Sixty-plus finalists have been announced for this year’s Innovation Awards at Fieldays.
Held at the innovation hub, the Fieldays Innovation Awards are the ultimate launch platform for primary innovation and are a globally renowned awards programme.
Winners will be announced at the innovation awards event during Fieldays, which will also feature on Fieldays TV.
The awards are again judged by a panel of 15 experts from around the food and fibre sector.
“A huge thanks to our judges again this year,” Fieldays programme manager Steve Chappell said. “There is a long history of Fieldays Innovation Award winners going on to do massive things, and we can’t wait to see who is next”
This year 65 finalists have been selected to showcase their innovations: 21 in the prototype category, 31 in early-stage and 13 in growth and scale.
Four of these entries are also in the running for the young innovator of the year award.
Innovations include a mix of technological solutions like data recording, sensors, and automation and everyday products that could revolutionise the primary industries.
“Most of these ideas are coming from people thinking ‘there must be a better way!’ and doing something about it. Doing the R&D, listening to feedback and devising a real viable solution to the problem.
“We are seeing entries from a wide range of sectors within the industry: dairy, forestry, farm management, animal health and genetics, horticulture and viticulture, water and waste management and more. It’s awesome to see the number of entries with an environment and conservation focus, as it shows the innovators are developing novel solutions to the problems of today and the future.”
The finalists and their award categories are:
Prototype
AgLoco Ltd, AgriSea NZ Ltd, Breakaway Farm, Common Knowledge Insect, Delta Waterways, Donald Cornwall, Gallagher Group Ltd, Herdsman SCC, Infinity Fence, MACSO Technologies, MixRite, NZ AutoTraps (two entries), On2it Electronics, Onfarm Data Ltd, Smart Farmer Ltd, St Paul’s Collegiate School (two entries), University of Waikato (three entries)
Early-Stage
Agovor, Agriscore Limited, Agricademy, Beefree Agro, Bio Gold Pine Pollen, Bovonic, Cleanery, Concept Dairy, Datamars Livestock (two entries), Farmgate, Farmote Systems, Goldpine, GPSit Group Limited, H2Ortigator, IDEXX, Ingenum, L2C Compacting Systems, Machines at Work, Pāmu Farms of New Zealand, Precast Products, ProTag, QCONZ, Rapid Spray, Ravensdown Ecopond, SNPshot, Springarm Products Limited, SPS Automation, Sustainable Foods/Plan*t, Watercare, WelFarm LTD
Growth and Scale
AHV New Zealand LTD, CropX Limited, Farmax, Halo Systems, Herdwatch, HerdX powered by Snap Core, HydroMetrics, Koru Diagnosis, OmniEye Ltd, Onside Ltd, QCONZ, RiverWatch, Rurtec
The Fieldays innovation hub can be found on the corner of D Street and M Road at Fieldays from 30 November to 3 December this year. The Innovation Trail can be activated on the map section of the Fieldays App. Full details of the prize package for each category can be found at fieldays.co.nz/innovation. With Fieldays 2023 returning to its normal June timing, expressions of interest are already open for the 2023 competition.
Disclaimer: Dean Williamson, CEO of AgriHQ, is an Agricademy shareholder