Praneeta Mahajan
Hamilton, June 16, 2023
Fieldays has come to be recognised as the home of innovation and this year it will be celebrating 55 years of highlighting and supporting innovation in the primary sector.
The Fieldays Innovation Award winners, announced at a gala last night, on Thursday, June 15, 2023, exemplify the full innovation lifecycle, encompassing three award categories: Prototype, Early-Stage, and Growth & Scale.
The judging process involved the expertise of numerous judges, who lent their insight and knowledge to identify the most remarkable innovations. The awards also paid tribute to the younger generation of innovators, culminating in the presentation of the ‘Fieldays Young Innovator of the Year Award.’
Peter Nation, CEO of the New Zealand National Fieldays Society, once again acknowledged the standard of entrants and their willingness to give it a go. “Fieldays is the home of innovation and it started here in 1968 with Shoof owner Geoff Laurent taking money tagged by wife Bev for a family couch purchase and entering the awards instead. Highlighting the Kiwi number 8 wire mentality of having a crack and backing yourself. That braveness and can-do attitude are again evident in this year’s entrants,” said Mr Nation.
Young Innovators take the centre stage
The 2023 ‘Young Innovator of the Year Award’ was awarded to Hamilton-based St Paul’s Collegiate School, with their Capra Skin Goats Milk lip balm. The student group placed in the top three of the school’s version of the Shark Tank, ‘St Paul’s 2023 Crocodile Pit,’ Where students are put to the test to create a new agri-business product and service and learn the process of pitching innovation and business strategy.
The Judges commented on how the group had identified a need, formulating steps and iterations to come up with a final product to make a real difference to its target market of youth combining primary products and the benefits that come with these.
Honourable mentions were also given by the Judges to St. Paul’s Collegiates ‘Post Wizard team,’ an effective solution to a back-breaking problem, SPS Automation for the impressive way that they are implementing AI tools to enable massive improvements in the control of invasive plant species in Aotearoa and Levno for their Levno for Milk innovation.
The judges said their clarity of purpose and progress in international markets deserved a special mention.
Local dairy Pioneers make the region proud
The 2023 Prototype Award winner was local dairy pioneers Waikato Milking Systems for their ErgoPOD. Aimed at both the local and international market, the ‘ErgoPOD’ provides a step change in milking and revolutionises the way cups are presented and managed in the milking shed. It exemplifies what can be achieved when solid design is combined with innovative idea generation, deliberate simplification and effective root cause analysis.
With just the right amount of automation, the ErgoPOD reduces injury risks, halves the time to apply milking cups, removes multiple hazards for a cow entering and leaving the milking platform, creates opportunities for precise measurement and control of milk quality, and even speeds up the process of cows exiting a rotary milking platform.
Combining Contemporary Science with Maori Wisdom
‘Early-Stage Award winner for 2023’ was won by ‘eClean Envirotech.’ Exhibiting within the new Fieldays Sustainability Hub this year, this team has blended strong contemporary science and Mātauranga Māori authentically. With Kawa and Tikanga of traditional Māori science.
Their application of scientific theory with a practical application impressed the Judges. They have partnered with an engineering firm and can manufacture from the beginning and have already achieved early commercial success. The IP strategy and go-to-market are clearly articulated for both New Zealand and export markets.
Environmental DNA Monitoring solution
The final award of the evening, the ‘2023 Growth & Scale Award’ went to first-time entrants Wilderlab who are also exhibiting in the Sustainability Hub showcasing the collaboration and innovation around sustainability practices and principles as a key driver in the primary industries.
Wilderlab embodies a unique New Zealand approach to protecting and mapping our environment through its environmental DNA monitoring solution. The judges were impressed with the novel technology, multiple avenues for growth and a strong commitment to values that epitomise the best of New Zealand.
Steve Chappell, Fieldays Programme Manager, said “This demonstrates how the innovation eco-system is thriving, it is fantastic. The judges had a difficult time selecting the winners and we echo their sentiment and wish the entrants luck for the future.”
The Fieldays Innovation Awards provide a global platform for the finalists offering the opportunity for Diplomats, Ministers, Chief Executives and Industry leaders along with potential investors visiting their sites across the four days of Fieldays.
Praneeta Mahajan is an Indian Newslink reporter based in Hamilton.
