Norwich Research Park obtains Bayer backing for BioTransitions Programme
New programme will support early-stage biotech firms and link global research hubs.
UK – Norwich Research Park has secured a three-year sponsorship from Bayer to support a new programme that will help early-stage agri-food biotech companies grow and reach market.
Anglia Innovation Partnership, which manages the park, said the BioTransitions programme will focus on companies at Seed to Series A stage. The initiative will support firms already based at the park while also attracting new companies from across the world.
The programme will offer support in investment planning, intellectual property, field trials, and access to research tools. It will also connect companies to experts in academia and industry, including Bayer.
Roz Bird, CEO of Anglia Innovation Partnership, said the partnership builds on earlier work with startups on the campus. “We are delighted to welcome Bayer on board as first sponsor of the new BioTransitions programme,” she said.
“We are looking at opportunities to work ecosystem to ecosystem, pooling our collective strengths and considering new opportunities for collaboration to help solve some of the world’s major challenges in agriculture and climate change.”
The programme also links Norwich with St Louis in the United States, home to the 39 North AgTech Innovation District. A recent visit by a delegation from St Louis marked the start of closer ties between the two research hubs.
Dr Florian Jupe from Bayer’s Crop Science division said the company wants to support early-stage firms as they grow. “We are excited to now advance together current early-stage businesses and help them step up to the next level in their journey to commercialization and ultimately their future success in agriculture and food security,” he said.
Dr Phil Taylor added that such programmes help bring research closer to farmers. “We look forward to creating an environment to support early-stage companies to scale and grow their future solutions for impact,” he said.
The move comes as Bayer also steps up farmer support in other regions. In Kenya, the company has warned farmers against fake seeds ahead of the long rains season. Managing Director John Kanyinke urged farmers to buy from licensed dealers.
“When farmers plant certified seeds, they increase productivity in maize, beans, and horticultural crops that feed this country,” he said.
Farmers in Kisii have reported better yields after switching to certified seeds, while others who used fake inputs faced losses. The company says stronger awareness will help protect harvests and incomes.
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