Agtech firm UPP raises £1.5m from Elbow Beach
This article covers a £1.5m follow-on investment on 23 October 2025 in UPP, a UK food-tech company turning wasted broccoli into sustainable, hypoallergenic vegetarian protein, founded by David Whitewood. The round totals £3.5m and is led by Elbow Beach, with support from £0.5m in government grants.
What does UPP do?
UPP produces vegetarian protein and fibre ingredients and supplies a robotic harvester that collects broccoli side streams for processing. These ingredients are used by food manufacturers to replace animal protein and add fibre in burgers, sauces and bakery products.
Why is UPP useful?
Problem
Food manufacturers face high supply emissions and ingredient shortages caused by wasted broccoli and manual harvesting. This limits their ability to decarbonise products and meet UK food security and affordability goals.
Solution
UPP explains that it upcycles wasted broccoli into nutritious, hypoallergenic protein and fibre ingredients for food manufacturers. It pairs automated robotic harvesting with processing to cut supply chain emissions and reduce land, water, and labour needs.
How much did UPP raise?
UPP raised £3.5m in a follow-on round, including a £1.5m follow-on from Elbow Beach, plus £0.5m in government grants and £1.5m of converted loans. This makes it the 48th largest funding round in October 2025 (65 recorded). It stands 406th for 2025 (537 total) in the Startupmag database, as of 23 October 2025.
For details on how Startupmag compiles its rankings, view our Methodology.
Who invested in UPP?
Key investors included:
- Elbow Beach: A UK seed investor focused on climate-impact and early-stage clean‑tech companies.
In the funding announcement, Jonathan Pollock from Elbow Beach said:
We’re proud to continue to back UPP as they scale a technology that delivers real, tangible value to farmers, turning waste into a powerful resource while solving a challenge for food manufacturers wanting to decarbonise their products. UPP is at the forefront of innovation, aligning directly with the UK Government’s modern Industrial Strategy and its focus on Advanced Manufacturing and Digital Technologies.
If you're researching potential backers in this space:
- Explore our list of agtech venture capital firms in the UK
- Browse our directory of agtech angel investors in the UK
Who founded UPP?
David Whitewood is the founder of UPP.
In the funding announcement, Mark Evens, CEO of Upp said:
Our technology turns what was once waste into a cost-effective, nutritious, hypoallergenic food ingredient, directly supporting farmers, manufacturers, and the planet.
Where is UPP based?
UPP is based in Newport, UK.
What sector is UPP in?
UPP operates in the agtech sector. Agtech creates tools and methods to make farming more efficient, sustainable and productive. It helps turn crop waste into useful ingredients and reduces environmental impact.
Key trends and challenges in Agtech:
Upcycling crop waste into food ingredients
Companies are turning crop waste into protein and fibre, for example using 70% of broccoli plants normally discarded.
Robotics and automation for harvesting
Automated harvesters cut manual labour and speed up picking, for example harvesting three rows at 5 km/h.
Certification and commercial scale-up
Certifications like ISO 9001 and pilot trials are often needed before mass production and wide buyer acceptance.
For a deeper look at innovation in this space, see the agtech startups in the UK.
They've invested in UPP
Get to know these agtech investors
| Investor | Sector | Stage | Activity | Team | Connect |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
 Elbow Beach Capital (Elbow Beach) | 16 investment(s) investment(s) | 5 contacts contacts |
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