Azotic Technologies
Developing a natural nitrogen-fixation technology for agriculture
Enabling naturally sustainable farming without nitrogen pollution
Nottingham based SME Azotic Technologies worked with CPI to develop and scale its technology from proof-of-concept to a commercial product, enabling market entry in the US in Spring 2019.
Azotic Technologies Ltd was established to commercialise a natural nitrogen-fixation technology that provides a solution to the overuse of chemical nitrogen fertiliser. Azotic’s technology was developed by Professor Edward Cocking, a leading expert on the biology of nitrogen-fixation, from Nottingham University.
Azotic worked with CPI to improve productivity, scale the process and deliver multi-ton manufacture.
![](https://optimise2.assets-servd.host/smart-hoopoe/production/content/images/Fertilisers.jpeg?w=1920&h=1080&q=60&fm=jpg&fit=crop&dm=1683636333&s=00ec66fbf72ac41b5fb31b1ee3794c2e 1920w, https://optimise2.assets-servd.host/smart-hoopoe/production/content/images/Fertilisers.jpeg?w=1120&h=630&q=60&fm=jpg&fit=crop&dm=1683636333&s=374516b78a1cb49c0d1db7c71d87bed7 1120w, https://optimise2.assets-servd.host/smart-hoopoe/production/content/images/Fertilisers.jpeg?w=2240&h=1260&q=45&fm=jpg&fit=crop&dm=1683636333&s=a71179b8b3667c376684af8da98cd093 2240w, https://optimise2.assets-servd.host/smart-hoopoe/production/content/images/Fertilisers.jpeg?w=800&h=450&q=60&fm=jpg&fit=crop&dm=1683636333&s=060dc71e79b547316f677621e0b2ffb6 800w, https://optimise2.assets-servd.host/smart-hoopoe/production/content/images/Fertilisers.jpeg?w=1600&h=900&q=45&fm=jpg&fit=crop&dm=1683636333&s=67d37a0d1ebc91b8b18dc5c82e220ba8 1600w, https://optimise2.assets-servd.host/smart-hoopoe/production/content/images/Fertilisers.jpeg?w=480&h=270&q=60&fm=jpg&fit=crop&dm=1683636333&s=46f1270afa5ae90496e15a292c756942 480w, https://optimise2.assets-servd.host/smart-hoopoe/production/content/images/Fertilisers.jpeg?w=960&h=540&q=45&fm=jpg&fit=crop&dm=1683636333&s=e8c51e53367ccafdc70f137467cbd46f 960w)
“ By working with CPI’s unique combination of in house expertise and capability, we have saved many months of process development and scale-up, accelerating the commercialisation of our product. ”
![Steve Pearson Steve Pearson](https://optimise2.assets-servd.host/smart-hoopoe/production/content/images/Steve-Pearson-Headshot.jpg?w=100&h=100&q=60&fm=jpg&fit=crop&dm=1683634827&s=e74b133203152614af8a3f631fa3796f)
Achievements
Inputs
- Access to expertise for process development and scale-up
- Access to production operations and infrastructure
Outputs
- TRL progression from 4 to 8
- Enhanced process robustness and productivity
- Supply of product for trials and commercialisation
Outcomes
- Scaled production capacity
- Roll-out of Azotic’s N‑Fix technology across global markets
![](https://optimise2.assets-servd.host/smart-hoopoe/production/content/images/Fertiliser_Spraying_Agriculture.jpg?w=1920&h=1080&q=60&fm=jpg&fit=crop&dm=1602672089&s=3cd7dcaf1deb72152a651b8fc264f54a 1920w, https://optimise2.assets-servd.host/smart-hoopoe/production/content/images/Fertiliser_Spraying_Agriculture.jpg?w=1120&h=630&q=60&fm=jpg&fit=crop&dm=1602672089&s=8701db5254993cf1a7a38e569f265fd8 1120w, https://optimise2.assets-servd.host/smart-hoopoe/production/content/images/Fertiliser_Spraying_Agriculture.jpg?w=2240&h=1260&q=45&fm=jpg&fit=crop&dm=1602672089&s=3e236388e9879101c67280ea07ae0231 2240w, https://optimise2.assets-servd.host/smart-hoopoe/production/content/images/Fertiliser_Spraying_Agriculture.jpg?w=800&h=450&q=60&fm=jpg&fit=crop&dm=1602672089&s=781e07b7975cca550cabcee7bb44ea9d 800w, https://optimise2.assets-servd.host/smart-hoopoe/production/content/images/Fertiliser_Spraying_Agriculture.jpg?w=1600&h=900&q=45&fm=jpg&fit=crop&dm=1602672089&s=4eee14f9f6e6638be48209667ced3897 1600w, https://optimise2.assets-servd.host/smart-hoopoe/production/content/images/Fertiliser_Spraying_Agriculture.jpg?w=480&h=270&q=60&fm=jpg&fit=crop&dm=1602672089&s=db34aa1d857b7482df5a5526e5b4b4cb 480w, https://optimise2.assets-servd.host/smart-hoopoe/production/content/images/Fertiliser_Spraying_Agriculture.jpg?w=960&h=540&q=45&fm=jpg&fit=crop&dm=1602672089&s=7ddf9fce8dbb4c917be53e733d149c33 960w)
The challenge
As populations rise greater demands on productivity and land-use efficiency are being placed on global croplands. The agriculture sector uses large volumes of chemical Nitrogen fertiliser which enable us to feed half of the worlds’ population. However, their production and use create significant levels of pollution, effecting the quality of our air, soil and water, which affects human health, biodiversity, and accelerates climate change.
