At Canada's Farm Show, young entrepreneurs showcased their talent and innovative spirit by developing and pitching new agricultural solutions within a rapid 24-hour timeline.
This event, known as the 24-Hour Startup | AGTECH, challenged participants to create and present viable products that could potentially revolutionize farming practices.
Five teams, formed just a day before, worked tirelessly to address real-world agricultural problems. They engaged directly with ag producers at the show, conducted market research, and built their prototypes, all leading up to their final pitches on stage.
Kai Nim, leader of the FeedFlow team, described the experience as incredibly exhilarating. Unlike other hackathons focused mainly on ideation, this event required teams to construct a tangible product and prepare it for immediate presentation.
FeedFlow, the first-place winner, developed a software solution that aggregates, interprets, and visualizes crucial feed data for agricultural producers, winning $4,000 and additional legal services.
Other notable innovations included AgMentor, an app that won the Best Technology award. This app helps farmers operate their machinery more efficiently by providing instant operational guidance through a simple scan of the machinery’s interior console.
The People’s Choice Award went to Scan My Herd, a system that leverages RFID tag data from cattle to manage and display essential information about vaccinations and injuries, enhancing herd management.
The competition was judged by experts in entrepreneurship and technology, including Chad Cardiff, Karissa Peterson, and Mokah Shmigelsky, who evaluated the projects based on innovation, implementation potential, and market readiness.
Celina Philpot, Chief Executive Officer of Conexus Credit Union, reflected on the event's significance, highlighting its role in bolstering Saskatchewan’s entrepreneurial scene.
According to Philpot, initiatives like these are vital for nurturing local talent and preventing the brain drain of founders leaving to find better opportunities elsewhere.
Laura Mock, Director of Cultivator, emphasized the importance of agriculture to the region and praised the event for connecting innovators with agricultural producers to tackle significant industry challenges.
The event not only celebrated young entrepreneurial talent but also reinforced the importance of innovation in sustaining and advancing Canadian agriculture.