Cornwall & Devon

Use one of Europe's strongest marine and environmental research ecosystems, alongside real farms, fisheries and coastline, as a national testbed for food, marine and rural technology.

• Technology proven in real operating environments, then exported
• Higher-value rural and coastal employment
• British leadership in food and marine systems technology

Comparable in function to New Zealand's agritech and coastal innovation cluster, with elements of Norway's marine technology ecosystem.

• One of Europe's strongest marine and coastal research ecosystems.
• Rich agricultural heritage, ideal for modernisation pilots.
• Abundant natural resources for energy innovation.
• Lower operating cost than the South East.
• An ideal testbed region: farms, fisheries, coastline and rural supply chains.

• Plymouth Marine Laboratory
• Rothamsted North Wyke agritech research
• Offshore Renewable Energy Catapult activity in the South West
• Falmouth Marine School
• The Eden Project

• Agritech and food system founders
• Marine engineering companies
• Farmers, fisheries and land managers
• Environmental researchers and climate investors

• Agritech and precision farming
• Marine technology and offshore engineering
• Sustainable food systems
• Environmental monitoring and coastal climate technology
• Renewable energy including wave, wind and geothermal
• Rural robotics and autonomous machinery

• University of Exeter
• University of Plymouth
• Plymouth Marine Laboratory

• Open-water and farm testbeds
• Marine engineering and vessel access
• Food processing and trials facilities
• Rural connectivity

1. Research→
2. Problem→
3. Prototype→
4. Company→
5. Capital→
6. Customer→
7. Scale→
8. Export

• Technology proven in real operating environments, then exported
• Higher-value rural and coastal employment
• British leadership in food and marine systems technology

Described as outcomes rather than forecasts. UKIZ makes no projections it cannot evidence.