Kilkenny company wins Innovation Arena Champion Award at National Ploughing Championships

Kilkenny-based Telenostic has been named as the winner of the ‘Innovation Arena Champion Award’ in Enterprise Ireland’s 2026 Innovation Arena competition at the National Ploughing Championships.

Telenostic is an Irish technology company and was honoured for its AI-powered diagnostic tool to improve parasite control in livestock, by enabling rapid parasite detection at point of care.

There was a total of four awards in this year’s competition, including the return of the popular ‘Young Innovator of the Year’ category, which was open to entries from second and third-level students, and this was won by MastiTrak.

The ‘Start-Up of the Year’ prize was presented to Roscommon’s VetPal Technology. While the ‘Green Impact Award’ was won by Kildare innovators TERRA NutriTECH.

There were three finalists shortlisted in each category and they delivered a pitch to a panel of judges and a live audience in the Innovation Arena yesterday afternoon including Peter Burke TD, Minister for Enterprise, Tourism and Employment; Jenny Melia, CEO, Enterprise Ireland, and Jim Woulfe, Chair, Enterprise Ireland.

A total of twelve Irish agritech innovators who developed solutions to some of agriculture's biggest challenges, from AI-powered disease detection and compliance tools to emissions-reducing technologies, were named as finalists in Enterprise Ireland’s Innovation Arena competition at this year’s National Ploughing Championships.

These shortlisted solutions all focused on tackling global challenges across every stage of the agricultural journey, and will support farmers to make informed, insight-driven decisions which will help create more efficient, productive, safer and sustainable practices.

Against a backdrop of complex challenges facing the global food and agricultural industry, including climate change, animal health, increased regulation and rising costs, Irish entrepreneurs, researchers and students are pioneering innovations with the potential to drive sustainable change across the sector.

From the milking parlour and the paddock to the wider supply chain, the cutting-edge technologies and sustainable solutions in this year’s Innovation Arena final are focused on addressing challenges across animal health, agri-engineering, food production, sustainability, compliance matters and farm safety.

This is the 13th annual Enterprise Ireland Innovation Arena and this year it is focused on ‘Helping Irish Agri Business Go Global’. Over 40 Irish agritech innovators will showcase their cutting-edge products and solutions over the course of the week in the Innovation Arena, which is one of the most visited exhibitions at the National Ploughing Championships every year.

As well as the four award winners and shortlisted finalists, a number of other companies were also presented with a ‘Certificate of Achievement for Innovation’ at yesterday afternoon’s event, having achieved a minimum qualifying score for their entry and in recognition of their contribution to agricultural progress. These companies were; Equine MediRecord, FieldFirst, Herdwatch, HLR Machinery Ltd, Irish Farmers Journal – Farm Alert, Micron Agritech, Precision Microbes, Reap Interactive Ltd and Rodent Shield Systems.

Irish agritech companies supported by Enterprise Ireland recorded €844m in exports in 2025 and employ more than 5,000 people right across the country. The Innovation Arena helps to foster the development of some of these agritech innovators and to accelerate their business in domestic and global markets.

Enterprise Ireland is committed to supporting Irish-owned companies to start, compete, scale and connect, and its long-term ambition is that these indigenous exporting businesses will become the primary driver of the Irish economy.

Balanced regional development is a key focus of its work and Enterprise Ireland recently launched 'Growing Home', focused on platforming and showcasing regionally based businesses that are building local economies in towns and villages around the country.

Peter Burke TD, Minister for Enterprise, Tourism and Employment, said: "The Innovation Arena continues to be an incredibly important platform for Irish agri innovation, bringing together entrepreneurs, researchers and businesses who are all focused on developing solutions for the future of this important sector. At a time when global agriculture and food face significant opportunities and challenges, the solutions showcased in this year’s Innovation Arena will be critical in driving productivity and competitiveness. I would like to thank Enterprise Ireland and the NPA for their continued dedication to this important initiative. And I would like to congratulate all of this year’s winners, finalists and exhibitors for their work and solutions which will benefit farms and communities at home and around the world."

Speaking at the opening day of the Innovation Arena, Jenny Melia, CEO, Enterprise Ireland, said: “Ireland is synonymous with innovation and agriculture globally, and the ingenuity and expertise of our innovators has resulted in our agricultural sector earning a reputation for delivering sustainable and productive solutions which are helping to solve the sector’s biggest challenges. These companies are also predominantly regionally based in towns and communities across Ireland, so as well as transforming the agritech sector, they are also driving growth and having an impact in local economies the length and breadth of the country. On behalf of Enterprise Ireland, I want to congratulate all the winners, exhibitors and finalists in this year’s Innovation Arena and thank them for their commitment to excellence and for being at the forefront of change.”

Congratulating all the finalists and exhibitors in this year’s Innovation Arena, Anna May McHugh, Managing Director of the National Ploughing Association, said: "The Innovation Arena continues to showcase the very best of Irish innovation, highlighting the innovative problem-solving skills that are driving the future of agriculture. This year’s finalists and exhibitors are yet again a reflection of a pioneering sector with innovators and businesses who develop solutions that help farmers become more productive and resilient. The National Ploughing Association is proud to support the Innovation Arena each year, and I want to congratulate all of this year’s finalists and exhibitors for their contributions to the future success of Ireland’s agri sector."