Innovation Accelerator full of Kiwi ingenuity

Innovation Accelerator full of Kiwi ingenuity

Fieldays® Innovation Accelerator has reached capacity and organisers are looking forward to working with Fieldays’ innovation success stories when the gates open on 10 June.

Ten companies that have previously exhibited in the Innovation Centre will now exhibit in Fieldays Innovation Accelerator, sponsored by Callaghan Innovation, as they continue their journey with Fieldays to commercialise and increase their connectivity within the domestic and international marketplace.

With innovation being a cornerstone of Fieldays, and a vital component in the continued success of New Zealand’s agri sector, establishing Fieldays Innovation Accelerator was the logical evolution for Fieldays Innovation as the incubator and catalyst for agritech innovation.

“We recognise that Fieldays must continue to evolve and adapt if we are to remain relevant and connected to New Zealand’s agri tech and agribusiness sector,” says Fieldays Chief Executive Jon Calder.

“In this way, Fieldays is much more than a trade show. Our mission is to advance agriculture. The technology and innovation that Fieldays showcases and supports through our Innovation ecosystem are products, concepts and thinking that will continue to ensure New Zealand remains a leading agribusiness nation globally.”

Callaghan Innovation’s General Manager of Research and Technical Services, Dr Richard Templer, says the Government business innovation agency “is delighted to be a partner for the inaugural Innovation Accelerator at this year’s Fieldays and that the theme of innovation continues to grow in profile and importance at the event.”

“Many of New Zealand’s technology exporting successes have their roots in the agricultural sector, and agri-tech continues to be a hotbed of innovation in the New Zealand economy,” says Templer.

Exhibiting in Fieldays Innovation Accelerator is a once-off opportunity – after that, companies must exhibit in the main area of Fieldays.

Fieldays has seen many Kiwi innovations, whether from the Fieldays Innovation Awards or Fieldays Innovation Den powered by SODA Inc, achieve unprecedented success in their endeavours after entering in the Innovation Centre at Fieldays.

Fieldays Innovation Accelerator exhibitors

Aeronavics Ltd

Aeronavics is excited to be exhibiting in the Fieldays Innovation Accelerator this year, following on from its AG Monster success in 2013, and further evolutions displayed in last year's Fieldays Innovation Centre.

The world-leading designer and manufacturer of remotely-piloted aerial systems (RPAS) launched its first product in 2010 and have been able to secure premier international clients such as NASA, Disney and DreamWorks.

Lucy Marshall from Aeronavics says their products are now starting to become mainstream tools within the agri-sector.

“We believe this transition phase matches the nature and intention of the Accelerator space – products progressing from a novelty to a widely-accepted tool. In addition it will be great to catch up with the several bright innovators who we have met in the last couple of years and who have progressed similarly in their product lifecycle.”

Aeronavics now markets its branded products in key vertical applications, collaborating with existing channel partners, sensor vendors and others to create and deliver complete vertical application solutions.

Andweeder

When Andy Lysaght first publicly demonstrated his invention, the Andweeder®, in 2013, he never considered he would generate the level of publicity he has experienced nationally and internationally.

A finalist in the 2013 Fieldays Innovation Awards, and 2014 winner of Fieldays Innovations Launch NZ award, Lysaght and the Andweeder team are looking forward to returning to Fieldays in the Innovation Accelerator.

The company is particularly interested in sharing their experiences with those which face similar challenges to its own and hopes to better position itself in reaching the next step.

Director of Snap Financial Management Ltd Tim Wilde says, “Having achieved success in the Innovation Centre in both 2013 and 2014, we want to ensure we don’t lose the momentum that our previous attendance has created. We are keen to leverage our recent successes toward the next step of commercialising the Andweeder.”

DTexH2O Co Ltd

The DTexH2O Co Ltd team jumped at the chance to participate in Fieldays Innovation Accelerator, as they felt it was a great opportunity to get their product in front of as many dairy farmers as possible.

The DTexH2O is designed to alert dairy farmers when water has entered the milk line in their milking sheds. This saves farmers up to 20-30 litres of milk every time they milk, the equivalent amount from two to three cows.

DTexH2O won the coveted SODA Lift Most Viable Business Award in 2014 and they gained excellent publicity from winning the award.

Graeme Franklin of DtexH2O says, “We find it exhilarating and rewarding being involved Fieldays Innovations and look forward to this year’s event with great anticipation.”

Kindling Cracker
The Kindling Cracker is a tool that cuts kindling safely and easily without having to swing a sharp instrument past your fingers. It has made splitting kindling an easy and enjoyable task for all ages and abilities.
Invented by Ayla Hutchinson for a school science fair project, the Kindling Cracker was showcased at the 2013 Fieldays where Hutchinson won Fieldays Innovations Young Inventor of the Year Award.
The Kindling Cracker has advanced from prototype to production in just two years. During this time, Hutchinson and her invention have won many more accolades including the Vodafone’s People’s Choice award at last year’s Fieldays, where it sold out within two-and-a-half days.
The Kindling Cracker is made right here in New Zealand and is engineered to withstand a lifetime of use.
Maxi-Trak Quatro

The Maxi- Trak Quatro, designed by Waikato inventor Kalvin Singh, won the Agricultural Invention of the Year at Fieldays in 2010.

