Multidisciplinary Food Systems Catalyst
Zinc and UKRI (ESRC & BBSRC) are proud to launch a new initiative: the Multidisciplinary Food Systems Commercialisation Catalyst.
This programme is designed to unite researchers from across the social sciences and biosciences to cross-pollinate skills, ideas, and expertise to build exciting new ventures.
Participants will come together to address a shared challenge: How to build healthy, sustainable, and resilient food systems.
You can learn more about programme eligibility criteria here.
The Challenge
As the global population approaches 10 billion and climate change is increasingly impacting food security, the pressure on our food systems is intensifying.
The core purpose of our food systems is to provide enough nutrition to meet global dietary needs – yet this system is under intense threat, compounded by declining soil quality, reduced biodiversity, water stress, the proliferation of crop disease and supply chain disruptions.
Without urgent and radical transformation, we risk pushing our food systems beyond key planetary boundaries.
Despite these complex challenges, we see compelling opportunities for science-based innovation and interdisciplinary collaboration to unlock impact and value creation on a global scale.
About the Programme
We are seeking social science and bioscience researchers with the motivation, skills and drive to develop an impactful, sustainable enterprise that solves a critical food systems challenge as part of this exciting new initiative from UKRI, powered by Zinc.
This unique programme will feature a two-day Food Systems Sandpit event that brings together researchers from across the bio and social sciences to form multidisciplinary teams with complementary backgrounds and skills. Participants will connect with like-minded collaborators to explore problems and co-develop solutions, with hands-on support from Zinc around team formation, ideation, leadership and more.
Successful teams will receive £100,000 grant funding from UKRI and participate in a six-month support programme led by Zinc, designed to help translate research into impactful and sustainable enterprises.
Zinc’s support programme combines structured learning sessions with peer-to-peer exchange, offering inspiration, practical tools, and personalised guidance. The experience is designed to foster personal growth and the development of ideas, all within a collaborative and supportive cohort environment.
Programme Timeline
Our collaborative two-phase programme is designed to help you build a team, develop your ideas, build a compelling award application, and set you up for success with your new venture.
1) Submit your Expression of Interest
Deadline: 13th June 2025
Submit your short Expression of Interest form to participate in the Food Systems Sandpit event. We ask you for some information about your background, the food systems challenges you are interested in tackling, and any initial solutions you are keen to explore. Those who progress beyond this stage will be invited to submit a short video outlining their motivations and relevant skills.
The first round of application reviews will follow the first deadline on Friday 9th May. We encourage you to submit your application early in order to have more time for team formation and building on our online collaboration platform.
2) Join the Online Collaboration Platform
April - July 2025
Successful applicants will be invited to join the online collaboration platform. This is where you can connect with fellow participants, explore shared interests, and begin forming potential teams.
You will be invited to a series of online events and workshops during this period to support networking, learning and idea development.
3) Two Day Food Systems Sandpit
Wednesday 2nd & Thursday 3rd July 2025
All participants will take part in a two day Food Systems Sandpit event in central London. This in-person event is designed to spark collaboration, deepen discussions, and ultimately support the formation of multidisciplinary teams (involving at least one bioscientist and one social scientist).
During the event, teams will begin co-developing their proposals for funding.
4) Submit Your Award Application
Monday 14th July - Friday 1st August 2025
Following the Food Systems Sandpit, teams will finalise and submit their proposals to UKRI. Successful teams will receive up to £100,000 in funding and six months of support from Zinc.
Grants Awarded
Decisions announced: w/c 11th August
Up to 10 teams will be selected to receive awards of up to £100,000. Zinc and UKRI will work with successful teams in the run-up to the support programme to ensure that teams can hit the ground running.
Zinc Support Programme
October 2025 - March 2026
Successful teams will join a six-month cohort-based support programme delivered by Zinc. This programme is designed to help teams translate their research into high-impact enterprises, with structured sessions, expert guidance, venture building resources and peer support.
Expression of Interest closes on 13th June 2025
Submissions will be assesed on a rolling basis so we strongly advise you to get your Expression of Interest form in early.