19th September 2017
Ireland’s most innovative Agri-Tech Products have been named
Solar Pump Solutions named as overall winner of the Enterprise Ireland Innovation Arena Awards 2017
From a solar powered water pumping system to a water treatment machine that reduces the need for antibiotics in poultry flocks, the most innovative Irish agri-tech products were named today by An Tánaiste and Minister for Business, Enterprise and Innovation, Frances Fitzgerald TD as she presented the 2017 Enterprise Ireland Innovation Arena Awards at the National Ploughing Championships. Representing the future of Irish agri-tech, the awards recognise innovative agri-tech capability and new product development in the agriculture sector.
This year’s Enterprise Ireland Innovation Arena, in conjunction with the National Ploughing Association and the Irish Farmers Journal, features ground-breaking agri related products and innovations from 69 Irish agri companies, including new machinery and software solutions that save time and increase efficiency in the agricultural sector.
The Innovation Arena has become Ireland’s event to showcase agri-tech innovations to a global market. More than 100 buyers from global regions including the US, China, Russia, Saudi Arabia, Africa and Europe, will be visiting the Enterprise Ireland Innovation Arena to see the best of Irish agri-tech capability.
150 applications to exhibit were received with 69 exhibitors selected, all of whom are finalists in the Awards competition. Of these, 8 are spinout research projects, 11 are established companies and 45 are new start-up entrepreneurial led exhibits. All successfully completed the newly introduced Innovation Bootcamp earlier this year.
The total prize fund this year is in excess of €70,000 including a top prize worth over €15,000 for the most innovative start-up.
The first Innovation Arena seven years ago featured eight exhibitors in a gazebo and has grown to become the largest marquee hosting world-class agri-innovations at the National Ploughing Championships.
Announcing the winners, an Tánaiste and Minister for Business, Enterprise and Innovation, Frances Fitzgerald TD said: “I’m delighted to be here today for my first ever visit to the Enterprise Ireland Innovation Arena. Ireland is fast establishing itself as a global agri-tech innovation hub and the Enterprise Ireland Innovation Arena Awards successfully showcases the future of agri-tech and puts Irish agri-innovations on a world stage. My Department through Enterprise Ireland is focused on working with the winners and finalists as they start, innovate and scale their businesses, grow exports internationally and create jobs in Ireland.”
Julie Sinnamon, CEO, Enterprise Ireland said: “The Enterprise Ireland Innovation Arena Awards are a strong reflection of the high level of agri-tech innovation and provide an important platform for established companies and start-ups to showcase their innovations to international buyers attending the event from across the world. Recognising the value and potential of the agri sector to drive economic growth and export sales, Enterprise Ireland is supporting the sector to innovate and create new business opportunities across the world.”
NPA Managing Director Anna May McHugh said “We are delighted to partner again with Enterprise Ireland on the exceptional Innovation Arena as it makes a welcome return to Ploughing with ground breaking technologies and cutting-edge ideas that will amaze. It really is a great opportunity for all innovators and companies to enhance Ireland’s reputation across the world, to deliver world class agri-tech products."
Justin McCarthy, Farmers Journal said: “The Farmers Journal is delighted to be involved again in the Innovation Arena. Irish manufacturing in the agri-tech sector is critical to deliver farmers with the latest technology, to increase efficiency and profit. The Innovation Arena, is a perfect platform for Irish companies to grow their business globally, and reduce their exposure to Brexit”.
Award Winners:
Overall winner: Alfred Cox Founder’s Cup Perpetual Trophy, recognising his contribution to the agri-engineering industry
Solar Pump Solutions
Young Innovator
Brian Davis of Solar Pump Solutions
Agri-Engineering Start-Up
Remote Signals Ltd
Agri-Engineering Large Established Company
Keenan - an Alltech Company
Agri-Engineering SME
Samco Agricultural Manufacturing Ltd
Agri-Technology Start-Up
OneClick Accounts
Agri-Technology Established Company
Equilume
Agri-Environmental
Ozone Industries
Research Emerging from 3rd Level
DIT Hothouse
Safety Award
Safe-Shaft Systems
International Award
Agrispeed Ltd
Special Awards will be announced on Thursday 21st September, including:
- Anna May McHugh Female Leadership in Agriculture Perpetual Trophy
- The People’s Choice Award – voting can be done online.
