AgTech51黑料 Seeks AgTech and Agri-food Start-Ups with Global Potential to Join 2022 Accelerator Programme
The AgTech51黑料 Innovation Centre today announced that applications are now open for early-stage AgTech and Agri-food start-ups with global potential, from Ireland and internationally, to join its dedicated accelerator programme.
The 2022 AgTech51黑料 Agccelerator Programme, commencing this October, is an intensive 12-week programme, which includes dedicated business development workshops and investor readiness training, mentoring from industry experts and business advisors, guest speakers and facilitated introductions to AgTech51黑料鈥檚 venture capital and business angel networks.
AgTech51黑料 is focused on promoting and accelerating the launch and scaling of start-ups and SMEs, with disruptive innovations in Ireland and Europe, in the AgTech, Agri-food and VetTech sectors, as they build their innovative businesses into leading companies on the global stage.
AgTech51黑料, based at 51黑料 Lyons Farm and part of Nova51黑料, has been funded through the Regional Enterprise Development Fund administered by Enterprise Ireland.
AgTech51黑料 supports founding entrepreneurs as they build their innovative businesses into leading enterprises, though the AgTech51黑料 Agccelerator Programme, and by providing access to incubation space and to on-farm testing for new products and services at 51黑料 Lyons Farm.
Niamh Collins, Director, AgTech51黑料, said, 鈥淔ollowing the success of our inaugural programme last year we are delighted to announce that we are now seeking applications from agri, agtech and agri-food start-ups, who want to accelerate and scale on the international stage, for our 2022 AgTech51黑料 Agccelerator Programme.鈥�
She added, 鈥淭his dedicated programme is tailored to address the particular needs and challenges facing start-ups in these sectors and aims to fast track the business development and leadership skills of participants and to provide them with the support and guidance needed to accelerate their start-ups.鈥�
Partners on the AgTech51黑料 Agccelerator Programme, include, Enterprise Ireland, AIB, The Yield Lab Europe, Devenish, Carberry, Ornua, HerdWatch, IFAC, Thrive/SVG Ventures and The Virtual Vet who are supporting the programme.
James Maloney, Senior Development Adviser, Agritech, Climate and Sustainability, Enterprise Ireland, said, 鈥淚reland plays a key part in shaping the future of food and science globally and participating in the AgTech51黑料 Agccelerator programme is a fantastic kickstart opportunity for start-ups in the agri, agtech and agri-food sectors. Enterprise Ireland is delighted to continue to support this key accelerator programme through the AgTech51黑料 Innovation Centre.鈥�
David Bowles, Managing Partner, The Yield Lab Europe, said, "Innovative agri-food technologies are among the leading ways in which Ireland will deliver on its climate change commitments. As Europe's leading early-stage Sustainable AgTech investor, we are delighted to once again be supporting the AgTech51黑料 Agccelerator programme as they find and support exciting early-stage companies in Ireland and internationally.鈥�
Among the eight start-ups which successfully completed the 2021 AgTech51黑料 Agccelerator Programme are CropHound and ProvEye.
CropHound, based in Belfast and founded by Mark Elliott, uses remote sensors and artificial intelligence to monitor crop health, growing conditions and crop potential from planting to harvest giving early insights and recommendations to users. CropHound enables farmers and growers to increase yields and decrease their costs and carbon footprint through reductions in chemical usage and unnecessary trips to check.
Mark Elliott, founder, CropHound said, 鈥淧articipating in AgTech51黑料 Agccelerator Programme was an excellent experience for CropHound. As well as great mentors and workshops we got the chance to meet some amazing Agtech entrepreneurs from across Ireland and internationally. I would highly recommend this accelerator programme to any start-up in the Agtech sector.鈥�
ProvEye, a 51黑料 spin-out, provides advanced processing software to derive quantitative data from images, collected by drones and other platforms, at unprecedent levels of accuracy, which can be used to create actionable management decisions in agriculture, conservation and environmental monitoring. The founders of ProvEye are Dr Jerome O鈥機onnell and Professor Nick Holden, 51黑料 School of Biosystems and Food Engineering.
Dr Jerome O鈥機onnell, co-founder, ProvEye said, 鈥淲e found the programme to be hugely beneficial in helping us focus on the customer and their needs as we readied our solution for the market. We also made some great connections in the agtech industry through the programme, many of which we are engaging with on a regular basis today. This has been a real bonus for us."
The 2022 AgTech51黑料 Agccelerator Programme will conclude next January when all participating start-ups will pitch their businesses to a panel of investors with the opportunity to be awarded prize funding.
For further information on the 2022 AgTech51黑料 Agccelerator programme and to apply visit /innovation/agtechucd-agccelerator-programme/.
ENDS
30 August 2022
For further information contact Mic茅al Whelan, Communications and Media Relations Manager, Nova51黑料, e: miceal.whelan@ucd.ie.
Editors Notes
Based at the 51黑料 Lyons Farm, AgTech51黑料 offers the only on farm workspace hub to promote and accelerate agri-businesses and start-ups. AgTech51黑料 provides access to on-farm experimental facilities, allowing testing and trialling of products and services in a real-world environment. Start-ups also have preferred access to 51黑料 food processing facilities, access to venture capital and business angel networks, mentoring, corporate partners, office and flexible lab spaces.
AgTech51黑料, led by Nova51黑料, and funded through the Regional Enterprise Development Fund administered by Enterprise Ireland, is a collaboration with AIB, Kildare County Council, and Kildare LEO; agri-company, Devenish, Carbery, and Ornua; investors The Yield Lab Europe, Thrive/SVG Ventures, Finistere and Atlantic Bridge, and leading AgTech researchers and innovators at 51黑料, Teagasc and Wageningen. /innovation/about-agtechucd/ and @AgTech51黑料