Agricultural businesses are in the running for the investment prize fund of €40,000 at the National Enterprise Awards Finals on 29 May. The awards, an initiative of the Local Enterprise Offices, celebrate Ireland’s small businesses from all across the country with specific awards focusing on start-ups, innovation and exports.

Last year’s winners Terra NutriTech are an AgTech company, backed by Local Enterprise Office Kildare. Established by brothers Padraig and Tom Hennessy, their company specialises in precision liquid supplementation for livestock.

Brothers Tom and Padraig Hennessy of Terra NutriTech who announced a €2m investment, expansion into six countries in 2019 and plans to double their workforce by 2021. \ Jeff Harvey

Since winning in 2018, Terra NutriTech have become a client company of Enterprise Ireland, adding a further seven staff and hope to double their workforce by 2021 following a recent €2m investment.

“It is much more than just awards. The businesses involved avail of mentoring and guidance as the process develops and generate connections and leads from other businesses along the way.

"They also receive signposting for their business helping them to move their company forward, irrespective of whether they win an award,” Breda Fox, chair of the National Enterprise Awards Committee with the Local Enterprise Offices, said.

“Those who do take part always see the benefit. Our winners are now employing over 830 people and are exporting across the world with annual revenues in excess of €130m.”

Finalists

Agricultural finalists:

  • Clonmel Covers, Tipperary: manufacturing windbreakers for farm buildings, as well as waterproof covers for trucks, boats and machine covers.
  • NeighbourFood, Cork city: an online platform that facilitates the sale of local products direct from producers to consumers by means of a weekly collection point. With 13 locations currently across the UK and Ireland, NeighbourFood hopes to have nationwide collection points by the end of 2019.
  • VirtualVet, Waterford: an international data management company that tracks drug usage in animals in the food chain. VirtualVet and agricultural food partners work together to change drug use behaviour in the food chain.
  • Class Grass Limited T/A The Field, Roscommon: supplies a range of hand-crafted model toy field products to Irish, UK, European and US markets.
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