Our Success Story
From vision to reality: Building the future of British hemp through precision breeding innovation
Achievements That Matter
Validated by government, backed by institutions, and building the technology to transform UK agriculture
Including £912k Innovate UK grant
DEFRA Precision Breeding Programme
BritGrain, LongLine, YieldMax
Rothamsted & Hertfordshire
BHA, SHA & NIHA Support
£1M+ in Non-Dilutive Funding
Government and institutional backing validates our technology and de-risks our path to market
HKEP & HKICS Programmes
Public Innovation Funding
2022
Early-stage public investment through Hertfordshire Knowledge Exchange Partnership (HKEP) and Hertfordshire Innovation Centre Support (HKICS). Co-funded by Hertfordshire LEP (Single Local Growth Fund) and European Regional Development Fund (ERDF) for project 'Genetic Engineering of Cannabinoid Biosynthesis for Therapeutic Use'.
University of Hertfordshire
Enterprise Investment
2025
Strategic investment into Precision Plants Farming Futures project to develop hemp for DEFRA and support continued research and development.
Innovate UK
Farming Futures R&D Fund
2026
Awarded through DEFRA's Farming Innovation Programme for climate-resilient hemp development. Selected as 1 of only 7 projects nationally from hundreds of applications. Partnership with University of Hertfordshire and Rothamsted Research.
Awards & Validation
External recognition that validates our technology and approach
HKEP & HKICS Public Funding
2022
Secured early-stage public investment through Hertfordshire Knowledge Exchange Partnership and Hertfordshire Innovation Centre Support programmes, co-funded by Hertfordshire LEP and ERDF.
Innovate UK Farming Futures Winner
2026
Selected as 1 of only 7 projects nationally from hundreds of applications to receive £912,259 funding for agricultural innovation.
Precision Breeding Act Compliant
2023
Our Stackatrait™ technology qualifies under the UK Genetic Technology (Precision Breeding) Act 2023 - NOT classified as GMO.
University Enterprise Investment
2025
Received strategic investment from University of Hertfordshire, validating our technology and commercial potential.
From Idea to Impact
A detailed timeline of our progress and future milestones
Industry Experience
Founders Charles Clowes (CEO) and Mark Turner (Chief Innovation Officer) co-found <a href='https://www.budandtender.com/' target='_blank' rel='noopener noreferrer' class='text-primary hover:underline'>Bud & Tender</a>, award-winning CBD brand. 3+ years navigating hemp supply chains, regulations, and quality challenges. Identify genetic problem as fundamental barrier.
Precision Plants Founded
Decision to solve problem at source: develop superior hemp genetics using precision breeding technology. Established strategic partnership with University of Hertfordshire, gaining access to world-class CRISPR-Cas9 facilities and genomics expertise.
Public Investment Secured
Secured public investment through HKEP and HKICS programmes for project 'Genetic Engineering of Cannabinoid Biosynthesis for Therapeutic Use'. Co-funded by Hertfordshire LEP (Single Local Growth Fund) and European Regional Development Fund (ERDF).
Gene Editing Commences
Gene editing work commences in the lab with successful CRISPR applications. Initial proof-of-concept experiments demonstrate the viability of precision breeding for hemp trait modification.
Rothamsted Research Partnership
Signed collaboration agreement with Rothamsted Research for independent field trials and baseline data collection to inform our precision breeding programme.
Rothamsted EU Variety First Grow
First grow of EU hemp varieties at Rothamsted Research facilities to establish baseline data and growing protocols for comparison studies.
University Investment
Herts University invests £95,000 into Precision Plants Farming Futures project to develop hemp for DEFRA and support continued research and development.
Innovate UK Farming Futures Grant
Awarded £912,259 through DEFRA's Farming Innovation Programme for climate-resilient hemp development. Selected as 1 of only 7 national winners from hundreds of applications.
Laboratory Gene Editing
CRISPR-Cas9 gene editing work continues at University of Hertfordshire labs, targeting THC knockout and yield enhancement traits using Stackatrait™ technology.
Gene Editing & Full EU Variety Study
Continued laboratory gene editing work combined with full EU variety study at Rothamsted Research, gathering comprehensive genomic and growth data.
New Varieties vs EU Comparison
Planned first head-to-head growing trials comparing our precision-bred varieties against established EU varieties, subject to laboratory development milestones.
Multi-Site Comparison Trials
Planned expanded comparison trials at Rothamsted's main Harpenden site plus additional locations. Champion trial grows of our seed versus EU varieties, subject to development progress.
APHA VCU & DUS Trials
Official APHA (Animal and Plant Health Agency) trials for Value for Cultivation and Use (VCU) and Distinctness, Uniformity, and Stability (DUS). Seed registration on national listing.
Commercial Seed Launch
Retail seed availability for the 2032 growing season. Full commercial availability of Precision Plants varieties to UK farmers.
Partner Ecosystem
Backed by world-class institutions and government support
Innovate UK
UK's innovation agency, providing £912k through the Farming Futures R&D Fund to accelerate our precision breeding programme.
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University of Hertfordshire
Strategic partner providing CRISPR facilities, genomics expertise, £95k investment, and operational base at the Enterprise Hub.
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Rothamsted Research
World's longest-running agricultural research institution, providing independent field trial facilities and baseline data collection for our breeding programme.
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DEFRA
Supporting the UK hemp industry through the Precision Breeding Act 2023 and ongoing policy development.
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British Hemp Alliance
Leading UK hemp industry association, providing policy advocacy, industry standards, and connecting farmers with processors.
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Mark Spencer MP
Food Minister
March 2023
“The Genetic Technology Act is fantastic news for British consumers and farmers. Precision Breeding technologies are the future of food production not just at home, but around the world, and this Act will put our nation at the forefront of this revolution.”Source
Jamie Burrows
NFU Combinable Crops Board Chair
2024
“Industrial hemp production provides huge potential for British arable farmers.”Source
Dame Angela Eagle MP
Farming Minister
January 2026
“Innovation is central to a more productive, resilient farming sector. This funding will back new ideas farmers can use on the ground to cut methane and fertiliser-related emissions, strengthen crop resilience, and improve nutrition. It's part of our Plan for Change to support rural growth and long-term food security.”Source