Bringing Low-Carbon Insulation to the Construction Industry: AGREKA BUILD Grant Case Study
How AGREKA BUILD secured a £350,000 Innovate UK Smart Grant to bring carbon-negative insulation to the construction industry.
Our client, AGREKA BUILD, won a £350,000 Innovate UK Smart Grant with the help of our Funding Experts.
These funds were crucial in helping them develop the world’s first thermal and acoustic insulation board made entirely from waste wheat straw, and in supporting their wider mission of reducing global emissions from the construction industry.
Company
AGREKA BUILD
Industry
Construction
Service
Innovate UK Smart Grant
Quick Summary
£350,000
Secured in non-dilutive funding
Challenge
The construction and agricultural industries are the largest contributors to global emissions, with challenges such as:
- Large volume of wasted agricultural straw surplus
- Limited options for sustainable construction materials
- High carbon emissions in production and waste management
Solution
AGREKA BUILD is a pioneering climate tech company developing circular, regenerative materials for the built environment, including their flagship insulation product WHEATEX™:..
- Free from synthetic binders and harmful chemicals
- High thermal and acoustic performance
- Reduced embodied carbon by over 80%
Impact
AGREKA BUILD was awarded a £350,000 Innovate UK Smart Grant to…
- Develop a pilot manufacturing line for WHEATEX™
- Optimise its material performance
- Advance technical testing and certification
AGREKA BUILD is a pioneering climate tech company developing circular, regenerative materials for the built environment. Their flagship product, WHEATEX™, is the world’s first thermal & acoustic insulation board made entirely from waste wheat straw. WHEATEX™ boasts low-embodied carbon, and free from harmful chemicals, WHEATEX™ offers high thermal and acoustic performance while reducing embodied carbon by over 80%. By replacing mainstream fossil-based insulations like PIR and fibreglass, AGREKA BUILD is tackling fuel poverty, bio-waste, and emissions in one scalable solution.
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The construction sector remains one of the largest contributors to global emissions, yet is notoriously slow to adopt new materials. AGREKA BUILD identified an urgent opportunity to divert millions of tonnes of surplus UK wheat straw—typically incinerated or landfilled—into a valuable building product. But to bring WHEATEX™ from prototype to market, the team needed funding to scale up production, develop technical certification, and prove commercial viability in a risk-averse industry.
Grantify: Simplifying the Grant Application Process
Tailored Application Strategy
Identified the best grant opportunities for the project
Developed a structured technical innovation story
Built a compelling business case
Expert support
Provided a dedicated grant specialist
Offered technical writing assistance
Guided detailed budget preparation
Tailored Application Strategy
Established a clear application timeline
Conducted regular progress reviews
Performed quality assurance checks
“AGREKA BUILD turned to Grantify to support our Innovate UK Smart Grant application. The platform’s intuitive structure enabled our team to present our business case clearly, gather all the necessary documentation, and align our impact narrative with Innovate UK’s evaluation criteria."
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In October 2024, AGREKA BUILD was awarded a £350,000 Innovate UK Smart Grant to develop a pilot manufacturing line for WHEATEX™, optimise its bio-based binder system, and advance certification with the British Board of Agrément. Since then, the company has made significant strides — winning the Big Innovation Pitch at Futurebuild 2025, joining The Greenest House low-carbon building initiative as a materials partner, and entering commercial trials with clients across housing, education, and civic sectors. A patent is also in progress to protect its proprietary process.
“Grantify’s guidance around technical framing, cost breakdowns, and impact metrics made the application process significantly more manageable. The support allowed AGREKA BUILD to focus on the science and strategy behind their innovation without getting lost in admin.”
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