Kilkenny-based Beotanics wins Crop Technology Award at Enterprise Ireland’s Innovation Arena

Kilkenny-based Beotanics was named as the winner of the Crop Technology Award in this year’s Enterprise Ireland Innovation Arena Awards.

It was recognised at the event for the company’s plant breeding technology to derive extracts from the wasabi and sweet potato for industry.

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  Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment Simon Coveney  at the opening day of the National Ploughing Championships. 

Enterprise Ireland’s Innovation Arena is an annual  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.

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.

The awards ceremony, which was also attended by Anna May McHugh (National Ploughing Championships) and Leo Clancy, CEO, Enterprise Ireland, saw  the world’s first temperate climate grassland management tool, GrassMax,   named as the overall winner.

 “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,” said Mr Clancy.

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 over 40 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.