Sutherland Partners
Sutherland Partners
Sutherland Partners Limited are an agricultural technology (agritech) company that formed in 2013.
Bruce Sutherland, the inventor who helped to bring their flagship product, the ‘Aid to Birthing Cattle’ to life, was an Essex-based vet who began to develop the product once he retired in his 80s.
“This service has proved to be of tremendous assistance to our company as well as many others in the business community and Dave Watson is a brilliant
advocate for the work that it does. Dave has achieved and exceeded his brief with a vengeance.”
The late Bruce Sutherland (1916-2015), a retired veterinary surgeon, spent many years working with large agricultural animals and was concerned that so many animals experienced problems with birthing (Dystocia), which sometimes occurred due to the practice of interbreeding cattle to produce larger calves.
Mr Sutherland devised a rudimentary aid to assist in the birthing process which proved time after time to be of benefit. Upon retirement Mr Sutherland and his family felt that the birthing aid concept should be developed into a viable commercial product, which they dubbed the ‘Aid for Birthing Cattle’ (ABC).
Working with Operations Director John Burgess, the Essex-based Sutherland Partners Ltd was created and a resulting grant of £86,000 was awarded by the UK Government’s Technology Strategy Board (now Innovate UK) to take the product development forward. The company employs two people at present and is looking to increase their workforce.
Sutherland Partners work in co-operation with Edinburgh University and received significant grant funding three years ago from Innovate UK to allow a proof of concept through the university.
How we helped Sutherland Partners
After the company was passed to the family of Bruce Sutherland, limited progress was made with a consultant that Sutherland Partners had initially sought out to try and make the late inventor’s vision a reality. The Back to Business team were subsequently introduced to the agritech business in order to assist in raising finance for the completion of the flagship product’s design.
Sutherland Partners Ltd were introduced to Dave Watson of Invest ESSEX by Jacqui Stimpson of the Best Growth Hub. Best Growth Hub told me that Dave has the reputation of doing what he says he’ll do and getting things done!
“Sutherland Partners Ltd were introduced to Dave Watson. Best Growth Hub told me that Dave has the reputation of doing what he says he’ll do and getting things done!”
Since then, Back to Business have continued to help Sutherland Partners with the aim of bringing this pioneering product to market in the following ways:
The introduction and facilitation of initial meetings with a business angel who provided a £100,000 investment for 40% of the company
Meeting with a second possible partner who is a well-known agritech consultant/investor and wishes to take the product on a license agreement that would involve exclusive worldwide distribution and manufacture in China (1m units expected in year 1)
Located and introduced an Essex-based business supplying medical diagnostic equipment through a distribution network across 100 countries
We have also supported a KEEP+ application towards the cost of final production moulds and field trials with the University of Edinburgh.
Sutherland Partners have also been introduced to Ellisons Solicitors and Writtle University College via Invest ESSEX, with the latter providing access to animals for video shoots.
Provided an introduction to the world’s largest online reference source for vets who have just launched clinical info service for veterinary care of cattle.
For more information about the ‘Aid to Birthing Cattle’ or how to contact Sutherland Partners Limited, please click here.
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