‘Catenna’ – bridging the gap between industry and academia joins Hartpury Tech Box Park

Catenna, the start-up organisation on a mission to revolutionise the way business and research connect, is the latest member to join Hartpury’s entrepreneurial Tech Box Park community this month.

Dursley-based Founder and CEO, Joshua Elliott says: “Catenna was born out of intrigue and my innate curiosity to unlock information that sits within the UK’s leading universities and how to recombine knowledge from different domains to solve societal challenges more effectively. My aim is to create a melting pot of ideas where the best university minds are matched and combined with innovative businesses to find solutions to real-world problems.”

Described as a commercial playground for businesses and academics, the Catenna platform will connect the most relevant subject matter experts in universities with users from SMEs – fast tracking and bridging the gap between laboratory to marketplace, focusing on social impact and revenue opportunities. It is hoped that the novel insight analytics tool will tap into knowledge previously locked away in research institutes to create commercial opportunities and boost SME growth. It will also provide granular visibility to Government and funding parties to help identify market trends and opportunities so that funding can be more effectively deployed and accessed by collaborating parties. 

Joshua, who grew up supporting his grandmother’s sheep farm: “Business often has a desire but doesn’t always have access to the latest knowledge that sits within the UK’s leading academic institutions. In a post-Brexit, Covid and turbulent environment, I’m keen to accelerate access to and increase the democratisation of knowledge so our business and academic communities can address some of our leading national, but also global societal challenges. I want to combine ideas and find out how we can take the latest tech in farming and apply it to other industries.”

Joshua looks forward to meeting with Gloucestershire-based farmers and businesses at the Tech Box Park over the coming months to introduce the Catenna concept and better understand the needs of new product development.

Catherine Briggs, Tech Box Park Manager says: “We are delighted to welcome Joshua to the Tech Box and are excited to act as a test bed for his new business venture which will, no doubt, enable the growth of businesses across the UK.”

Hartpury’s Tech Box Park facility funded by the European Regional Development Fund (ERDF), the GFirst LEP ‘Getting Building Fund’ and the Elizabeth Creak Charitable Trust is dedicated to enabling the growth of innovative local businesses looking to develop new or existing products and accelerate them into the agri-tech market.