SHAKE: science-backed start-ups for a cooler planet
Together with Rothamsted, Cranfield and UCL, we are helping climate innovators change the future of food.
Farming and food production often find themselves in the spotlight for their substantial environmental impacts, responsible for more than a quarter of global greenhouse gas emissions. Yet, the sector also presents significant opportunities for climate-positive innovation, from enhancing soil health to developing more sustainable supply chains.
SHAKE Climate Change, launched in 2019 through a unique partnership between Rothamsted Research, the University of Hertfordshire, Cranfield University, and UCL, recognises agriculture's potential as a crucial part of the climate solution. Originally funded through a competitive £3.5 million grant awarded by the Societe Generale UK Foundation, SHAKE supports business ventures that combine scientific rigour with genuine potential for impact.
“The food system is complicated, but that complexity is exactly why it holds so much promise,” says Dr. Nigel Culkin, Professor of Enterprise and Entrepreneurial Development at the University of Hertfordshire. “At SHAKE, we strategically invest in entrepreneurs and ventures that promise deep, transformational impacts rather than incremental improvements.”
SHAKE distinguishes itself through its highly selective approach, driven by rigorous scientific evaluation, clear environmental impact, and scalable business models. Ventures receive up to £140,000 in investment alongside two years of tailored, intensive mentoring from leading experts in science, enterprise, and investment. “Our experience and research into entrepreneurial ecosystems directly shaped SHAKE’s selective, impact-focused support structure,” explains Professor Culkin.
Since its inception, SHAKE has demonstrated impressive outcomes. By early 2025, 79 ventures had successfully completed Phase 1 across five cohorts, with 41 progressing to the more intensive Phase 2. Of these, 11 ventures secured direct investments, with nine converting SHAKE’s initial loans into equity. To date, SHAKE ventures have attracted £11.7 million in follow-on equity funding and an additional £7.8 million in grants, amounting to a total of £19.5 million.
Internal projections suggest these initiatives could prevent over 1.8 million tonnes of CO₂-equivalent emissions by 2030. In economic terms, this could represent societal cost savings of between £180 million and £430 million.
The SHAKE portfolio features remarkable success stories. Adamo Foods has created the world’s first fungi-based whole-cut steak alternative, saving approximately 15,000 litres of water per kilo compared to traditional beef production. EcoNomad has developed modular biogas units that efficiently convert manure into renewable fuel and organic fertiliser, transforming waste management on small livestock farms, micro-dairies, petting zoos, animal sanctuaries or anywhere where manure or slurry is regularly collected. Meanwhile, Glaia's innovative carbon-based nanomaterials enhance photosynthesis and dramatically increase crop yields without the use of harmful fertilisers; demonstrating impressive results in strawberries, tomatoes, and lettuces.
Central to SHAKE’s effectiveness is its innovative financial approach: a convertible loan structure developed by Professor Culkin and his team. This model aligns investor incentives with the long-term sustainability objectives of supported ventures.
Traditional grants often promote short-term thinking. By contrast, SHAKE’s model motivates ventures toward lasting, meaningful change. Crucially, the stage at which academic researchers become actively involved – evaluating the science, shaping the model, and qualifying the business plan – is precisely where their expertise can be most influential. It is this integration of research insight with entrepreneurial judgment that, gives SHAKE its edge and underpins the credibility of the businesses it supports.
Professor Nigel Culkin,
Professor of Enterprise and Entrepreneurial Development
Recently, SHAKE expanded its financial model, raising an additional £845,000 from new partners, including the Novo Nordisk Foundation, Beeches Capital, and Lawes Agricultural Trust. Looking ahead, Professor Culkin is advocating for greater national policy support to further scale SHAKE’s impact, proposing a ‘SHAKE-to-Export’ pilot to help UK ventures expand internationally.
His call to action aligns with the UK Government’s newly launched Modern Industrial Strategy, which identifies Agri-Tech as one of six national ‘Frontier Sectors’ critical to future growth. With £200 million committed to the Farming Innovation Programme and new Agri-Tech Export Accelerator initiatives, the strategy creates fertile ground for mission-driven innovation models like SHAKE to thrive.
“If we’re genuinely committed to net zero and global food security, we must back ventures that drive deep, systemic change,” Professor Culkin concludes. “SHAKE exemplifies this approach, backing gazelles, not just the herd.”
Professor Nigel Culkin
Professor of Enterprise & Entrepreneurial Development
My work focuses principally on entrepreneurial learning in organisations, decision-making, student & graduate entrepreneurship and enterprise policy with special attention to innovation and opportunity recognition in the digital industries. I have attracted in excess of €26M investment to help implement the UH Enterprise Strategy, which has sustained over 75 ‘enterprise’ posts and authored over 50 publications. My work has contributed to UH jumping to 32nd place in the UK research impact ratings, the highest rise of any university in the sector; a rise of 61 places since 2014. The REF2021 results (published 12th May 2022) indicates that our research has real-world benefits with 90% of our research impact has been classified as ‘outstanding’ (4*) or ‘very considerable’ (3*).