UK biostimulant startup SugaROx raises £1m to fast-track crop trials

Backed by fertiliser giant Mosaic, the Oxford-based venture accelerates field testing of its precision biostimulant technology

SugaROx, a UK-based agricultural technology company developing precision biostimulants, has secured a £1 million seed round extension to accelerate manufacturing and field testing of its flagship product.

The funding includes a £400,000 strategic investment from The Mosaic Company, one of the world’s largest fertiliser producers, with the remainder provided by existing backers including Future Planet Capital, Regenerate Ventures, and UK angel investors.

Biostimulants are among the fastest-growing crop input categories globally, with an estimated compound annual growth rate of 11 per cent. SugaROx is seeking to position itself at the forefront of the market with its proprietary ingredient, Trehalose-6-Phosphate (T6P).

The T6P biostimulant works by inhibiting SnRK1, an enzyme that signals energy scarcity in plants, thereby improving crop yield and resilience. Safety tests completed earlier this year confirmed a favourable regulatory outlook, encouraging potential partners to request samples for large-scale trials.

SugaROx is targeting a UK market launch for its T6P wheat biostimulant in 2027, followed by entry into the EU in 2028. Trials in soybean and maize began this year, with ambitions to expand into the US and Brazilian markets shortly after.

Mark Robbins, chief executive of SugaROx, (pictured) said the new funding was critical in meeting demand for product samples. He said: “In response to increasing demand, we decided to accelerate our manufacturing timeline, fast-tracking the shift from in-house lab production to a pilot facility,” he said. “The Innovate UK grant and additional investment allow us to do exactly that.”

The deal also builds on a £2.4 million Innovate UK grant awarded last year to help scale manufacturing of T6P. Mosaic’s involvement gives SugaROx access to its US trial network and digital platform TruResponse, which allows field results to be visualised and analysed at scale.

Dr Cara Griffiths, chief technical officer and co-founder of SugaROx, said: “With Mosaic we gain access to an established network of trial sites for validation of our first product in the US at scale. Mosaic will also provide us with access to TruResponse, a digital platform to visualise field results, which will be extremely valuable for our research.”

Founded to commercialise research into plant biochemistry, SugaROx aims to bring science-backed innovation into a market increasingly focused on sustainable crop production.

Robbins added: “We have the ambition to transform the biostimulants industry with science-based solutions – something that is only achievable in collaboration with other players.”