The event will once again be sponsored by Enterprise Ireland and the Irish Farmers Journal. This year’s event includes a massive price fund of €65,000 and the bigger Innovation Arena will be a significant part of the 2015 National Ploughing Championships from 22 – 24 September in Ratheniska, Co. Laois.

This year there will be five award categories, with emphasis on Animal Health, Agri Software, Engineering, Safety and Young Innovator, in addition to the overall award.

Applications, which can be accessed online at www.farmersjournal.ie or www.enterprise-ireland.com/innovationarena, will open from this week. The closing date for entries is Friday 1 May.

This year’s top prize is worth €15,000 which includes advertising and PR support from the Irish Farmers Journal, mentoring support from Enterprise Ireland and a cash prize of €5,000

There will be a special Young Innovator prize of a bursary to attend the Agritechnica Show in November 2015.

You can access the Enterprise Ireland website here.