Iamus Technologies (www.iamus.ai), an artificial intelligence and robotics company headquartered at NovaUCD, has been named winner of the Alfie Cox Best Overall Start-up Award at the 2020 Enterprise Ireland Innovation Arena Awards run in association with the National Ploughing Association.

The company develops data-driven solutions to empower farmers and processors to reduce costs. 

Iamus Technologies is currently collaborating with a large poultry processor and using its technology to continuously gather data from birds, providing feedback that could help the poultry processor to significantly reduce its costs.

Shane Kiernan, CEO, Iamus Technologies, said: “We are delighted to have been named winner of the Best StartUp Award at this year’s Innovation Arena Awards. It is a fantastic endorsement for a young agri-tech startup such as Iamus.

"Our aim is to provide real-time actionable insights to our customers that empowers animal welfare and productivity improvements disrupting the multi-billion-euro poultry industry.

Dedicated testing shed

“We are looking forward to accessing a dedicated testing shed at UCD’s Lyons Farm in Co Kildare in the very near future. This facility will be a game-changer for Iamus in allowing us to develop an iterate-test-adapt cycle demonstrably quicker than our current process.”

James Maloney, senior regional development executive, Enterprise Ireland, said: “Iamus won the Award because we think the company’s Gallus product has the potential to reach a really big global audience.”

Tom Flanagan, UCD director of enterprise and commercialisation, said: “I am delighted to see Iamus Technologies win the Best StartUp Award at this year’s Innovation Arena Awards. The company has made great progress at NovaUCD and participated in our 5G Vodafone/Ericsson accelerator programme last year.

“We are progressing with our plans to develop the €4 million AgTech Connector Innovation Hub at UCD Lyons Farm and we look forward to working with and supporting more innovative agtech companies, similar to Iamus Technologies, that have global ambition.”

Groundbreaking agri-related products and innovations

Enterprise Ireland’s Innovation Arena traditionally showcases groundbreaking agri-related products and innovations from Irish agri-companies at the National Ploughing Championships, but this year’s competition was moved fully online due to the cancellation of the event as a result of COVID-19 pandemic restrictions.

For the first time in its ten-year history, the awards took place online, with shortlisted innovators pitching their groundbreaking designs to a virtual judging panel over the course of two days. More than 60 entries were received for this year’s Awards competition with the top 30 selected for virtual pitching.

Iamus Technologies was one of 12 category awards winners announced by Minister of State for Business, Employment and Retail, Damien English TD.

Minister Damien English TD said: “Enterprise Ireland’s annual Innovation Arena Awards represent the future of Irish agri-tech and highlight new product development as well as the innovative agritech and agri-engineering capability in the Irish agriculture sector.”

Main photo: Pictured L-R: James Maloney, senior regional development executive, Enterprise Ireland, with Iamus Technologies team members, Owen Grogan, Michael McGlynn and Shane Phelan.