£20m robot fund gives UK agtech a boost, but industry says scale-up support remains critical

The UK government has launched a £20 million competition to support the development of farm automation and robotics, aiming to address labour shortages, boost productivity, and foster resilient agricultural businesses. Industry leaders welcome the funding, noting its crucial role in helping companies move from prototype to commercial deployment, but stress that scale-up support remains vital due to the capital-intensive nature of bringing agtech to market. The programme, part of a wider £123 million investment, is designed to bridge the gap between innovation and practical on-farm adoption, with a focus on supporting high-quality, impactful projects.