GUEST COLUMN:
Dr Louise Jones
Regional Manager Wales
Innovate UK
Innovation funding has the power to change the course of a business. It can take an idea that might otherwise remain on the drawing board and turn it into a project that creates jobs, drives growth and builds resilience. For Mid and North Wales, where agri-tech and food technology are such vital parts of the economy, the opportunity to harness that funding has never been greater.
Innovate UK is here to back those strengths. We know there are excellent businesses in this region with the expertise and ambition to innovate. Our role is to provide the funding that helps them ignite their projects, grow their ideas and create lasting impact.
One of the most effective ways we do this is through regional launchpads. These focus investment in sectors where there is already a recognised strength. For Mid and North Wales, that means agri-tech and food technology – areas that are central to the economy and rich in potential for growth. The principle is straightforward: funding should not only support individual businesses but also leave a legacy in the places where innovation happens.
For companies of all sizes, there are routes to apply. Some begin with smaller grants that allow them to test ideas and build confidence. Others move on to larger collaborative research and development projects. What matters is taking that first step. The opportunity is there for more Welsh businesses to put themselves forward and benefit.
Collaboration is at the heart of success. The evidence shows that when companies come together and win funding in partnership, the return on investment is four times greater than going it alone. Beyond the financial gain, collaboration creates new relationships, strengthens supply chains and builds resilience. That is why my advice to businesses is simple: conversation, conversation, collaborate.
The Agri-tech and Food Technology Cluster for Mid and North Wales provides the framework to make this possible. AberInnovation, M-SParc, Growing Mid Wales, Ambition North Wales and AMRC Cymru are working together as a cluster management organisation, ensuring businesses can connect to the support available and to each other.
What excites me most is seeing how businesses progress once they start on this journey. A small project today can become a larger programme tomorrow, and in time a step into international markets that might once have seemed out of reach. That growth is what creates jobs, builds confidence and leaves a legacy for the region.
The message is clear. Innovate UK wants more Welsh businesses to see us as a viable route for funding. The expertise is here, the support is in place, and the opportunity is ready to be taken.
Dr Louise Jones talks about this and more in the Unlocking Mid Wales podcast episode Nurturing Innovation in Agri-Tech and Food Technology. Listen to the podcast here.
To find out more about the Agri-tech and Food Technology Cluster for Mid and North Wales visit https://growingmidwales.co.uk/AgriTechFoodTech