“The world-first system is designed to transfer weight from a towed implement to the tractor it is attached to,” says Singh.

“Back then it used a lot of No.8-wire technology typical of so many Kiwi prototypes, we even cut the leaf springs from a wrecked truck we had at the time. The early units took a bit of skill from the tractor driver to operate but they worked so we patented it and took it to Fieldays where it won the Inventions award.”

Over the last five years, Singh has removed all No.8 wire, secured world-wide patents and registered trademarks and are now ready to show the world what he has.

“We are very excited to be invited to this year's Fieldays Innovation Accelerator. This will give us an opportunity to showcase our product to the local public and hopefully meet with overseas visitors in what we believe is going to be a relaxed environment.”

Maraeroa C Incorporation

Maraeroa C Incorporation is situated in the Pureroa region in the King Country. Its core business is exotic plantation forestry.

“Pure wild ginseng is flourishing under pine tree canopy in the Central North Island and provides farmers and foresters with an ideal opportunity to increase the returns from their lands,” says Glen Katu of Maraeroa C Incorporation.

Harvesting of the first rotation crop of pinus radiata is almost complete, with the second rotation well underway.
“Maraeroa C Incorporatio, a Maori Land Corporation, is currently harvesting its first crop of pure wild ginseng with a focus on exporting product to Asian countries,” he says.

“We’re looking forward to sharing our story and displaying our product in Innovation Accelerator.”

Revolutionary Beekeeping
Winners of Fieldays Innovations Launch NZ Award 2013, Revolutionary Beekeeping is excited to return to Fieldays.

Grant Engel, creator of Revolutionary BeeKeeping, says, “Many landowners and beekeepers are already enjoying the service and increasing their hive numbers because of it. With the low dairy pay-out, beekeeping is becoming a very attractive option and we can provide not only the hives but a complete extraction and harvesting service. This service is the first of its kind in the world.”

After taking out its Fieldays category, Revolutionary Beekeeping took its business to a new level by building a brand new processing plant in Kerikeri that offers a honey extraction and harvesting service to all North Island beekeepers and landowners.

“Land owners now have the opportunity to capitalise on their flora or marginal land as our service provides the most affordable, easiest and best way to become a profitable honey producer.”

Southern Humates

In 2013, Southern Humates took samples of its newly-discovered humates to Fieldays Innovations and, based upon the interest generated, entered the North Island market.

In 2014, the team entered Fieldays Innovations again with the samples of humate-coated urea that resulted in the slow-release of nitrogen and growth promotion.

“This year, we will be in Fieldays Innovations Accelerator, with more samples and information on the trial results that were independently conducted by Dr Peter Espie,” says Malcolm Sinclair, Managing Director of Southern Humates.

“At Southern Humates our focus is on delivering top quality humates to farmers across the total agricultural spectrum. Southern Humates is a vital link to biological farming, as it improves soil structure, reduces leaching, improves fertilisation efficiency and stimulates fungal growth for healthy soil microbial activity.”

Two Hands

Paul Anderson is a second-generation farmer who invented the Two Hands Double Bale Grab™ in 2008 for use on the Fortification Farm he runs with his wife Michelle. Two Hands was created out of necessity, due to the high cost of handling individual bales.

Within a few years Paul and Michelle were producing Two Hands out of their shed for local farmers and contractors who had seen them working and realised the cost-saving benefits they could make by using Two Hands.

“We now have a backstop attachment which attaches to the Two Hands and is used on the back enabling four bales to be carried on the rear linkage, and when using Two Hands on the loader, six bales can be shifted in one load.”

Two Hands now has international interest and it shipped its first container load to Australia late last year, with hopes to move into the North and South American markets in due course.

UBCO Ltd

After setting its sights on Fieldays 2014, Daryl Neal and Anthony Clyde worked extensively to develop the All Electric Farm Bike. The unique 2x2 debuted at Fieldays 2014 in the Innovation Centre and received over 200 expressions to pre-order.

It has been a busy 12 months since the launch, with the team creating a new brand, UBCO – The Utility Bike. The Electric Motor Bike or the 2x2 is a disruptive technology and idea, which could make a range of equipment obsolete.

Clyde says he sees Accelerator as a chance to showcase the developments they have made in the last 12 months.

“We have made huge progress on all fronts, from the engineering of the bike to brand and marketing. The chance to come back and feature in Accelerator is a great opportunity,” he says.

ENDS

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