Friday, March 29, 2024

Fieldays an innovation launchpad

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Innovators need to get their entries in soon to win a place in this year’s National Fieldays Innovation Centre.
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Applications close on May 1.

The centre, and its accompanying awards, has given Cambridge-based company Antahi Innovations a real boost  after the launch of its “kinder” calf feeders at last year’s National Fieldays.

Ursula Haywood and husband Mark entered their products, TrustiTuber and FlexiTuber, in the 2016 Fieldays Innovation Awards.

They were selected to display their products in the Fieldays Innovations Centre at Mystery Creek Events Centre, where they won a major award.

Now, less than one year later, they are winning praise from farmers around the globe and their products are distributed in 18 countries including the United Kingdom, Europe, the United States, Canada and Japan.

“We are really rapt,” Ursula said. “We’ve had great feedback from farmers.”

Ursula, a Tirau dairy veterinarian, came up with the idea three years ago through her interactions with farmers during calving season.

“There is some unforgiving equipment out there and I thought it could be done better,” she said.

“As a vet I knew about animal anatomy and I wanted to make a tube feeder that would be more comfortable and safer for the calves.”

Antahi’s TrustiTuber and FlexiTuber won the Tompkins Wake IP and Commercialisation Award at last year’s event, receiving $5000 in legal advice and support from top Hamilton law firm Tompkins Wake. 

Ursula said being involved in the Fieldays Innovation Awards was invaluable for her business, especially the support, mentoring and networking opportunities provided to entrants.

“It was the perfect place and timing to launch our products,” said Ms Haywood. “The Innovations Centre is a real drawcard for Fieldays’ visitors, and a lot of foot traffic comes through. It was a cost-effective way to get a sense from potential customers about the value of the products. It was a real buzz over the whole four days.”

Last year 130,684 visitors attended Fieldays making it a good opportunity for entrepreneurs to talk to future or potential customers and conduct valuable market research.

Fieldays Innovations event manager Gail Hendricks said people who want to enter in this year’s awards need to get their entries in soon.

Successful applicants will be invited to exhibit over four days from 14 to 17 June this year in the Fieldays Innovations Centre at NZ Agricultural Fieldays.

Hendricks said she had room for about 50 applicants, and she was always impressed at the calibre of entrants, who typically came from a range of fields including dairy and dry stock farming, horticulture, information and communication technology, cloud and mobile-based software, animal health and genetics, water and waste management, environment and clean-tech, animal and farm management and farm safety – to name but a few.

Vodafone is partnering in the awards again this year. 

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