It is frustrating – no, infuriating – to watch investors in the UK and EU continue to throw significant amounts of money at so-called “high-tech farming” projects. Be it LEDs in sheds, failing small robots, or meat-free ventures that are long on hype but short on returns, they all share the same flaws: no real market and no credible profitability model.

Meanwhile, there are solid businesses out there – with proven operational and financial models, delivering real-world impact today – and yet they are overlooked. Why? Too often because they don’t fit a pre-packaged environmental narrative, or simply aren’t “shiny” enough for the pitch decks.

Take Drip UK as a case in point.

This business supplies drip irrigation systems for the UK potato and vegetable sectors. Currently, only 3% of the UK potato crop uses drip irrigation. To put that into perspective: the UK grows 5 million tonnes of potatoes annually across 2,500 farms. The potential uplift in efficiency, quality, and profitability is enormous.

And here’s the kicker: drip irrigation is a proven technology. It works. Farmers using it are already seeing the benefits – better yields, better quality, lower input costs, and, crucially, far greater water efficiency. At a time when water scarcity and input costs are front and centre, this is a no-brainer. Farmers growing potatoes or vegetables don’t need to waste water through outdated irrigation methods, especially when drip can also deliver fertiliser and nutrients directly through the system.

What’s needed now is investment to accelerate roll-out and drive the next stage of innovation: making the drip irrigation piping fully reusable, rather than just recyclable. That’s the kind of step-change that creates both commercial returns and genuine sustainability impact.

So here’s my halcyon call:

If you are an investor looking for more than hype – if you want to review a solid, field-proven business model that boosts profitability, strengthens food security, and genuinely helps to feed the nation – then you need to look at Drip UK.

Watch our Beanstalk.Global video with Andrew Howseman of Drip UK to see the innovation in action: CLICK HERE.

It’s time for capital to back what works, not just what looks good on a glossy ESG slide.

And if you want to know how to get involved, contact us directly – we’ll make the introduction.

Contact Max MacGillivray  info@beanstalk.global or call +44 (0)1284 715055.