Start-ups selected for AgTechUCD Agccelerator Programme
Pictured at UCD Lyons Farm are participants selected for AgTechUCD’s second accelerator programme. Picture: Nick Bradshaw, Fotonic.
Twelve start-ups have been selected for the AgTechUCD Agccelerator Programme.
This is the second year of the programme, which is dedicated to early-stage ag-tech and agri-food start-ups with global potential.
The participating start-ups are based in counties Cork, Dublin, Kildare, Kilkenny, Sligo, Tipperary, Waterford, and Westmeath.
The 2022 programme, which has just commenced, is an intensive 12-week programme tailored to address the particular needs and challenges facing start-ups in the ag-tech and agri-food sectors.
AgTechUCD Innovation Centre director Niamh Collins said that this cohort of start-ups selected to take part is "developing disruptive innovations with global potential in the wider ag-tech sector".
"We now look forward to the next 12 weeks when we will focus on supporting the commercial development of the participating start-ups," she said.
The 2022 AgTechUCD Agccelerator Programme will conclude next January when participating start-ups will pitch their businesses to a panel of investors.
Among the start-ups chosen for the programme is Acregreen, based in Co Tipperary, which is developing an automated vertical farming technology to provide on-site animal feed in challenging environments where natural resources are in scarce supply. Its founder, Iain Munro, is taking part in the programme.
Co Cork business Agricom is focused on leveraging technology to agri-food supply chain digitisation to reduce waste and improve resilience towards climate change, and economic and environmental events. Founder Nadim Al-Khoury is taking part.
MILJO, also based in Co Cork, is developing a modular solution which provides optimal nutrition for a herd based on individual herds’ performance targets while minimising environmental impacts, resulting in improved herd performance. Founder Aoife Drennan is taking part in the programme.
Dairy Robotics, based in Co Kildare, is developing products to help alleviate issues facing the dairy industry, including environmental pressures, animal welfare and farm labour shortages.
The company’s first product is a device to perform mobility scoring and body condition scoring monitoring the health and welfare of a dairy herd. Founder Cormac McHugh is taking part in the programme.
Farm Fayre, based in Co Kilkenny, has developed a field-to-field online cattle sales solution that connects buyers and sellers of livestock. Founder Kevin O’Connor is taking part in the programme.
Meanwhile, OptaHaul, based in Co Westmeath, provides next-generation route optimisation software for sustainable dairy transport.
It helps dairy processors, co-ops and hauliers to reduce transport costs, increase resource efficiency and remove greenhouse gas emissions from farm-to-plant milk transport. Co-founder Gary Gallagher is taking part in the programme.
