Meet the Team

A friendly team that merges business knowledge, innovative thinking and agricultural experience.

Neave Anderson

Centre Coordinator

Neave officially graduated from the RAU in July 2018, having completed her BSc degree in International Equine and Agricultural Business Management. Neave has a love of farming and a passion for seeing agricultural businesses succeed. She has strong customer service and organisation skills from her experience in the service industry, which will be vital in her role as Centre Co-ordinator, whereby she will be responsible for assisting Farm491 members in any requirements they have.

Sarah Carr

AgriTech Commercialisation Associate

Sarah works closely with our members, supporting them to achieve scalability in the AgriTech and Agrifood ecosystem. Sarah also delivers Farm491’s Inspiring AgriTech Innovation Programme workshops, leading a session on “one-page business plans” and “pitching to investors”. Having grown up on her family farm in Shropshire and her previous role as a Farm Trader for an agricultural merchant, making a business model work for farmers is a core interest, as well as the challenges of a sustainable farming system, both environmentally and also for farmers themselves.

Luke Halsey

Head of Farm491 & Programme Manager

Luke leads Farm491 focussed on supporting adoption of innovation into the agri-food tech space through helping companies achieve their full growth potential, Luke also leads on building out partnerships and research initiatives to help grow the UK’s AgriTech ecosystem. Luke has over 10 years experience working with environmental and social impact orientated businesses which includes deep investment experience having worked in California on high impact portfolios around climate change solutions across agrifood, energy and oceans, most recently as Investment Director for California based impact venture capital fund AiiM Partners. He has also been involved in numerous research projects focused on breaking down barriers to adoption of innovation in the UK and U.S. to solve some of the biggest global social and environmental problems.

Verity Payne

Centre & Events Manager

As Centre and Events Manager Verity is responsible for memberships, overseeing the facilities across our three sites and coordinating events both at Farm491 HQ and nationally. Verity graduated from the RAU in 2012 with a master’s degree in Business Management and has experience in property management at Savills as well as sales and business development experience from a previous role with a publishing company. Verity has been at Farm491 since the project’s inception and is delighted to have seen the project grow from its initial stages with just a handful of members to the UK’s leading AgriTech incubator.