New Head of Farm491 Announced

Farm491 has announced the promotion of Luke Halsey to ‘Head of Farm491 & Programme Manager’. The new appointment will see the development of the strategic and operational direction of Farm491, whilst also supporting local and national innovative agri companies to scale up.

Luke Halsey has extensive experience in businesses that are orientated in environmental and social impact. This includes investment experience in California on high impact portfolios around climate change solutions for AgriTech, energy and oceans, and numerous research projects focused on breaking down barriers for the adoption of innovation in the UK and USA, to solve some of the biggest global social and environmental problems.

The new role will involve leading Farm491’s incubation work to help businesses achieve their full potential, and cementing new partnerships and research initiatives to help the AgriTech ecosystem prosper. Commenting on his work at Farm491, “I’m really excited about the role, and look forward to shaping the future of the work we do, which helps build the UK’s innovative ecosystem. Farm491 has proved itself to be a national leader in supporting AgriTech companies. Over the last 18 months Farm491 has grown from just a handful of members to over fifty businesses, so I want to continue to build on this fantastic growth.

“I am passionate about accelerating the profile and role that British AgriTech plays in solving global challenges. These issues are beginning to get the attention they deserve amongst the press and general public, and it is up to the businesses we work with to drive the conversation in a positive direction with the exceptional work that is happening in the UK’s agri and food industries. We want to ensure that solutions are coming forward that work for both farmers and consumers.”

Read more about the Farm491 team.