Seven British businesses have won a share of £560,000 in
government funding to develop space and AI technologies that
could transform British farming, driving economic growth and
nature recovery.
The funding was awarded following a pioneering ‘hackathon' run
jointly by the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs
(Defra) and Innovate UK, which brought together government,
industry, and academia. Projects were challenged to use satellite
data and artificial intelligence to tackle real-world
agricultural and environmental challenges.
Selected from a field of 50 applicants, the seven winning
companies will each receive £80,000 in Space Commercialisation
Credits that will provide the hands-on business and technical
support needed to accelerate their technologies to market.
Space technology investment delivers exceptional economic
returns. For every £1 Defra invests in Earth Observation
research, up to £8.20 flows back into the economy, making this a
cost-effective way to drive economic growth, support British
businesses, and create high-skilled jobs in the UK's thriving
space sector. Standout competition winners include:
- x10NI, which builds digital farm simulations to give farmers
real-time data to manage soil health, cut input costs and keep
environmental reporting on track
- Gentian, which uses AI-powered satellite analysis to track
wildlife habitats and biodiversity changes, making environmental
risk assessments faster for developers and reducing reliance on
expensive site visits
- Ocean OS, which uses satellite data to automatically map
marine habitats and species, giving regulators the information
they need to approve offshore wind farms faster and get clean
energy projects built sooner.
Defra's Science Minister Dame said:
Space data and AI are transforming how we produce food and grow
our economy.
These seven teams have shown what is possible when government,
industry, and academia work together.
I look forward to seeing their ideas develop into products that
benefit farmers, communities, and the environment.
Gary Cutts, Executive Director for Digital and
Technologies at Innovate UK, said:
Innovation‑led growth is central to the UK's economic future. By
backing businesses that apply space and AI technologies to real
agricultural and environmental challenges, we are strengthening
food security, supporting nature recovery, and creating the
conditions for high‑potential firms to secure private investment
and scale.
Each winning team will receive expert support from the Satellite
Applications Catapult to bring their products to market over the
next year.
The announcement builds on the £120
million in productivity and innovation grants announced
by Environment Secretary at this year's NFU
Conference. The funding, shared between the Farming Equipment and
Technology Fund and the Farming Innovation Programme, will boost
productivity and innovation across the agricultural sector.
The Farming Innovation Programme has supported over 630
organisations and committed more than £165 million in funding to
research and development, attracting over £58 million in private
investment to date.
