Read through the details and get ready to apply
The Fieldays Innovation Awards will open for applications soon. In the meantime, sign up to receive updates.
Fieldays Innovation Awards - Early-Stage Award
The Early-Stage category highlights innovations that have moved beyond the conceptual phase and have launched commercially as practical, real-world solutions within the last year.
Apply to display your Innovation in the Innovation Hub, or on your existing site at Fieldays.
Entries open in October, and close at 1pm Thursday 24 April 2025
Prize package
To be announced
Entry Criteria
- The entry is for an individual product/service. The overall business story will support the entry, but the judging will focus on the entered product/service
- The innovation must have application in the Food & Fibre sector*, or be made from a primary product
- The innovation has not been commercialised for more than 12 months (since June 2024)
- This category is open to NZ-based and international entrants
*Food and Fibre Sector refers to production in the following areas: Dairy, Meat & Wool, Forestry, Horticulture - including Viticulture, Seafood - including Aquaculture and Fishing, Arable, and Agri Tech - including Food Tech and Green Tech, and the activities supporting that production, including machinery, processing, and manufacturing.
Selection
Our selection panel will review your application, and let you know within 14 days if you have been successful, placed on a waitlist, or declined. In some instances, we will come back to applicants and request clarification or additional information to assist in our decision, which can extend this time frame.
First Round Judging (May 2025)
- The judging team will judge your entry in these areas based on information provided in your entry form: The Innovation, it's market opportunity, your team, your business model, sustainability (incl. financial), and health and safety
- Five finalists will be announced
Finalist Judging (June 2025)
- The judges may choose to schedule an online judging session for Finalists in early June
- Finalists will be judged in person on the Wednesday morning of Fieldays
Further details will be shared with the Finalists
Entry fees
Entry and Fieldays Innovation Hub site - $1,500 plus GST
Entry only (if you already have a Fieldays site to exhibit at) - $700 plus GST
Fees are invoiced after you are accepted into the Awards.
These fees include:
- 8 x 1-day Fieldays tickets - these can either be allocated as 1-day or 4-day tickets, and you can purchase additional tickets as required
- A Starter directory listing. There will be an opportunity to upgrade these listings and increase your exposure
- Two complimentary invites to the Innovation Awards event
The Innovation Hub site includes a 3m wide x 3m deep site footprint in the Hub, with the following provided:
Walls | Furniture | Signage | Power | Lighting | Wifi |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
2.3m (h) black frontrunner Velcro receptive panels, 32mm (d). | A table (3 size options), Barstools (up to 2) Flooring (carpet tiles) | A 600mm (w) and 1.2m (h) printed sign including stand number, Innovation name and logo (if provided). | One 10 amp, 3-pin connection, with a 4 plug multi-board | General overhead lighting, and 2 x wall-mounted spotlights per site | Free wifi provided. You can purchase a wired connection with a router in the Exhibitor Portal. |
Back wall - 3m (w) by 2.3 (h) | |||||
Side walls - 2m (w) x 2.3m (h) |