Enterprise Ireland has announced that Sprout, a New Zealand-based agri-tech accelerator, will join the judging panel for this year’s Innovation Arena at the National Ploughing Championships. James Bell-Booth, programme manager with Sprout, said he will be looking to invest in Irish agri-tech start-ups at this year’s Ploughing Championship, depending on the projects pitched at the Innovation Arena.

Sprout has an investment pool of €120m on behalf of its corporate partners, which include dairy giant Fonterra, electric fencing and electronic identification manufacturer Gallagher, as well as the New Zealand government agency Callaghan Innovation.

Sprout will join a network of other agri-tech investors at this year’s Innovation Arena, including Ireland-based venture capital firm Finistere, which has a €40m fund, and the Yield Lab, a global agri-tech accelerator.

Applications are now open for the 2018 Innovation Arena, which is run by Enterprise Ireland in conjunction with the Irish Farmers Journal and the National Ploughing Association (NPA).

To enter this year’s Innovation Arena Awards, please visit: www.innovationarena.ie