Global Business Innovation Programme: New Zealand - Agri-Tech

A GBIP has three stages:

Prepare for the market

Preparing for the market includes the cohort being briefed by sector and market experts on, for example, cultural aspects of conducting business in that country. Delegates receive help to find business partners and arrange meetings and are advised on best practice including the management and protection of their intellectual property.

Visiting the market

Visiting the market provides opportunities to attend pre-arranged meetings and activities in order to better understand and maximise the opportunities that the visit presents.

Exploiting the opportunity

Exploiting the opportunity is arguably the most important aspect of the programme. To maximise the opportunity, participating companies are given bespoke one-to-one support from an Innovate UK EDGE innovation and growth specialist to help develop and implement an action plan.

The Global Business Innovation Programme operates on a competitive basis and businesses selected are required to participate in all three stages (some or all of which may be online).

To apply, you must be a UK based innovation-led
company with ambitions to grow and internationalise, with fewer than 500 employees. You must be able to attend and complete all activities.

Innovate UK recognises that the innovation sector is not as diverse as the UK demographic and is committed to improving the diversity of who we support. As such, we welcome applications from those under-represented across the AgriFood sector.

Why New Zealand? New Zealand boasts a rich heritage of agricultural excellence and a profound commitment to Agri-Tech development, harnessing the synergy of agriculture and technology to pioneer innovative solutions.

Supported by a thriving start-up ecosystem and government policies conducive to growth, New Zealand prioritises collaboration with international partners, expanding reach and leveraging global expertise. The Agritech Industry Transformation Plan (ITP) launched by the New Zealand government in 2020 outlines ambitious plans for the sector’s growth, promoting productivity, sustainability, and alignment with a zero-carbon economy. This GBIP will build on strong relationships already established by Innovate UK’s previous Agri-Tech GBIP completed in 2022.

In 2022 the NZ Government launched the Centre for Climate Action on Agricultural Emissions to promote development of high-impact technologies and practices particularly in reducing greenhouse gas emissions.

The Prime Ministers of the United Kingdom and New Zealand signed an agreement in 2022 aimed at enhancing R&D and innovation collaborations between the two markets. Furthermore, the free trade agreement between New Zealand and the United Kingdom is one of the most comprehensive agreements New Zealand has ever concluded.

We invite applications from innovative companies actively developing new technologies for:

Emissions reduction for grass-based livestock systems

• Animal health, nutrition and genetics to manage the rumen and cut enteric methane production
• Remote sensing technologies and decision-making tools to drive efficient resource use and management
• Animal waste management and utilisation

Land and Soil Management

• Regenerative agricultural systems
• Crop and cultivation strategies
• Carbon capture and storage technologies

Watch the recording of the applicant briefing event on 15th June 2023 here

Applicant briefing presentation can be found here

Closing date: 12th July 2023
Pre-visit workshop: W/C 25th September 2023
Market visit: 20th November to 1st December 2023
Post-visit GBIP workshop: 1st February 2024

For more information, assistance with your application or to discuss accessibility needs, please contact James Kayam at james.kayam@innovateukedge.ukri.org or call +44 (0)7514 719636.