Agri-businesses to benefit from innovation hub’s workspaces
© Tim Scrivener Agri-businesses are set to benefit from five new practical workspaces in Gloucestershire that have been set-up to help the industry trial innovative ideas.
The agritech innovation and incubation hub, Farm491, based at the Royal Agricultural University (RAU) comprises different dynamic spaces where entrepreneurs can trial ideas, establish an office base or use Farm491’s network of academics, farmers, data, business advisers and industry influencers.
The spaces are open from April 2017.
Hub members are at the heart of innovation – from farm machinery trading platforms, digital land management tools, meat certification to tracking devices.
See also: Plan for a future with fewer farm subsidies
The workshops are designed to give maximum flexibility to those wishing to use them.
Members who sign up to use the workshop space at Harnhill will also have access to office space, meeting rooms and the adjacent Cotswold farmland owned by the RAU.
The workspaces are also located on an RAU farm, allowing entrepreneurs easy access to livestock, crops and the neighboring Rural Innovation Centre.
Angela Simkins, Farm491 centre director said: “We have some exciting months ahead of us at Farm491.
“So far, we already have BASF ready to move into one of the larger workshops and Multibox [an insect farming company].”