Meet the Team

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

Sarah Carr

Farm491 Innovation Specialist / AgriTech Commercialisation Associate

Sarah works with Farm491’s members to reach their full growth potential in the AgriTech and AgriFood ecosystem. Sarah provides one-to-one support, as well as running physical and online workshops covering business strategy, investment readiness and sector specific topics. Sarah also heads up our ERDF funded Inspiring AgriTech Innovation business support workshops. She was recently on the panel for KTN’s Agri-Food Tech investment showcase, is currently a mentor on the EIT Food Seedbed programme and is a speaker at local and national events. She has a specific interest in technologies that encourage farmer empowerment and environmental sustainability.

Sarah grew up on her family farm in Shropshire. Following a Geography degree at Lancaster University, she was a Farm Trader for an agricultural merchant before moving into the AgriTech industry. 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.

Contact Sarah at sarah.carr@rau.ac.uk

Verity Payne

Farm491 Centre and Events Manager

Verity manages Farm491’s three incubation and innovation sites covering co-working, offices and workshops. Her role covers bringing in new members to use the offices and co-working space, building the on-site agri-tech community and ensuring the general smooth running of the facilities. She is also responsible for the on-site events, working with members to exhibit at trade shows and leads on sponsorship opportunities. This has included leading the Agri-Innovation Den in collaboration with BASF and Farmer’s Guardian for 2018 and 2019, and oversight on Farm491’s inaugural agri-tech showcase – a two day event aimed at farmers with over 100 attendees.

Verity is a two-time graduate of the Royal Agricultural University with an undergraduate degree in Equine Science and post-graduate degree in Business Management. After graduating, Verity worked in property at Savills, and has been at Farm491 since it was founded in 2016. She has been a critical part of the team performing almost every role and seen it grow from just a handful of members to the international reach it has today.

Contact Verity at verity.payne@rau.ac.uk