Roscommon company Reap Interactive named ‘Start-Up Innovator of the Year’ and wins €10,000 prize in Enterprise Ireland’s Innovation Arena Awards at the National Ploughing Championships
Roscommon company Reap Interactive has been named as ‘Start-Up Innovator of the Year’ in Enterprise Ireland’s 2024 Innovation Arena Awards at the National Ploughing Championships.
Reap Interactive won the €10,000 prize for their innovation BovinePlus, after being named as ‘Start-Up Innovator of the Year’ by a panel of judges. This solution aims to revolutionise farming by tracking each animal individually, utilising AI and image analysis to provide real-time data on weight, health, and water intake, optimising profitability by pinpointing issues such as underperforming animals and enhancing feed efficiency. This offers insights which can boost profitability and efficiencies, and support sustainable livestock management.
A total of nine Irish agri innovators were finalists in this year’s Enterprise Ireland Innovation Arena Awards, and participated in a live pitching competition in front a panel of judges and an audience at the National Ploughing Championships Tuesday afternoon.
The Enterprise Ireland Innovation Arena is an annual must-see exhibition platform, hosted in partnership with the National Ploughing Association (NPA), giving 50 Irish-owned agritech companies, researchers and academia the opportunity to showcase their products and solutions to thousands of visitors at one of Europe’s largest outdoor events.
This year’s Enterprise Ireland Innovation Arena has a focus on ‘Innovations for Future Generations’, and is showcasing innovators with pioneering solutions which will deliver efficiencies in animal science and technology, agri-engineering, digital technologies, animal health and nutrition, sustainability and climate action, and farm health and safety.
The Irish agritech sector employs more than 4,700 people here, and Enterprise Ireland supports approximately 130 companies who are working in a number of areas, including developing smart farming solutions, farm equipment, livestock handling and housing, crop cultivation and protection, and animal health and nutrition. These Irish-owned companies generated sales of almost €1.6bn in 2023, with exports accounting for €1bn.
Enterprise Ireland is committed to supporting Irish entrepreneurs to start, grow and scale globally, and a hugely important element of the Innovation Arena is the attendance of international buyers. This year, as part of our programme of activity at the National Ploughing Championships, 80 international agritech buyers from 20 global markets will visit the Innovation Arena to meet and engage with the companies exhibiting.
Peter Burke TD, Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment, said: “Innovation and the need to be agile has never been more important for the agricultural sector and the Innovation Arena at the National Ploughing Championships can support agritech companies to grow, scale and develop. I would like to commend this year’s participants in this landmark exhibition platform and thank them for their contribution towards futureproofing this sector for generations to come.”
Leo Clancy, CEO, Enterprise Ireland, said: “Irish agri innovators, including those exhibiting in this year’s Innovation Arena, are truly shaping the sector globally. It is their innovations and solutions which are driving efficiencies, and helping to address global challenges by meeting growing demands for food, safeguarding our planet for future generations and ensuring farm families have good livings. We believe that Irish-owned enterprises can, over time, be the prime driver of the Irish economy, and Irish agritech companies and farm families will have an important role to play in that shared ambition. I would like to thank our partners in the NPA, and all of the participants in this year’s Innovation Arena, and wish them a fruitful experience over the coming days.”The winners were announced by Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment Peter Burke at an awards ceremony yesterday afternoon following the live pitching event.
A full list of all the companies participating in this year’s Innovation Arena can be found here.
