Carpe diem, Global Agri-tech: Reporting from World Agri-Tech Investment Summit

A more nuanced and sophisticated mindset was in evidence at the World Agri-Tech Innovation Summit (WATIS) 2025, particularly around finance, access to capital and investment in early stage and growing businesses.

This year’s WATIS (for which Agri-TechE was a media partner) was its usual blend of networking, panel and speaker content and meetings, but happily with a more positive “vibe” than last year.

Given the global status of investment into agrifood tech is still experiencing some significant challenges, it was heartening to see the optimism around the industry, with what felt like the largest ever group of new and growing businesses showcasing their technology and sharing their ambitions.

A new Minister and Support for Scale-Up

In her keynote speech, the newly-appointed Minister for Food Security and Rural Affairs – Dame Angela Eagle – announced the launch of Agri-Scale, a new pilot programme to help agri-tech companies scale up by deploying the support capabilities of the Manufacturing Technology Centre and the Warwick Manufacturing Group to our industry.

During my 1:1 with the Minister, we discussed the importance of welcoming technologies and innovations from other sectors into agriculture (a great endorsement for our own AG101 programme!). When I asked her to share what she is most excited about during her term of office as Minister, she replied the potential for growth of the sector. It’s a call to action to all of us to keep helping inform and accelerate thinking as the new Defra Ministerial team settle into their posts and keep them excited and engaged.

Regulate for Success

Another reflection from the conference was the role of regulation, not just by being clear, prompt and enabling, but also dictating what mustn’t happen, pulling the levers of regulation to make adoption of technologies by farmers easier, not harder.

Amid lots of conversations about the role of financial institutions – investors, family offices, banks, and insurance organisations, there really are different investment models starting to emerge, encouraging better practices and tech adoptions on farm.

Carpe diem, Global Agri-tech, Carpe diem……..