County Meath Agri Innovators named as Enterprise Ireland Innovation Arena Finalists at the Ploughing Championships

Alltech is an Irish-founded animal health and nutrition company supporting agriculture with science-led solutions.

Meath based agri innovators Alltech have been named among the finalists in Enterprise Ireland’s 2026 Innovation Arena competition at the National Ploughing Championships.

From AI-powered disease detection and smart compliance tools to emissions-reducing technologies, the 12 solutions shortlisted for this year’s Innovation Arena final are 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, safe and sustainable practices.

Alltech is an Irish-founded animal health and nutrition company supporting agriculture with science-led solutions.

Alltech’s Planet of Plenty Partnership Framework shows how business model innovation, powered by science-led solutions, can help agriculture cut emissions whilst driving farm profitability. By connecting farmers, processors and brands around solutions such as Eminex, Alltech is creating practical pathways to reduce slurry-related emissions, improve nutrient efficiency and generate credible sustainability gains across the value chain.

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’. There are four awards in this year’s competition with three finalists shortlisted in each category, and they will deliver a pitch to a panel of judges and a live audience, including Peter Burke TD, Minister for Enterprise, Tourism and Employment, at the Innovation Arena this afternoon (TUES).

The winner of the ‘Start-Up of the Year’ prize will take home €10,000 as well as mentoring and advisory supports from Enterprise Ireland, while this year’s competition also sees the return of the popular ‘Young Innovator of the Year’ award, which was open to entries from second and third-level students and aims to foster the next generation of agritech.

The ‘Innovation Arena Champion’ award also returns this year and was open to entries from established companies with a focus on scaling and innovation, while the ‘Green Impact Award’ will honour a sustainability-focused solution.

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 will also be presented with a ‘Certificate of Achievement for Innovation’ at this afternoon’s event, having achieved a minimum qualifying score for their entry and in recognition of their contribution to agricultural progress.

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.

Ahead of today’s final, 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 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 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.”

The companies pitching for ‘Young Innovator of the Year’ this afternoon are MastiTrak, Moore Agri and WireLessCam. The three finalists in the ‘Start-Up of the Year’ category are FURROW, RT Sales and VetPal.  Magnus Monitors, Slurryquip and TERRA NutriTECH have been shortlisted for the ‘Green Impact Award’, while Alltech, Solnua and Telenostic will pitch in the ‘Innovation Arena Champion’ category.

The live pitching competition will take place at 2pm Tuesday afternoon in the Enterprise Ireland Innovation Arena, located at Row 10, Block 3, Stand 180, on site at the National Ploughing Championships in Screggan, Co Offaly.