Azotic is bringing to market their unique N‑Fix® technology, that enables crops to fix nitrogen directly from the air. It is environmentally friendly and contains no toxins, enabling sustainable farming and a reduction in the use of chemical nitrogen fertiliser.
Azotic utilised the CPI to develop an industrially relevant production process and produce the product for market entry in the US for application on maize and soybean.
How CPI helped
Azotic approached CPI to access their expertise in bioprocess development and scale-up. In collaboration, the parties rapidly developed a robust and scalable production process enabling Azotic to enter the US market on Maize and Soybean in Spring. From April 2018, the collaboration progressed rapidly over a 12-month period, developing the laboratory process through pilot and demonstration-scale, culminating in the first production run for market entry in the US.
The integrated infrastructure and expertise present at CPI allowed Azotic to follow an accelerated development path and hit its commercial objectives. The parties continue to collaborate closely to further enhance and optimise Azotic’s product portfolio.
CPI accelerated Azotic Technologies’ journey from innovation to commercialisation, enabling them to rapidly enter the US market with low commercial risk, and in time to catch the next growing season.
CPI supported Azotic Technologies in moving from a development company to a product company with the promise of an exciting new pipeline. This progression has enabled Azotic to secure funding to enable the continued commercial roll-out of its products globally.
Related
Technologies
Markets
![](https://optimise2.assets-servd.host/smart-hoopoe/production/content/images/Tractor_Spraying_Crops.jpg?w=1920&h=1080&q=60&fm=jpg&fit=crop&dm=1602672125&s=4b2555f01e42995ef8ed675bd28e44e8 1920w, https://optimise2.assets-servd.host/smart-hoopoe/production/content/images/Tractor_Spraying_Crops.jpg?w=1120&h=630&q=60&fm=jpg&fit=crop&dm=1602672125&s=6a4fc2ad6dfb2fd150842176caf98ef1 1120w, https://optimise2.assets-servd.host/smart-hoopoe/production/content/images/Tractor_Spraying_Crops.jpg?w=2240&h=1260&q=45&fm=jpg&fit=crop&dm=1602672125&s=f125ed3f0b962b442de052f0f46e2253 2240w, https://optimise2.assets-servd.host/smart-hoopoe/production/content/images/Tractor_Spraying_Crops.jpg?w=800&h=450&q=60&fm=jpg&fit=crop&dm=1602672125&s=9c9afb2ddfd4aac0b0cf12033e025109 800w, https://optimise2.assets-servd.host/smart-hoopoe/production/content/images/Tractor_Spraying_Crops.jpg?w=1600&h=900&q=45&fm=jpg&fit=crop&dm=1602672125&s=d7afb1523d23d2a760058a56dee9671a 1600w, https://optimise2.assets-servd.host/smart-hoopoe/production/content/images/Tractor_Spraying_Crops.jpg?w=480&h=270&q=60&fm=jpg&fit=crop&dm=1602672125&s=9a5a3479940657d0fc407a9bce0cc9c2 480w, https://optimise2.assets-servd.host/smart-hoopoe/production/content/images/Tractor_Spraying_Crops.jpg?w=960&h=540&q=45&fm=jpg&fit=crop&dm=1602672125&s=5cb8577e2b23bbbebe230d7f6b906ac6 960w)