Oxford Innovation Finance’s Angel Investment Network, OION, has invested in Lambda agri, supporting the company’s development of innovative greenhouse materials that convert unused ultraviolet light into red light to increase crop yields and improve food production.
Lambda has developed an active material that can be incorporated into agricultural films or applied as a coating to greenhouses. The technology converts otherwise unused ultraviolet (UV) light from natural sunlight into red light, which plants can use for photosynthesis, increasing the amount of useful light available to crops without requiring additional energy. Lambda’s additive provides a cost-effective and scalable alternative to competing light-conversion technologies, including quantum dots and dyes and is designed to be easy to manufacture and compatible with existing greenhouse materials and agricultural films.
Lambda has demonstrated significant increases in crop yields through recent trials, including a 47% increase in beetroot yield, 33% in rocket and 10% in basil, and is now preparing to pilot its optimised next-generation additive, GloGro, with high-value crops in the UK.
Having already established relationships with some of the world’s largest greenhouse component and agricultural film manufacturers, Lambda has also secured two Letters of Intent and 12 Materials Transfer Agreements (MTAs) with customers. It has also secured manufacturing capacity for the next two years, covering pilot manufacturing runs and grower trials.
The investment will support Lambda as its R&D activity continues and commercial operations expand and scale to increase adoption across the agricultural sector. With global food security under increasing pressure from climate change, Lambda’s technology offers an opportunity to increase food production without requiring additional land or significant changes to existing greenhouse infrastructure.
Oxford Innovation Finance’s investment is supporting the development of a technology with the potential to increase agricultural productivity, strengthen food security and contribute to a more sustainable future for greenhouse growing.
Dr Monica Saavedra, Chief Executive Officer at Lambda Agri, said: “Oxford Innovation Finance makes decisions quickly and decisively. The OION members are a source of inspiration, as their capital has origins in their own founder stories. Their deep expertise means that founders will likely find mentors and advisors in the process, as well as capital. We’re pleased to have their support as we take GloGro towards commercialisation. This investment will help us build on Lambda’s strong and significant progress and demonstrate the full potential of our technology with growers.”
Richard Cooper, Managing Director at Oxford Innovation Finance, said: “Lambda has developed a genuinely innovative approach to one of the fundamental challenges facing agriculture, how to increase productivity while making better use of the resources we already have. Its innovative technology has the potential to increase yields without requiring major changes to existing greenhouse infrastructure. The company’s early trial results are particularly encouraging, with substantial yield increases demonstrated across a range of crops, alongside strong commercial interest from major industry players. We look forward to working with the team as it moves towards piloting GloGro and commercialising its technology.”
Oxford Innovation Finance invests in innovative, high-growth UK companies through the Oxford Innovation EIS Growth Fund and OION Angels, connecting entrepreneurs with experienced investors who provide both capital and strategic support. Lambda joins a growing portfolio of businesses using science and technology to improve sustainability, productivity and resilience across key industries.