Matchmaking in Saskatoon

Global Business Accelerator Agri-tech Programme with visit to Canada

The agri-tech and food production industry is important UK sector with the entire agri-food supply chain estimated at almost £100 billion. Food business is global and there are significant complexities in terms of regulation, climate, logistics, supply chains and customer demands.

The agri-tech industry supports farmers and growers with machinery, supporting the growth of innovative farmers, entrepreneurs, technologists, scientists, producers and processors with the aim of improving productivity, profitability and sustainability of agriculture.

The Global Business Accelerator (GBA) Programme for Agri-tech headed by the Enterprise Europe Network (EEN) East is a fully-funded programme for innovative and entrepreneurial agri-tech business. Funded by Innovate UK, the GBA Programme aims to build strong relationships for tech transfer, R&D collaborations, joint funding applications for businesses and research organisations leading to commercial growth.

A group of 15 agri-tech companies from all over the UK have been awarded a place on the Global Business Accelerator Programme with visit to Canada. This group brings together a wide range of expertise, tech know-how and innovation from disciplines as diverse as artificial intelligence, biotech, CAV (connected autonomous vehicles) genomics, livestock welfare and productivity and food sustainability.

The GBA programme itinerary starts in Saskatchewan and builds relationships with the NRC (National Research Council Canada and IRAP (Industrial Research Assistance Programme) and includes the Global Institute for Food Security (GIFS) conference.

The group will then move on to Toronto with a site visit to the University of Guelph and the opportunity to meet interested SMEs through BioEnterprise and take in a comprehensive review of key Ontario agri-tech representatives.

Follow @EENEast on twitter to keep up to date on their journey, or search #UKCanadaAgriTech18 on twitter.