New specialist agency launches to help UK agrifood innovators commercialise great ideas
Concept to CommercialConcept to Commercial will provide end-to-end growth and delivery support for innovation-led agrifood SMEs
A new specialist agency will launch next week to help innovation-led agrifood SMEs bridge the gap between developing a promising idea and achieving sustainable commercial adoption.
Concept to Commercial, founded by former CHAP and UK Agri-Tech Centre colleagues Darren Hassall and Corrie-Anne Holden, will officially launch on Thursday 17 September at Agri-TechE’s Focus on Finance event in Cambridge.
The agency will bring strategic thinking and hands-on delivery together within one partnership, supporting agrifood businesses across the UK with the commercial, operational and project-delivery challenges that arise as they develop and scale.
Its name reflects the promise behind the business: supporting innovators throughout the journey from an initial concept to commercial reality.
Concept to Commercial’s approach spans four active stages – Clarify, Fund, Build and Grow – but is deliberately not a rigid pipeline. Businesses can enter and leave the journey at the point that suits their needs, often accessing support across two or three stages simultaneously.
Five service pillars
- Marketing & Communications – strategy, positioning, content, digital marketing, PR and creative support.
- Digital Build & Support – websites, platforms, apps, data systems and commercial infrastructure.
- Strategy & Impact – commercial strategy, go-to-market planning, business planning and impact measurement.
- UKRI Bid Writing & Grant Preparation – end-to-end support from eligibility and competition mapping through to bid writing and submission.
- CR&D Project Management – governance, Monitoring Officer liaison, financial claims, reporting, change requests and audit-ready delivery.
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Darren Hassall and Corrie-Anne Holden, Co-Founders of Concept to Commercial, said: “During our time working across CHAP and the UK Agri-Tech Centre, we saw the quality and ambition of the innovation being developed throughout the sector. We also saw that securing funding and developing the technology are only part of the journey.
“Many SMEs then face the difficult task of building the systems, market position and commercial momentum needed to turn that innovation into a sustainable business. These businesses do not always need another report or a distant adviser – they need an experienced partner prepared to work alongside them and help get things done.
“We created Concept to Commercial to become that partner and help close the gap between technical innovation and commercial reality.”
Darren and Corrie have spent the past seven years working at the heart of UK agrifood innovation. Their complementary experience brings together CR&D programme delivery, UKRI grant management, operational excellence, marketing, communications, business development and commercialisation.
“Our ambition is to become the go-to growth and delivery partner for innovation-led agrifood SMEs across the UK. We want to build lasting relationships with ambitious businesses and understand where they are heading. Whether support is needed now or in the future, we would love to get to know the team, the technology and the commercial ambition behind it.”
Complimentary audit for Agri-TechE members
To mark the launch and its new Agri-TechE membership, Concept to Commercial will offer every Agri-TechE member a complimentary SEO, GEO and AEO website audit. The audit will assess the publicly visible content and structure of the member’s website and provide practical recommendations for improving visibility across traditional search engines and emerging AI-led discovery.
The offer has no deadline or limit. Members can claim an audit by emailing [email protected] and arranging an initial, no-obligation conversation about their business and current priorities.
For more information, visit www.concepttocommercial.co.uk or email [email protected].
About Concept to Commercial
Concept to Commercial is a specialist UK agrifood growth and delivery agency supporting innovation-led SMEs from initial concept through to commercial adoption. Its four-stage Clarify, Fund, Build and Grow approach allows businesses to access the right combination of strategic thinking and hands-on delivery at any point in their journey.
Media enquiries
Darren Hassall, Co-Founder and Commercial Director
[email protected]
Corrie-Anne Holden, Co-Founder and Delivery Director
[email protected]
General enquiries: [email protected]
Website: www.concepttocommercial.co.uk
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