- Funding Boost: CroBio secures €805,000 from Defra’s Farming Innovation Programme to develop its microbial soil health technology.
- Innovative Solution: The company’s living soil amendment improves water and nutrient retention, with greenhouse trials showing a 200% increase in sandy soils.
- Sustainability Impact: The technology aims to reduce fertiliser use, enhance carbon sequestration, and support climate-friendly agriculture.
- Expansion Potential: With government backing and past investor support, CroBio is poised to scale its solution across the UK and Europe.
Cheshire-based AgTech startup CroBio has secured €805,000 in funding to advance its groundbreaking soil health technology.
The grant, provided by the UK’s Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra) through the Farming Innovation Programme and supported by Innovate UK, marks CroBio’s first government-backed funding.
The initiative is in collaboration with the University of York and the Biorenewables Development Centre.
CroBio’s technology enhances soil health by leveraging microbes that produce bacterial cellulose, a highly absorbent material that improves nutrient and water retention.
Applied as a liquid once per growing season, this innovation has demonstrated a 200% increase in water retention in sandy soil during greenhouse trials.
This funding will accelerate research and development, helping farmers reduce fertiliser dependence while promoting sustainable agriculture.
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By improving nutrient management and carbon sequestration, CroBio’s technology aims to support climate goals and enhance crop productivity across the UK and Europe.
Dr. Daniel J. Upton, a senior scientist at CroBio, emphasized the project’s importance, stating that the multidisciplinary collaboration will tackle critical agricultural challenges and expand the application of the technology.
Founded in 2019 by Ross Mulhall, CroBio has previously secured investments from SOSV and participated in the IndieBio program in 2023. This latest funding underscores the growing recognition of microbial technology in transforming agriculture.
