Countdown begins for long-running innovation awards

Entrants have until April 24 to put their names forward for the 2026 Fieldays Innovation Awards.

WoolAid won the growth and scale category in 2024.

Fieldays is calling for entries ahead of the event at Mystery Creek from June 10 to 13.

It says the awards, now in their 58th year, recognise ideas, products and services that lift performance and sustainability across the primary sector.

It expects strong interest from innovators looking to move their concepts toward commercial impact.

Entries are open to all parts of the primary sector, including dairy, meat, wool, forestry, horticulture, seafood, arable farming, agritech, foodtech, greentech and manufacturing.

Technologies, machinery and systems that support those industries are also welcome.

Fieldays and its sponsors are offering more than $75,000 in cash, services and products to support entrants.

Applicants gain access to expert guidance, national and international exposure, and links to investors and advisors.

Long-term sponsor AgriTech New Zealand has increased its involvement in the 2026 awards.

Chief executive Brendan O’Connell, who also sits on the judging panel, says the alignment with the awards was an easy decision.

The awards attract exceptional entries that shape the future of agriculture and food production, he says.

He says AgriTech NZ is using its global connections to draw international innovators to the event.

Accepted entries will be shown on the Fieldays Innovation Trail and inside the Fieldays Innovation Hub.

Fieldays says this space allows innovators to connect with visitors, industry leaders and potential partners over four days.

There are three award categories: the Prototype Award supported by Sprout Agritech and Blender Design, the Early-Stage Award supported by Map of Ag, and the Growth and Scale Award supported by King St.

Additional recognition includes the Fieldays Young Innovator of the Year and the People’s Choice Award.

International entries are accepted for the Early-Stage and Growth and Scale categories.

Programme manager Steve Chappell says the awards regularly highlight practical problem-solving from people who understand the pressures facing the primary industries.

Chappell says the awards connect innovators with the people and opportunities that can take ideas further in NZ and overseas.

Previous winners have included WoolAid in 2024 (growth and scale), Waikato Milking Systems in 2023 (prototype), and Cropsy Technologies in 2021 (early stage, young innovator of the year).

WoolAid has since continued to grow and target global leadership in merino-wool medical products, which now include bandages, nasal strips, and mouth tape, all promoted for sustainability.

Waikato Milking System’s winning EroPOD prototype, a semi-robotic rotary milking unit, has advanced through production and farm testing, and is set for commercial release later this year.

Since 2021, Cropsy Technology has now scaled globally, deploying AI-powered vineyard scanners in NZ, the United States and France; improving disease detection, yield forecasting, and labour efficiency, and become recognised as a global agtech leader in vineyard intelligence.