TIDMFIPP
Frontier IP Group plc
01 April 2019
1 April 2019
Frontier IP Group Plc
("Frontier IP" or the "Group")
Portfolio news - Fieldwork Robotics wins GBP547,250 Innovate UK
ISCF grant to accelerate raspberry-picking robot development
Frontier IP, a specialist in commercialising university
intellectual property, today announces portfolio company Fieldwork
Robotics (the "Company" or "Fieldwork") has won a UK government
Innovate UK Industrial Strategy Challenge Fund ("ISCF") grant to
accelerate development of its raspberry-harvesting robot
system.
Innovate UK, the UK's innovation agency, has awarded the
University of Plymouth spin out grant funding of GBP547,250 towards
a GBP671,484 project to create a multi-armed mobile robot
prototype. The other project partners include the University of
Plymouth and the National Physical Laboratory.
Frontier IP holds a 27.5 per cent stake in the Company. Frontier
IP provides Fieldwork with support for engineering and software
development, fundraising and industry partnerships. The Company was
incorporated to develop and commercialise the work of Dr Martin
Stoelen, Lecturer in Robotics at the University's School of
Computing, Electronics and Mathematics.
The government grant builds on the industry backing Fieldwork
gained in August 2018 through a collaboration agreement with a
leading UK soft-fruit grower, Hall Hunter Partnership. Hall Hunter
supplies Marks & Spencer, Tesco and Waitrose.
Fieldwork is focused initially on raspberries because they are
hard to pick. They are more delicate, more easily damaged than
other soft fruits, and grow on bushes with complex foliage and
berry distribution. Once the system is proved to work with
raspberries, then it can be adapted readily for other soft fruits
and vegetables.
Farmers around the world are increasingly interested in robot
technology to address long-term structural decline in labour, an
issue which has been brought into sharper focus in the UK by
Brexit. Fieldwork is developing proof-of-concept robots for other
crops following interest from leading agribusinesses.
The Innovate UK ISCF grant is one of several to be awarded to Dr
Stoelen's work. A project to develop robot systems to harvest
cauliflowers is supported by Agri-Tech Cornwall, an initiative part
funded by the European Regional Development Fund with match-funding
from Cornwall Council. Dr Stoelen is also working on a
tomato-picking project run in partnership with Shanghai Jiao Tong
University.
To support further development of its flexible and adaptable
robotics technology, Fieldwork Robotics is expected to seek further
funding from institutional and private investors during 2019.
Fieldwork Robotics founder and director Dr Martin Stoelen said:
"We are delighted with this grant award from Innovate UK and the
Industrial Strategy Challenge Fund, which will help us bring
forward the day when our robot system will be harvesting berries in
the field."
Frontier IP chief executive officer Neil Crabb said: "The
government has identified robotics and artificial intelligence as
key sectors to support as part of its industrial strategy launched
last year. Fieldwork Robotics' technology has the potential to play
an important role in improving agricultural productivity. We're
very pleased with this award, which provides further validation of
the technology it is developing."
ENQUIRIES
Frontier IP Group Plc T: 0131 240 1251
Neil Crabb, Chief Executive
Andrew Johnson, Communications & Investor M: 07464 546 025
Relations
Company website: www.frontierip.co.uk
Allenby Capital Limited (Nominated Adviser T: 0203 328 5656
and Broker)
Nick Athanas / Nicholas Chambers (Corporate
Finance)
Amrit Nahal (Equity Sales)
ABout frontier IP
Frontier IP unites science and commerce by identifying strong
intellectual property and accelerating its development through a
range of commercialisation services. A critical part of the Group's
work is involving relevant industry partners at an early stage of
development to ensure technology meets real world demands and
needs.
The Group looks to build and grow a portfolio of equity stakes
and licence income by taking an active involvement in spin-out
companies, including support for fund raising and collaboration
with relevant industry partners at an early stage of
development.
Frontier IP is the commercialisation partner for the University
of Plymouth.
ABOUT INNOVATE UK
Innovate UK is the UK's innovation agency. It works with people,
companies and partner organisations to find and drive the science
and technology innovations that will grow the UK economy. For
further information visit www.innovateuk.gov.uk
ABOUT THE UNIVERSITY OF PLYMOUTH
The University of Plymouth is renowned for high quality,
internationally-leading education, research and innovation.
With a mission to Advance Knowledge and Transform Lives,
Plymouth is a *top 50 research university with clusters of world
class research across a wide range of disciplines including marine
science and engineering, medicine, robotics and psychology. A twice
winner of the Queen's Anniversary Prize for Higher Education, the
University of Plymouth continues to grow in stature and
reputation.
It has a strong track record for teaching and learning
excellence and has one of the highest numbers of National Teaching
Fellows of any UK university. With 21,000 students, and a further
17,000 studying for a Plymouth degree at partner institutions in
the UK and around the world, and over 100,000 alumni pursuing their
chosen careers globally, it has a growing global presence.
http://www.plymouth.ac.uk
*Research Fortnight Research Power League Table 2014.
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END
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