SugaROx, based in Hertfordshire, is developing crop biostimulants to boost crop yields.

The company plans to use the funding to bring its technology to market and expand globally.

Mark Robbins, chief executive officer of SugaROx, said: “We’re delighted to deepen our collaboration with The Mosaic Company as we move closer to commercialisation.

“Their continued support is a strong validation of both our science and our ability to deliver a differentiated product in a fast-growing market.”

The company’s lead product is based on trehalose-6-phosphate (T6P), a naturally occurring plant sugar.

The technology was developed from research at Oxford University and Rothamsted Research.

SugaROx plans to launch the product in the UK between 2027 and 2028, with EU and US launches expected between 2028 and 2030.

The UK and European markets will initially focus on wheat and barley, while North American efforts will target soybean and maize.

SugaROx is also exploring applications for horticultural crops.

The Mosaic Company previously invested £400,000 in SugaROx’s 2025 seed round, which helped scale production from lab to pilot facility and enabled testing in five markets.

Jeff Wheeler, Vice President – Biosciences at The Mosaic Company, said: “SugaROx is advancing a new category of precision biostimulants that aligns closely with our approach at Mosaic Biosciences, where we are building a science-backed portfolio of solutions that support the biology of plants and soil.

“We are pleased to support the team as they expand field validation and progress towards commercialisation.”

The latest funding will support expanded field trials and generate the data needed for regulatory approval and commercial launch in target markets.

A key challenge for biostimulant products has been delivering active molecules effectively into plant cells using standard practices like foliar spraying.

SugaROx has developed a patented delivery technology that allows these molecules to cross cell walls and membranes, supporting more consistent performance in the field.

Each molecule targeted by the company has a clearly defined cellular function.

The first molecule in its pipeline inhibits a famine-signalling enzyme, stimulating the movement of carbon and nutrients towards grain filling, improving yield and quality.

Biostimulants represent a rapidly growing segment in agricultural inputs, with a forecasted compound annual growth rate of around 12 per cent.

SugaROx continues to seek additional investment to complete its Series A funding round and bring its proprietary technology to market.

More information is available at sugarox.co.uk.

Temenos has launched Composable Retail Deposits and Composable Retail Lending, aimed at banks seeking to modernise retail banking systems in stages.

The launches come as many lenders continue to run deposit and lending operations on older core platforms that are difficult to change and costly to upgrade.

Two products are designed as separate building blocks for deposits and lending, allowing banks to update one area without replacing the entire core system at once.

Core overhaul

The banking software provider said the products are cloud-native and connect with existing systems through application programming interfaces and event-driven links.

Each has its own deployment and upgrade cycle, which should limit knock-on disruption elsewhere in a bank’s technology estate.

The move reflects broader demand among banks for a more gradual route to replacing legacy technology. Rather than undertaking a full core overhaul in a single programme, some institutions are modernising selected functions first, particularly retail deposits and lending, which sit at the centre of day-to-day banking operations.

“Banks need to modernise from legacy systems to stay competitive, but they cannot afford disruption,” said Barb Morgan, Chief Product and Technology Officer at Temenos. “Our Composable Retail Deposits and Composable Retail Lending enable banks to upgrade critical core domains progressively without destabilising existing operations. It is a clear step forward in our composability strategy, focused on delivery, flexibility and customer value.”

Phased approach

Industry analysts have pointed to steady interest in modular approaches, particularly among larger banks, where the complexity of existing infrastructure can make a single large migration harder to execute.

“We see sustained appetite, particularly from large banks, for composable core solutions that enable incremental transformation,” said Bola Rotibi, Chief of Enterprise Research at CCS Insights. “Temenos’ composable approach reflects this reality, giving banks the option to upgrade one capability at a time, prove value, and expand from there as part of a phased modernisation strategy.”

Temenos said the products were developed with design partner clients including Raiffeisen Bank International. Their input was used to shape the products around the operational needs of banks running established core systems.

“Traditional core banking systems are slow to adapt to changing market demands or new technologies,” said Shyam Gopal Rajagopalan, Head of Operations Platform at Raiffeisen Bank International. “Upgrade cycles are often complex and disruptive, with impact extending well beyond the area being changed. The composable approach offered by Temenos provides an opportunity for banks like ours to take a more efficient and controlled path to core banking modernisation.”

Reliance deal

Separately, Temenos said Reliance Bank in the UK will adopt its software-as-a-service platform for core banking, digital banking and payments.

The bank, owned by The Salvation Army, plans to replace legacy systems as part of a broader technology overhaul aimed at improving efficiency and supporting deposit growth.

Reliance Bank serves retail and business customers and has a long-standing focus on ethical and community banking. It offers savings products for individuals, and current accounts, savings and loans for charities and small and medium-sized enterprises.

Under the agreement, the bank will use Temenos software delivered as a managed cloud service rather than operating the technology itself.

The arrangement includes access to its UK Model Bank configuration, intended to reflect local market requirements and reduce the need for additional software customisation.

Cloud platform

The bank is also expected to use Temenos’ architecture to connect with financial technology partners. That could support the lender as it seeks to broaden its customer base while updating the systems behind its current products and services.

“Implementing Temenos SaaS is a key element of Reliance Bank’s digital transformation strategy, providing a resilient, modern infrastructure that will support our growth plans,” said Nikki Fenton, CEO of Reliance Bank. “With Temenos, we’ll be able to scale efficiently and launch customer-centric digital solutions quickly, helping us to grow our deposit base and provide more financial support to charitable and ethical institutions.”

“We’re proud to partner with Reliance Bank on this strategic transformation, and support the bank’s mission to deliver a positive societal impact,” said Mark Yamin-Ali, Managing Director, Europe, at Temenos. “With its flexible, cloud-native architecture, broad functionality and pre-configured capabilities for the UK market, Temenos SaaS will help Reliance Bank to meet the needs of its specialist customer base with agility and speed. This agreement reflects Temenos’ proven ability to support institutions with specific requirements, as well as our strong track record and continued momentum in the UK.”

Redrow South Midlands has installed the library at its Hampden Meadows development in Watlington, offering free books to young readers in South Oxfordshire.

The library is located on the railings outside the park on the Cuxham Road development.

Andrew Newman, sales director for Redrow South Midlands, said: “At Hampden Meadows, we are committed to building strong local communities that help make Oxfordshire such a fantastic place to live – which is why we’re delighted to be launching our pop-up library.

“We know that not every child has access to books of their own, and that this can greatly impact developing their literacy and love of reading.

“To help nurture a passion for literature from an early age, and to ensure no child goes without a book to read, we’re encouraging families of all ages to come along to Hampden Meadows and swap a book.

“We look forward to welcoming local bookworms to the latest addition at Hampden Meadows and sharing our love of literature.”

The library currently features a limited number of books and operates on a first-come, first-served basis.

To keep it stocked, Redrow South Midlands is encouraging the community to donate unwanted or outgrown children’s books.

The development itself offers a selection of three to five-bedroom homes.

It is located in a well-connected area of Oxfordshire with transport links to London.

For more information about the library or the Hampden Meadows development, visit the Redrow website or call 01491 378173.