News

Bayer has become the first corporate sponsor of Norwich Research Park’s new BioTransitions programme, which aims to help UK agri-food biotech start-ups bridge the challenging gap from seed funding to Series A investment. The programme offers tailored support—including investment strategy, field trials, and access to expertise—focusing on company-specific needs rather than a fixed checklist, and seeks to position participants for commercial success in global markets. BioTransitions will work with up to 10 companies annually, targeting the sector’s persistent scale-up challenges by connecting them with investors, industry, and academic networks while not providing direct funding. Bayer’s involvement underscores a commitment to ecosystem development and sustainable agricultural innovation, with the goal of accelerating commercialisation and supporting both local and international start-ups.

Syngenta is investing $130 million in a new bioscience R&D hub in the UK to drive innovation in crop protection by integrating biology, digital science, and artificial intelligence. The company is shifting from relying solely on synthetic chemicals to a more diverse approach that includes digital agronomy, biologicals, and advanced modelling, exemplified by the recent launch of the VIRESTINA™ herbicide. The new facility will focus on accelerating discovery in areas such as biofertilisers, biostimulants, and soil health, with a strong emphasis on harnessing AI and data to improve agricultural resilience and sustainability. This marks a strategic move as Syngenta positions itself for a future where biology and digital science are central to farming.