EcoNomad Solutions, an AgriTech company based at the Rothamsted campus in Harpenden, has secured £400,000 (€466,000) in new funding to further develop its technology helping smaller livestock farms turn organic waste into renewable energy.
The investment includes £230,000 from the British Design Fund, alongside an Innovate UK Investor Partnership grant and additional backing from existing investor Beeches Group.
Founded in 2018, EcoNomad Solutions develops small-scale waste-to-energy technology designed to make anaerobic digestion more accessible to small and medium-sized livestock farms.
Its flagship BioNomad system converts livestock and other organic waste into biogas, which can be used for heating, cooking or electricity generation. The process also produces biofertiliser, helping farms reduce their reliance on chemical fertilisers while capturing methane that could otherwise be released into the atmosphere.
Unlike many conventional anaerobic digestion systems, which are designed for larger agricultural operations, BioNomad has been developed specifically with smaller farms in mind.
The technology is already deployed on more than 10 farms across the UK, with additional installations in Africa. EcoNomad has also trialled the technology with insect farms and food waste streams, as well as in integrated renewable energy systems combining biogas, solar and wind power.
The latest investment will support further product development and help EcoNomad scale its operations across the UK, with ambitions for future expansion into Europe and other international markets.
Dr Ilan Adler, Founder and CEO of EcoNomad Solutions, said:
“Small farms are under increasing pressure, yet they’re often excluded from the renewable energy solutions available to larger operators. Our mission is to change that. The BioNomad is designed to make waste-to-energy accessible, affordable and practical for even the smallest farms, helping them reduce emissions, lower costs and build resilience.”
He added that the backing from the British Design Fund, Innovate UK and existing investors would enable the company to progress product development and expand its operations.
The company plans to continue developing BioNomad towards a fully automated, plug-and-play system, making the technology easier for farmers to install and operate.
EcoNomad Solutions is part of the community of innovative businesses based at the Rothamsted campus, alongside world-leading agricultural research and scientific expertise. Its latest funding success highlights the continued growth of AgriTech businesses developing practical solutions to some of the challenges facing agriculture and food production.
The funding was recently reported by EU-Startups, which highlighted EcoNomad alongside a wider wave of European investment into technologies focused on reducing agriculture’s environmental footprint and improving farm economics.
