
- Research and technology organisations (RTOs)
Your Project
Which strand you should apply to depends on how advanced your technology is.
The Industrial Research strand suits projects that are still closing technology gaps and establishing product performance in end-user conditions.
The Experimental Development strand is for projects ready to accelerate towards manufacturing readiness and production at scale.
For the Industrial Research strand, your project must:
- Have total eligible costs of between £250,000 and £750,000
- Last between 6 and 12 months
- Start by 1 October 2026
For the Experimental Development strand, your project must:
- Have total eligible costs of between £1 million and £3 million
- Last between 6 and 18 months
- Start by 1 January 2027
All funded work must be carried out in the UK. You must intend to exploit the project results from or within the UK.
Your project must also:
- Demonstrate automation, robotics or sensing technologies that drive productivity and sustainability in agriculture, forestry, horticulture or aquaculture
- Demonstrate evidence of farmer or grower demand for the product
- Include a clear route to market and commercialisation
- Include a robust business plan that supports production and market scale-up
- Target a long-term market, with global export potential considered advantageous
How Much Funding Can I Apply For?
The amount you can claim depends on your organisation’s type and size and the sort of research your project involves.
Individual grants range from up to £525,000 in the Industrial Research strand to up to £1.35 million in the Experimental Development strand.
Applying as a Company
The two strands fund different research categories, so funding rates differ between them.
| Project Type | Micro and Small | Medium | Large |
|---|---|---|---|
| Industrial Research | 70% | 60% | 50% |
| Experimental Development | 45% | 35% | 25% |
Funding Example
If you’re a small company, applying to the Industrial Research strand and your eligible project costs total £600,000, you could receive a grant of up to £420,000.
You will need to fund the remaining £180,000 from other sources, like R&D Tax Relief, investment or loans
Applying as a Non-Commercial Organisation
The funding available to research organisations depends on which strand you’re applying to.
In the Experimental Development strand, research organisations undertaking non-economic activity can share up to 70% of the total eligible project costs between them.
In the Industrial Research strand, research organisations can share up to 50% of the total eligible project costs.
Of those percentages, you can claim:
- 100% of your eligible project costs if you are a charity, not-for-profit organisation, public sector organisation, research organisation or RTO
- 80% of full economic costs (FEC) if you are a Je-S registered institution, like a university
How Do I Apply for an AgriScale Grant?
Both AgriScalecompetitions close on 3 June 2026 at 11 am.
The application has four sections:
- Project details (not scored): your project summary, public description, scope and team.
- Application questions: 16 questions in total, with 6 unscored administrative questions and 10 scored questions covering your business need, technical approach, team, market awareness, route to market, wider impacts, project management, risks, added value, and value for money.
- Finances: each organisation enters its own project costs. Academic institutions must complete a Je-S form.
- Project Impact (not scored): All partners must complete this section before the application can be submitted.
You can submit appendices to support the team, exploitation plan, project management and risks questions.
Applications are submitted through the Innovation Funding Service (IFS), where the lead organisation invites partners to join.
Like with most competitions, Innovate UK takes a ‘portfolio approach’ by funding projects across different technologies, markets and technological maturities. This means that a strong score won’t necessarily guarantee that your application will be successful.
Let Us Help You Win Grant Funding
With over 15 years of experience and more than £500 million in funding secured for innovative businesses, our experts know what it takes to prepare a successful application.
Whether you need a full application written from scratch, detailed feedback from an active Innovate UK assessor, or targeted coaching and grant matching, we have a service to suit your budget and timeline.
To find out how we can help, just get in touch.