ENDS
Photos will be syndicated by Fennells Photography and are also available on request
For further information:
Conor O’Donovan, Head of Communications, 087-9671342
Brigid Burke, Press & Media Relations, Enterprise Ireland, 087-1803995
Notes to Editors: Further details on the award winners
Award Winners:
Overall Winner: Alfred Cox Founder’s Cup Perpetual Trophy, recognising his contribution to the agri-engineering industry - Solar Pump Solutions
Solar Pump Solutions provide solar powered water pumping systems across Ireland and internationally. SPS pumps can operate in any remote location, pumping water at high pressure without needing access to electricity. The product is supplied ready-to-go requiring minimal installation.
Young Innovator
Brian Davis of Solar Pump Solutions
Agri-Engineering Start-Up - Remote Signals Ltd
Remote Signals Ltd have developed a simple sensor device that can be quickly attached to any gate or shed door on a farm and when an event occurs, the farmer will get a message through his/her phone to alert him/ her of an event in the area being monitored. Also, the flexibility of our battery powered device, allows the farmer to move the device easily from one location to another.
Agri-Engineering Large Established Company - Keenan - an Alltech Company
The KEENAN MechFiber 345SP is the first in a new generation of unique self-propelled diet feeders, available in 15kmph or high-speed “Plus”25kmph models. Engineered with KEENAN build quality throughout, the SP machine features a heavy duty sealed oil bath drive system and a mechanical transmission reducing fuel consumption up to 25%.
The KEENAN InTouch controller is a device located on the front of a KEENAN mixer wagon. This new innovative technology has an 8’’ color display. This new InTouch Controller will provide a background cloud sync via our communication technologies allowing data to be transferred and received after completion of every load allowing for instant advice by our team of skilled animal nutritionists.
Agri-Engineering SME - Samco Agricultural Manufacturing Ltd
The Punch Hole Film Layer and Seeder consolidates the soil, lays the film and finally accurately sows the seed using the ingenious Punch Wheel Unit ensuring precise sowing depth and spacing of seeds. The machine is suitable for use with Black Bio Films for weed control in organic farming, and with transparent film types for better seed germination and stronger and faster young plant establishment. Our product benefits agriculture immensely due to the higher output of crops especially with food harvest 2020 on the horizon.
Agri-Technology Start-Up - OneClick Accounts
OneClick Accounts allows businesses to use a simple phone app to log jobs. With a few clicks on the phone app a business owner can log his/her work and then view all the jobs immediately on a cloud server application on his/her laptop with all calculated automatically. Invoicing is then just another few clicks in a cloud server.
Agri-Technology Established Company – Equilume
Equilume is the world leader in the development of innovative science- based performance lighting for animals. Leveraging on the global success of their initial market offering - the Equilume light mask for horses, their research and development has seen them expand into the indoor lighting market and mobile lighting for the dairy industry. Initial trials using their newly developed bovine light mask has seen a 9% increase in milk yield and will offer a substantial improvement in production efficiency for pasture based dairy enterprises.
Agri-Environmental - Ozone Industries
RainSafe is an AgriSafe Water Treatment Machine which is used to treat the water in poultry farms prior to it being consumed by the birds giving the flock clean, aerated and slighted ozonized water for drinking. This product has been shown in tests to significantly reduce mortality in poultry flock production as well as dramatically improving the food to protein ratio and significantly reducing the need for antibiotics in poultry flocks.
Research Emerging from 3rd Level
DIT Hothouse
Safety Award - Safe-Shaft Systems
Safe-Shaft Systems Limited has designed an alternative system for supplying rotational torque to PTO driven equipment. The concept has been researched and a prototype has been designed, developed and manufactured and the innovation is now in production. The innovation retro-fits on to the customers’ existing vacuum tanker or other suitable machinery and utilises the OEM product existing gearing system. The innovation provides a compact, high reliability and near maintenance free alternative to PTO shafts.
International Award - Agrispeed Ltd
Agrispeed wants to improve the efficiency and safety within the industry and to promote a sustainable environmental future. Agrispeed has developed Round bale handling apparatus, which is attached to the rear of the agricultural tractor. The device helps reduce damage to the round bale protective plastic wrapping. The inclusion of powered tipping control increases speed of collecting and tipping of bales. A bale clamp adds to safety.
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