GrassMax is named as the overall winner of EI Innovation Arena Awards 2023

• Winners announced of the 2023 Enterprise Ireland Innovation Arena Awards
• Simon Coveney TD, Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment, attended the official awards ceremony at the National Ploughing Championships
• Over 40 international buyers from 10 countries are due to visit the Innovation Arena this week

The world’s first temperate climate grassland management tool, GrassMax, has been named as the overall winner at this year’s Enterprise Ireland Innovation Arena Awards.

The winners of the Innovation Arena competition, hosted by Enterprise Ireland in association with the National Ploughing Association, were announced at an awards ceremony attended by Simon Coveney TD, Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment, at the opening day of the National Ploughing Championships in Ratheniska, Co Laois, this afternoon.

Enterprise Ireland’s Innovation Arena is an annual must-see exhibition platform, and the competition recognises innovative and cutting-edge products and services from agritech entrepreneurs who are delivering forward-thinking solutions to address some of the toughest global challenges.

The awards ceremony this afternoon, which was also attended by Leo Clancy, CEO, Enterprise Ireland, and Anna May McHugh, Managing Director, National Ploughing Association, saw GrassMax win the overall award in this 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.

Proveye won the best overall start-up award, Start-Up Innovator of the Year, and a €10,000 prize for its AI-powered digital image analysis platform. Its innovation uses remote sensing capability to deliver image-based insights on agricultural land, giving users the ability to make timely and informed decisions to solve a range of challenges, such as maximising yield and crop management planning.

Among this year’s competition entries, there was a strong focus on sustainable farming, through digital technologies, data-driven solutions and innovations to enhance efficiencies on farm.

Speaking at the Innovation Arena, Simon Coveney TD, Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment, said: “The Innovation Arena competition is a landmark exhibition platform and competition, as it brings together ambitious agri-innovators every year. Ireland is synonymous with agriculture, and it is our own entrepreneurs who are helping to shape the future of the sector globally. With the ongoing challenges and the need to develop and implement sustainable practises, the work of these Irish innovators has never been more vital.”

Leo Clancy, CEO, Enterprise Ireland, said: “Irish agri-tech companies continue to have an influential impact internationally with their cutting-edge products and services that are helping to bring greater efficiencies across agriculture.

“Enterprise Ireland is committed to supporting innovative companies and entrepreneurs, and the Innovation Arena at the National Ploughing Championships provides a key platform for showcasing the achievements and capabilities of our agritech innovators to both a domestic and international audience.

“I would like to congratulate all the winners of this year’s Innovation Arena Awards for their achievements, and I would also like to thank all the participants and entrepreneurs who entered this year’s competition- these are the products and services which are shaping the future of this industry and are delivering real solutions.”

Anna May McHugh, Managing Director, National Ploughing Association, added: “The NPA is delighted to host the Enterprise Ireland Innovation Arena again at this year’s National Ploughing Championships, which provides an excellent opportunity for innovators in the agri-tech and agri-engineering space to showcase their products and services at Europe’s largest outdoor event. The standard, once again, was exceptionally high, and I want to congratulate all of today’s winners and wish them all the best for the future on this great achievement.”

The Innovation Arena will showcase ground-breaking agri-related products and innovations from 50 Irish agri-companies over the course of the National Ploughing Championships, including the finalists of this year’s competition and previous winners from the Innovation Arena Awards.

Companies will also have the opportunity to showcase their products to an international audience, as this year 50 international buyers from 10 countries will visit the Innovation Arena and Irish companies supported by Enterprise Ireland who are exhibiting at the event.

A new addition for 2023 gave previous participants the chance to apply for a space in the ‘AgTech Hub’ within the Arena, allowing companies to return to the Innovation Arena to showcase their progress and growth since first exhibiting.

Ends

Notes to Editor:

Innovation Arena Awards winners 2023

Overall ‘Innovator of the Year’ - Established
GrassMax, Dublin

Start-up Innovator of the Year
Proveye, Dublin

Agri-Engineering Award
Malone Farm Machinery, Mayo

Smart Farming Award
Pearson Milking Technology, Kildare

Crop Technology Award
Beotanics, Kilkenny

Agri-Safety Award
M-TEC Engineering, Cavan

Young Innovator of the Year
TrojanTrack, Dublin

IFAC Best New-Comer
Livefarm, Carlow

Ace Agritech Centre of Excellence Award
Proveye, Dublin

On Farm Innovation (Alfred Cox Founder's Perpetual Trophy)
SpreadPoint, Down

Research Emerging from 3rd Level Award
PolyBo, Westmeath

Farm Software Award
Herdwatch, Tipperary

AgTechUCD Start Up Award
Agri Data Analytics, Offaly

Farm Automation Award
Dairymaster, Kerry

AgriTech Award
Abbey Farm Machinery, Tipperary