Airponix Awarded £830K Innovate UK DEFRA Grant

Airponix’s technology and ambition to transform global seed potato production and sustainable agriculture has been recognised with the award of an £830K Innovate UK DEFRA Investor Partnership grant, subject to securing £1.7 million in match funding and finalising heads of terms with a lead investor by 3 December.

The Innovate UK grant and part of the investment will fund the construction of a 2,300 m² high-tech seed potato production facility in Scotland, designed to supply up to 25% of the Scottish G0 seed potato market. This facility will act as a scalable model for sustainable, high-yield, and water-efficient production using Airponix’s proprietary aeroponic technology.

As an alternative route, Airponix has also reached an in-principle partnership agreement with a major UK grower, which would involve applying for a smaller grant requiring only 30% project funding but with significant upside in market reach.

Global Expansion and Strategic Engagements

Airponix continues to build international presence and partnerships across multiple key regions and events:

• World Agri-TechE Innovation Summit (London): In September, Michael and Matt attended the World Agri-TechE Innovation Summit, engaging with investors, innovators, and policymakers from across the agricultural technology sector. The summit offered valuable opportunities to connect with international stakeholders and explore partnerships aligned with Airponix’s mission.

• Algeria: CEO Michael Ruggier joined the first-ever UK Agri-TechE delegation organised by the British Embassy and ABBC, meeting Ambassador H.E. James Downer, MADAR Holding, and senior officials from the Ministry of Agriculture. Discussions are progressing toward a partnership to enable Algerian growers to produce their own seed potato tubers domestically.

• Australia: Airponix was selected for the Farmers2Founders “Land x Launch” Australia Cohort, under the Innovate UK Global Incubator Program – Agri-Tech. Following two years of mentorship from Farmers2Founders, Michael has just returned to Australia to build on existing partnerships and explore new opportunities for growth.

• Saudi Arabia: Later this month, Michael will attend the UK Department for Business and Trade (DBT) AgriTech Mission during the Saudi Agriculture Show (19–23 October 2025). He will be speaking at the event and pursuing new investor and collaboration opportunities across the region.

Investment Opportunity

With £350K already secured from a cornerstone investor at an £8 million valuation, Airponix is now entering a major growth phase. We invite investors and strategic partners to participate in this unique opportunity to scale sustainable agriculture globally.

Access Investment Documents: http://bit.ly/APXDocuments

Investment enquiries: CEO@airponix.com

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