A fund to support new food and feed start-ups has been launched by biosciences innovation and enterprise campus AberInnovation as it celebrates its fourth anniversary at an event on 24th September 2024.
Legacy Entrepreneurship Acceleration Programme (LEAP), which will be funded by the Dick Lawes Legacy Fund, will support initiatives aiming to help aspiring entrepreneurs.
Dick Lawes was a visionary entrepreneur who left a lasting impact on the dairy industry, founding Volac and L.E. Pritchitt & Co, now part of Lakeland Dairies. He pioneered the development of innovative animal nutrition products, which later evolved into human nutritional solutions through subsequent generations of his family. Overcoming significant early challenges, his success was driven by determination, and the ability to showcase potential value to investors. In his memory, the Dick Lawes Legacy Fund, part of the Betty Lawes Foundation, was established.
LEAP will support up to eight projects in 2024-2025 in the fields of agriculture, human food and nutrition - particularly with a focus on dairy—farm-to-fork processes, and animal nutrition.
The programme is designed to provide technical development support and mentorship to selected projects, backed by a grant of between £30,000 and £50,000.
Over the past four years. AberInnovation, located in Gogerddan, just outside Aberystwyth, has played a pivotal role in advancing cutting-edge research and fostering collaboration between academia, industry, and the public sector across the UK.
Dr Rhian Hayward MBE, CEO of AberInnovation, said:
"As we celebrate four years of driving innovation, we are excited and feel privileged to launch the LEAP Programme, which reflects our shared commitment with the family of Dick Lawes to nurturing the next generation of innovators. The Dick Lawes Legacy Fund is providing crucial support to projects that have the potential to make a significant impact in the fields of agriculture, food, nutrition and life sciences.”
“Over the past four years, AberInnovation has established itself as a cornerstone for new product and services development in the biosciences, agrifood and the circular economy for innovative businesses. Through our state-of-the-art facilities and partnerships with academic experts from Aberystwyth University and beyond, AberInnovation has supported both early-stage startups and established companies in bringing their ideas to life. These are major achievements of which we are all very proud.”
Participants will also have the opportunity to collaborate with academic experts from Aberystwyth University and other UK institutions.
The LEAP programme also covers consumable supplies, small pieces of capital equipment, and mentoring to ensure the successful development and execution of each project.
Jane Neville, Trustee and daughter of Dick Lawes, said:
"We are incredibly proud of my father’s achievements. He understood that the entrepreneurial journey is filled with opportunities, and I am delighted to further extend his legacy by supporting entrepreneurs through the launch of the LEAP programme. This launch also highlights the vital importance of collaboration between industry and academia, ensuring continued support for innovation through the Dick Lawes Legacy Fund. His belief and mantra ‘not if – when’ is particularly fitting for this initiative.”