10130837Accelerating global regenerative cotton production using AI-powered farmer technologyClosedInvestment AcceleratorInnovate UKMaterra, a British-Indian technology company, is digitalising the base of the fashion supply chains to accelerate the production of fully traceable regenerative fibre while enabling brands to invest directly in carbon reductions, biodiversity, and social impact. We develop our hardware and software solutions in the UK and produce fibre internationally. The textile industry sector is responsible for 10% of global greenhouse gas emissions and cotton is the most widely used natural fibre, which serves as raw material for approx 25% of all textiles. In the UK and in Europe, the textile industry heavily relies on cotton fibres as the initial stage of production. However, cotton cultivation is vulnerable to shifts in climate conditions. Rising temperatures necessitate increased water usage, particularly during the critical stages of flower and boll development, which are essential for cotton fibre extraction. Presently, approximately 73% of cotton cultivation utilises either full or partial irrigation. Around 99% of the world's cotton farmers across 70 countries are smallholders, who produce 75% of the cotton global output. Consequently, the projected rise in temperatures, coupled with factors like drought, water scarcity, and erratic rainfall patterns in existing cotton-producing regions worldwide, is anticipated to impact cotton yields. This will not only have repercussions on local economies and disrupt the livelihoods of vulnerable small-holder farmers, but also disrupt global supply chains. Hence, the industry must enhance its awareness of forthcoming climate changes and have access to improved predictive tools to foster the adoption of more sustainable cultivation methods and support small-holder farmers that are the backbone of the textile industry. With this Innovate UK grant, we aim to accelerate the development of our software to fast track Materra's impact by: * Supporting farmers with the best technology and predictive models to increase yield, lower environmental footprint and maximise farmer profits. * Dramatically scaling the production of a low impact circular fibre available to the UK. * Support brands in proving net zero claims, by investing in carbon reduction and removal. * Support brands improving Biodiversity, Water Stewardship and Social Impact of their supply chain.