By senior development adviser and Innovation Arena project manager, Enterprise Ireland, James Maloney.
Trailblazing Irish innovators are driving forces in the global agri-tech revolution and delivering powerful cutting-edge solutions, which are helping to futureproof the sector for generations to come and bringing greater efficiencies to farming globally.
Ireland is synonymous with the sector, with an established reputation as being a nation with a longstanding, trusted and productive agricultural economy.
With a thriving enterprise ecosystem, which includes huge success in the tech sector, it is therefore no surprise that some of the most pioneering innovations tackling global agricultural challenges are coming from Irish-owned businesses.
From farm management apps to the latest in sensor technology, Irish owned companies are harnessing technological developments to deliver solutions to help maximise yield and minimise environmental impact, inputs and costs, addressing global challenges and helping to make farming become more efficient, economical and sustainable.
Enterprise Ireland’s Innovation Arena at the National Ploughing Championships (NPC) is an annual must-see exhibition platform, showcasing Irish companies and innovators, and their products and services, to over 250,000 visitors.
This focus of this year’s Innovation Arena Awards, which is held in partnership with the National Ploughing Association, is ‘Innovations for Future Generations’.
It will showcase pioneering innovations and solutions which will help to address issues across animal science and technology, agri-engineering, digital technologies, animal health and nutrition, sustainability and climate action, and farm health and safety.
Applications for this year’s Innovation Arena Awards, which will be held on the first day of the NPC, will close on Friday, June 7 at 5:00p.m.
Entries are being invited from Irish-owned companies, research and academia, who have pioneering innovations with the potential to deliver solutions for the agriculture sector that could help to optimise and futureproof the industry.
At this year’s Enterprise Ireland Innovation Arena at the NPC, there will also be an opportunity for previous participants to apply for a space in the popular ‘AgTech Hub’.
This is an important exhibition space which gives Irish-owned agritech companies the opportunity to return to the NPC and display their progress to a varied audience.
Applicants who are successful in their submission for this year’s awards will automatically be offered an exhibition spot within the ‘AgTech Hub’.
In order to support exhibitors to maximise their opportunity and impact in the Innovation Arena, Enterprise Ireland will host a workshop for these entrepreneurs to gain advice in advance and to prepare for the competition.
As well as attracting a strong domestic audience, crucially, as one of Europe’s largest outdoor events, the NPC annually attracts international visitors and buyers, offering Irish businesses the opportunity to engage with new potential customers from overseas.
Innovation Arena Awards
The winners of this year’s competition will be announced at a ceremony at Enterprise Ireland’s Innovation Arena at the 2024 National Ploughing Championships, which returns to Ratheniska, Co. Laois, from September 17 to 19.
There will be three award categories this year, including a new competition whereby three finalists will be asked to pitch their innovation to a panel of judges in front of a live audience.
The winner of this category will be named ‘Start-Up Innovator of the Year’ and will receive a €10,000 prize.
The ‘Innovation Arena Champion 2024’ prize will be for established companies with a focus on scaling and innovation, while the new ‘Green Impact Award 2024’ will honour a company whose innovation is focused on sustaining the development of food and farming for future generations to come.
NovaUCD-based Proveye won the Start-Up Innovator of the Year prize in last year’s competition, and it focuses on helping users make better decisions to solve challenges like maximising yield and crop management.
Speaking about the impact of their win at the Innovation Arena, CEO of Proveye, Jerome O’Connell, said:
“As a start-up with a focus on international expansion, winning the Start-Up Innovator of the Year Award at Enterprise Ireland’s Innovation Arena was a pivotal moment for Proveye.
“As well as providing our team with important networking opportunities, winning the award offered us important industry validation at this crucial stage of our growth journey.
“The Innovation Arena, along with Enterprise Ireland, plays an important role in promoting and supporting the growth of the agri-tech sector, which has a significant impact on delivering solutions which improve efficiencies in the sector.
“Proveye is really proud to be part of this valuable initiative.”
Origin Enterprise’s GrassMax won the overall award in last year’s competition, the prize for Established Innovator of the Year.
The Dublin-based company and its product GrassMax App, combines advanced modelling techniques with remote sensing data to provide a suite of easy-to-use bespoke nutrient and grass management decision-support tools, including satellite-based grassland growth yield measurement.
The aim of GrassMax is to remove the need for farmers to routinely walk their grass paddocks, optimise soil fertility and deliver verified enhancements in crop performance and resource use efficiency.
Head of Grassland Digital with Origin Enterprises, Kieran Holden, said:
“Winning the Overall Enterprise Ireland Innovation Award, the prize for Established Innovator of the Year, at last year’s National Ploughing Championship was a fantastic achievement for our team as it was an important recognition for our GrassMax tool.
“Conscious of the need to support farmers to increase efficiencies, including resources and time, GrassMax is one of the world’s first temperate climate grassland management tools and is focused on using remote sensing data to deliver a suite of easy-to-use bespoke nutrient and grass management decision-support tools.
“A really important aspect of being part of the Innovation Arena is the platform it gives companies at one of Europe’s largest outdoor events, and the introduction to international visitors and buyers, so we would encourage any Irish companies or innovators who have a solution that they think will have an impact to enter this year’s competition.”
The UK and Europe remain our largest agri-tech markets, but opportunities are increasingly opening up in new more diverse markets, such as Pakistan, Bangladesh and North Africa, creating fresh opportunities for Irish innovators who want to explore new international opportunities.
In a sector where the landscape is constantly evolving and facing greater challenges, new ideas and cutting-edge products have never been in greater demand.
Working with our colleagues in the National Ploughing Association, Enterprise Ireland’s Innovation Arena provides an important platform for Irish companies in this sector to showcase their capabilities and engage with new audiences.
The closing date to enter the Innovation Arena Awards is 5:00p.m on Friday, June 7.
