About the SHAKE Climate Change Programme

Our Shared Journey

Phase 1 and 2 attendance:

We require participation in all phases to provide a) peer-to-peer learning network: b) time with scientists and mentors c) capability to monitor, assess and demonstrate impact.

Company funding scheme

Shake Climate Change uses a return on investment venture funding scheme. Start-up funding is provided in Phase 3 of the programme in the form of a convertible loan. Equity investments may also be considered, although only for companies that are more advanced or require capital to overcome short-term, growth barriers. In such cases, the Programme will call on external investment advice as needed to agree companies’ valuation and suitable equity investment structures. Prior to entering Phase 3 all the participants in the programme will be asked to review and approve to the terms of an investment agreement.

Eligibility to enter the Entrepreneur programme

Entrepreneurs must meet two criteria:

Target the agriculture sector with an innovative idea and new products/services that deliver a tangible, positive impact on climate change
Be incorporated in UK (registered with Companies House)

Terms and conditions of the financial support

The financial support provided by the programme is to cover start-up operating cost such as the cost of building a prototype demonstrators, outsourcing software, hardware or other development; conducting customer trials and interviews; patent filing; marketing related cost; staff costs, etc. No additional grant is provided in support of salaries or any other expenditures. These costs will have to be managed and funded from the single funding allocation provided to each team or individual funder.

Confidentiality

By summiting your application to Shake Climate Change (SCC) you agree to share your application with SCC staff and the Programme Steering Group (PSG) and Investment panels (IVP). All the above mentioned have signed a Non-Disclosure Agreement.

SHAKE Partners

Rothamsted Research (RRes) was founded by an agricultural entrepreneur in 1843 and is globally recognised for its cutting-edge science; working from gene to field to secure food production, protect the environment and benefit farmers and communities worldwide. Rothamsted has soil, plant, insect and pathogen experimental laboratories, four farms with field testing facilities, unique long-term experiments, soil sample archives and long-term databases, and a fully instrumented livestock farm platform. Through farmer- led innovation programmes like FarmInn, and its start-up hub managed by Rothamsted Enterprises, it drives entrepreneurship in the sector, nurturing the next generation of agri-tech pioneers. Rothamsted are strategically funded by the Biotechnology and Biological Sciences Research Council (BBSRC), with additional support from other national and international funding streams, and from industry.

Cranfield University (CU) is specialist postgraduate University, Cranfield is internationally recognised for research, education and training excellence in agri-food, environment, soil, water and air. The World Soil Survey Archive and Catalogue and LandIS, a soils-based land information system are based on site, and the University has unique pilot-scale facilities in both soil management, wastewater treatment, and an Urban Observatory-Living Laboratory, addressing sustainability across all sectors. Cranfield hosts significant elements of the Agricultural Engineering Precision Innovation and Crop Health and Protection AgriTech Centres delivering new approaches for precision agriculture, soil management, and food waste reduction. Cranfield School of Management’s Bettany Centre for Entrepreneurship develops entrepreneurial ecosystems and technology commercialisation, alongside an international reputation for social enterprise.

Societe Generale UK Foundation (SG UK Foundation) the independent corporate foundation of the UK branch of Societe Generale Group, is a registered UK charity (number 1039013) which seeks to apply its funds to support UK beneficiaries in the areas of education and employability, two key pillars of the Group’s Citizenship programme, with promoting innovation and supporting entrepreneurs central to the Bank’s wider strategy. SHAKE Climate Change is a revolutionary project for the SG UK Foundation which, through its focus on supporting and training the best minds in science and business, will fund innovation and job creation in this important area.

The University of Hertfordshire is a leading business-facing university and an exemplar in the sector. We are innovative and enterprising, and challenge individuals and organisations to excel. Strong interdisciplinary research underpins the University’s partnerships within the agricultural sector, including a life science approach to research in arable crops and plant breeding; modelling impacts of climate change on arable crop diseases; biologically inspired machine-learning algorithms for the analysis of big data and bioinformatics; and smart bio-detection systems that can warn of crop risk.

University College London (UCL) was founded as an educational engineering laboratory in 1827, and is now ranked among the top ten universities in the world. One of Europe’s largest multi-faculty universities, it has broad, world class expertise in data science and communications technologies related to the Internet of Things. The successful IDEALondon collaboration between Cisco, UCL and new partners EDF Energy, supports a broad-spectrum of digital and data technologies. Successful collaborations include: Prospective, an integrated urban forecasting platform; Asset Mapping, allowing organisations to securely digitise devices and improve management operations and; Curve, a platform that consolidates bank cards to make it easier to manage spending.

SHAKE Values

We aspire to be...

Credible

We open the door to an impressive team of hugely influential scientific leaders and commercially-savvy business people. Our scientists are known as important contributors to the farming community – locally nationally and internationally. Our skilful business experts and fellow entrepreneurs bring informed support along with broad and deep experience to the table.

Innovative

Innovation and experimentation are in our DNA. We champion new ideas and encourage the brightest minds to push the boundaries of farming. We’re must find ideas that will change the world forever.

Brave

We’re bold in our approach. We encourage exploration, experimentation and development of new ideas to achieve our shared ambition of tackling global climate change. We offer expert care, advice, funding and support to ambitious ground- breakers and climate change-makers.

Collaborative

We always work together to provide an energetic and intellectually stimulating environment, one that focuses our fundees to exploring and challenging their idea in depth.

Supportive

We offer expert care, advice, funding and support to ambitious ground- breakers and climate change-makers.

Vital

This work is incredibly important and there’s an impetus to it that demands vitality, energy and passion in everything we do.