As Part Of This Year’s National Ploughing Championships..

Tánaiste and Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment Leo Varadkar recently launched the Enterprise Ireland Innovation Arena Awards 2021.

This competition seeks to recognise innovators and entrepreneurs in the agriculture sector who have developed pioneering agri-related products and services.

With over 60 entrants last year, the overall award went to Malone Farm Machinery, Co. Mayo for their 16-bale trailer called ‘The Malone Express’. The best overall start-up award went to Iamus Technologies, who designed “Gallus” - an autonomous data-gathering robot for use in the poultry industry.

The 12 award categories this year include best agri-technology start-up, best agri-engineering established company, young innovator of the year, farm safety and sustainable agriculture. The best start-up and overall winner of the Innovation Arena Awards will be eligible to win up to €5,000 each.

At the launch, Tánaiste and Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment, Leo Varadkar said, “This is a great opportunity for any Irish company with a bright idea in the agriculture or food production space. New technology and innovation is shaping modern farming for the next generation making it more productive, safer and more sustainable.”

Mark Christal, Manager, Regions and Entrepreneurship, Enterprise Ireland added, “Despite the many challenges of the Covid-19 pandemic, the quality of the entries to last year’s virtual Innovation Arena Awards showed that innovative and entrepreneurial activity is unabated in towns and villages all over Ireland.

Irish companies are playing their part in enhancing agricultural efficiency while helping to protect the environment for years to come – we look forward to seeing some of that work highlighted in this year’s online Innovation Arena Awards.”

2020 Innovation Arena Awards - Minister Damien English and Anna May McHugh

NPA Managing Director, Anna May McHugh said, “Innovation has been at the heart of the National Ploughing Championships since its inception 90 years ago in 1931, predominately as it has evolved and grown over the years. Throughout the past year due to the global Covid-19 pandemic, innovation in business has never been more important and thoroughly vital, as companies have had to adapt quickly to an ever-changing and unknown economic climate and marketplace. As a result this year’s Innovation Arena awards are particularly significant, with such a great prize fund on offer I would strongly encourage Irish agriculture companies to enter, as previous winners have gone on to have major success in business both in Ireland and internationally.”

Innovators from the following industry sectors are encouraged to enter:
- dairy and dry-stock farming,
- horticulture, information and communication technology,
- cloud and mobile based software,
- animal health and genetics,
- water and waste management,
- environment and cleantech,
- animal and farm management,
- farm safety and leading research.

Find further information and enter this year’s Innovation Arena Awards here.

This piece was sponsored by Enterprise Ireland.