‘Speed carousel’ brings a new spin to the technology showcase

Nestled between two busy days of the World Agri-Tech Innovation Summit, around 80 representatives from agri-tech businesses, investment organisations and government gathered in North Greenwich for a reception celebrating the UK’s thriving agri-tech sector.

Agri-TechE delivered a reception for the Department for Business, Innovation, Science and Trade (BIST), which brought together entrepreneurs, investors and policymakers, demonstrating Agri-TechE’s role as a trusted convenor across the sector.

Reflecting on the evening, Kate Brunswick, Strategic Partnerships Director at Agri-TechE, said:

“It was a lively affair where, drink in hand, we invited the audience to ‘speed-learn’ through a carousel sprint of five entrepreneurial startups and scale-ups, each sharing their product and journey. An indication of the success of an event is when you have to remind people it is time to leave…”

The Reception

Rather than a traditional panel discussion, delegates moved around the circular room in an interactive “carousel” format. Groups rotated between SugaROx, OptiGene, AgSenze, Dyneval and Resurrect Bio, hearing directly from their founders and business leaders about the technologies they are developing and the opportunities ahead through a series of fast-paced pitches.

The format created an energetic atmosphere that encouraged discussion and conversation before delegates came together for informal networking later in the evening.

Representatives from BIST, Defra, Innovate UK and regional government attended alongside investors and agri-tech businesses from across the UK. And the venue, located in the shadow of the O2 Arena, provided a fitting backdrop for an industry characterised by ambition, innovation and optimism.

BIST said it was great to be able to showcase the UK agri-tech sector, highlighting some UK agri-tech businesses at the reception and to see the buzz of the networking. The UK Government provides a wide range of support to help businesses start, grow and export, including free guidance, tools and business support through business.gov.uk, access to the Export Support Service, and our global network of trade experts.

Delegates also had the opportunity to learn more about Innovate UK funding opportunities available through Defra’s Farming Innovation Programme, highlighting the support available to help innovative businesses grow and scale.

The event received positive feedback from attendees, with one delegate commenting:

“Thank you for such an insightful and enjoyable evening last night. You all have a real talent for creating the kind of industry events that I often feel are missing, bringing people together, fostering meaningful conversations, and creating a strong spirit of cohesion in areas where it can often be difficult to achieve.”

The companies in the roving carousel

The five companies demonstrated the breadth of innovation emerging across UK agriculture.

SugaROx, represented by Bianca Forte, is developing next-generation crop biostimulants based on research from the University of Oxford and Rothamsted Research, helping farmers improve crop productivity and resilience through novel plant signalling technologies.

OptiGene, represented by Ross Haffenden, develops rapid molecular diagnostic technologies that enable near real-time detection of crop diseases, pests, bacteria and viruses, helping growers and farmers make faster management decisions in the field.

AgSenze, represented by Matt Dobbs, uses artificial intelligence and vision-based monitoring to improve livestock health and welfare, helping farmers identify issues such as lameness earlier and more accurately through continuous animal monitoring.

Dyneval, represented by Tiffany Wood, has developed advanced fertility analysis technology for livestock production, providing precise measurement of semen quality to support breeding decisions, improve conception rates and increase production efficiency.

Resurrect Bio, represented by Robert Lo Bue, is developing disease-resistance traits for crops using AI-assisted discovery, computational biology and gene-editing technologies, helping crops defend themselves against disease while reducing reliance on chemical crop protection.