UK Agri-Tech Centre - Northern Innovation Hub
The UK Agri-Tech Centre - Northern Innovation Hub on Easter Bush Campus, advances UK agri-food research and development and supports collaboration, research and commercial trials to growers, agronomists, retailers, scientists and researchers from across the UK and beyond.
The UK Agri-Tech Centre launched on 1 April 2024 and was created from three of the original Agri-Tech centres. This is a unique collaboration between Government, academia and industry to drive greater efficiency, resilience and wealth across the agrifood sector. Investment from Innovate UK, the UK’s strategic innovation agency has enabled the Centres to harness leading UK research and expertise as well as build new infrastructures and innovation.
Utilising UK-wide assets, world-class facilities and expertise, the new organisation is a gateway for funding programmes, such as the Farming Innovation Programme and Horizon Europe, and provides benefits to the whole supply chain, the UK economy and beyond.
The UK Agri-Tech Centre offers a complete life-cycle of support, driving agri-tech innovation and adoption through world-class facilities, expert knowledge and business support, saving time and accelerating innovation. It strengthens the connections between science, business and funders to accelerate research and development, tackling the agri-industry’s most critical challenges such as climate change, labour availability, disease mitigation and environmental sustainability.
The organisation as a whole specialises in engineering and precision technology, bringing partners together to develop new technologies that will help farmers become more efficient and productive – essentially helping them to produce more with less.
Northern Innovation Hub
The Northern Innovation Hub on Easter Bush Campus, previously known as Agri-EPI (Agricultural Engineering Precision Innovation) houses laboratories, a full-time in-house technician, meeting and presentation space.
The team supports collaboration, research and commercial trials to growers, agronomists, retailers, scientists and researchers from across the UK and further afield.
The Hub's laboratory capabilities on the University of Edinburgh Easter Bush Campus include:
Hyperspectral Imaging Camera - a novel technology, hyperspectral imaging is one of the most powerful and rapidly growing methods of non-destructive food quality analysis and control.
Buchi Nir Spectroscopy Instruments - supporting routine analysis of samples for the food and feed industry in meat, dairy and grains.
Texture Analyser - with a focus on extending the shelf-life of our seasonal produce and also on the quality and presentation of meat and fish products.
Supporting Start-Ups
The Northern Hub accommodates several early stage agri focussed business, providing expertise and advice, as well as facilities to help these businesses advance.
Membership
As a membership organisation, the UK-Agri-Tech Centre brings together a variety of players in the agri-food supply chain: farmers, universities, agri-tech and precision farming companies, agronomy and agrochemical companies, and engineers and manufacturers.
Tesco, a household name in groceries and retailing, is a member of the UK-Agri-Tech Centre and run an annual Tesco Agri T-Jam - a start-up pitch competition for agri-tech innovations that will help the supermarket’s supply-chain to achieve net zero, protect and restore nature, and improve animal health and welfare.
The Centre also works with a broad range of farms, large and small, and many agricultural institutes and governing bodies. Big retail organisations and processors, like Bakkavör and the 2 Sisters Food Group, are also part of this thriving network.
The agri-food and agri-tech sectors cover a broad scope of disciplines that must work together to develop new technologies and knowledge that will help make UK farming more productive. The UK Agri-Tech Centre aims to bring them together, working with members to help them develop technology.
For further information, please contact:
UK Agri-Tech Centre, Northern Innovation Hub
Easter Bush Campus
Roslin
Midlothian, EH25 9RG
Director of Business Development: Rose Judeh-Elwell
T: +44 (0)131 239 7100
