In the Farmed animals and aquaculture SPARK Awards UK-registered academic institutions or Research and Technology Organisations (RTOs) will receive funding to collaborate with a Small/Medium-sized Enterprise (SME) to accelerate the development of innovative products, processes or services for the UK farmed animal or aquaculture sectors.
In this competition, up to £200,000 of funding (£20,000 grant per project) is available for SPARK Awards. The funding is from Innovate UK Business Connect and delivered by the AgriFood team.
Projects will start on 2nd February 2026. Projects must finish by 2nd November 2026.
What is a Farmed animals and aquaculture SPARK Award?
Farmed animals and aquaculture SPARK Award projects must have an overarching goal of accelerating the development of innovative products, processes or services, to drive sustainable production within the UK farmed animal or aquaculture sectors.
SPARK Awards will fund the project Lead, a UK-registered academic institution or Research and Technology Organisation (RTO), to deliver a project to address a challenge held by the project Partner, a UK-registered Small/Medium-sized Enterprise (SME), in relation to their development of innovative products, processes or services, or to enhance their progress towards developing new innovative products, processes or services.
The UK farmed animal industry encompasses dairy, beef, sheep, pig, and poultry production. Similarly, the aquaculture industry is a dynamic and growing sector, covering salmon farming, shellfish cultivation, and innovative land-based systems. Both sectors are supported by strong research, established best practices, and emerging technologies and innovations, positioning them for sustainable growth and reduced emissions.
Projects should aim to drive sustainable production within the farmed animal or aquaculture sectors. Below are some areas that are covered by these awards, but this does not exclude projects from outside these areas:
- Breeding
- Health
- Nutrition
- Precision agriculture applied to farmed animals/aquaculture
Farmed animals and aquaculture SPARK Awards aim to build collaborations between the research and business community.
The Farmed animals and aquaculture SPARK Awards aim to initiate new projects and develop longer-term partnerships. While the collaboration may already exist, the project funded by the SPARK Award is expected to be a new initiative.
Both partners must be instrumental in determining the need for the project and its design. The project activities will be delivered by the project Lead, the UK-registered academic institution or Research and Technology Organisation (RTO).
The project Partner, the SME, can support in the delivery of the project goals by carrying out related and/or parallel activities, but they are not required to deliver any defined activities under the remit of the project. As such, the SME will not be able to claim funding for any work undertaken to support the project goals.
There must be a defined plan for how the SME will be involved in the exploitation or commercialisation of the project outcomes.
Projects must:
- accelerate the development of innovative products, processes or services for the UK farmed animal or aquaculture sectors.
- either address a challenge held by an SME in relation to their development of innovative products, processes or services, or enhance their progress towards developing new innovative products, processes or services.
- have an overarching goal of driving sustainable production within the UK farmed animal or aquaculture sectors.
- be collaborative, led by one UK-registered academic institution or Research and Technology Organisation (RTO) (see here for eligible RTOs), working alongside one UK-registered SME (see here for definition of an SME).
We are not funding projects that:
- are equine specific.
- involve wild caught fisheries.
- focus on insect production for human consumption.
- focus on companion animals.
- focus on plant, insect or algae production without a direct link to the development of innovative products, processes or services for the UK farmed animal or aquaculture sectors.
- comprise predominately of fundamental research, literature reviews or market research, or are without a practical element.
- are conducted to anything less than the highest standards of animal welfare.
Further information
Download the SPARK Awards Competition Brief (PDF).
Email any questions to agrifood@iukbc.org.uk, or to check your project idea is in scope.
How to apply
Applications for this opportunity are now open. Applications must be submitted by 11am GMT on 26th November 2025. Please read the privacy notice before applying.