Light Science Technologies Holdings PLC (AIM:LST) has been awarded a £188,251 grant by The Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra) and Innovate UK, as part of a £299,748 collaboration aimed at transforming food production.
The company, known for its work in controlled environment agriculture, contract electronics manufacturing, and passive fire protection, will use the grant for its SensorGROW project over the next 12 months.
This initiative seeks to refine and prototype an advanced precision growing platform, leveraging a network of unified agri-sensor nodes to enhance agricultural productivity and sustainability.
SensorGROW is designed to optimise growing conditions by providing both air and root zone data, marking a significant leap in agricultural technology.
The consortium for this project includes UK horticultural experts Bridge Farm and commercial grower Zenith Nurseries.
LSTH's chief executive, Simon Deacon. said: "We are extremely excited to be part of this consortium.
"There is a growing need for innovative solutions that will help increase food security and crop yields and we are delighted to be working with a range of partners that are at the forefront of change and providing welcome solutions to global cultivation challenges."
The 'smart' agricultural market is expected to grow at a 12% compound annual growth rate between 2023 and 2032 to $55bn a year.