Background

The Clonmel Show celebrated its 150th anniversary in 2015. Since the inaugural show in 1865, it has been showcasing the best of agricultural life and commerce in Tipperary. In keeping with this proud tradition and acknowledging that our   national food exports exceeded the €11 billion mark in 2016, Clonmel Show and Tipperary County Council have agreed to jointly fund this innovative start-up scheme. The funding award scheme is branded as Síolta, the Irish for seeds, which captures the essence of this initiative in terms of the starting point for new growth and development in the Farm / Agri sector. The total value of the award is €17,500. The winning proposal will receive €12,500 with an additional award of €5,000 for the best Tipperary based entry.

Síolta is an important incentive offered to new and aspiring individuals or groups with a new product, idea or service in the agriculture and food sector. It is really about helping someone with a good idea to get their product idea / proposal to test market and ultimately create jobs and employment in Tipperary.  All entrants should gain valuable experience from pitching their idea to the judging panel and becoming familiar with the range of supports available from the Local Enterprise Office, South Tipperary Development Company (LEADER) and other state agencies such as Enterprise Ireland, Teagasc and Bord Bia.

Who should apply?

Application to Síolta is open to anyone with a food or agricultural related product, idea or service, seeking to fully research their idea and bring it to a developed and marketable position. Síolta is intended to help the successful recipient complete the technical, marketing and commercial aspects of a new product proposition. Possible examples include an agri-engineering part, product or service;  a new food product (see example of 2014 award winner below); new information/ recording system for farm inputs / outputs; a product / service utilising social media for communication among farming groups, the development of a portal for the trading of agricultural inputs. The focus of this initiative is on the concept and innovative aspects of the product / service together with its marketability.

Previous award winners

• 2014 – Helen and Julian Armitage.  Winning the inaugural Síolta award in 2014 led to the establishment of ‘Irish Hedgerow’  – a crafted range of sparkling elderflower refresher drinks. The wild elderflowers that Helen and Julian use in Irish Hedgerow are handpicked from hedgerows near Drangan, Cloneen and Newcastle and infuse certified irish mineral water with the unique, health and refreshing flavours and fragrances from the Tipperary countryside. www.irish-hedgerow.ie
• 2015 – Philip Quirke of ‘Fenz-On’ – A device that lets you control any mains electric fence with your mobile phone. Developed in 2012, the Síolta award allowed Philip to expand his market throughout Munster and through selected stockists nationwide. https://powercontrol.live/fenz-on-2/

Síolta Objectives:

• To encourage farmers and rural communities to be innovative in developing a product or service that could improve their income streams.
• To help people make their concept or idea a marketable reality.

The Application Process:

1. Fill in the application form below with contact details and signature to confirm your understanding of the competition rules.
2. The application form, coupled with a 1 to 2 page outline summary of the product concept / idea to be submitted with the application form. The outline summary should include:
3. A brief profile of the applicant/s. Career history, business interest etc.
4. A description of the product /business idea which may include some photos, sample (if available) or preliminary desk research.
5. An outline of the steps required to bring the concept through to an actual/final product or service, ready for test marketing.
6. A vision of how you see this product in the market in two/three years time. Where will it be sold, who the consumers/customers might be?
7. A two/three sentence statement outlining what winning the award would mean for you.
8. The deadline for receipt of completed application forms and outline proposals is 5pm on Friday, March 30th, 2018.  The applications can be submitted in hard copy to Anthony Fitzgerald at Tipperary County Council, Ballingarrane House, Clonmel, Co. Tipperary or soft copy to: anthony.fitzgerald@tipperarycoco.ie

The Selection Process:

• The Adjudicating panel will be  independent of the Clonmel Horse Show and Agricultural Society and Tipperary Co. Council
• This panel may decide to interview all applicants or draw up a shortlist from which successful candidates will be invited to make a presentation to them.  This part of the process will take place during April/May 2018.
• The successful applicant will be announced at the Clonmel Show on Sunday, July 1st, 2018.
• The fund of €12,500 award will be granted in either two / three moieties, depending on the nature of the research / feasibility to be executed by the successful applicant. It is envisaged that the total time phase for completion of the project would be in the region of six to twelve months.
• The €5,000 fund for the best Tipperary entrant will be granted as one moiety.

APPLICATION DETAILS REQUIRED:

Please print clearly:

• Name:
• Business Name or Product Idea:
• Address:
• Email address:
• Telephone – Home/Office:
• Mobile:

Rules

• Applicants should be 18 years or over.
• Generally excluded are expansions of established businesses and franchise / licensing arrangements in a different geographical area or country.
• The decision to shortlist and the determination of the winning entry is at the sole discretion of the judging panel established by Clonmel Horse Show and Agricultural Society Ltd. and Tipperary County Council.
• Judges are appointed on an annual basis. The judges for 2018 have been appointed.
• The judges’ opinion will be final and no dialogue will be entered into.
• All entrants are required to sign the application form and submit a one or two page outline of their proposal.
• Shortlisted applicants will be called for interview by the Judging panel where the product idea or service will be evaluated in detail.
• Applications should be emailed to anthony.fitzgerald@tipperarycoco.ie or posted to Anthony Fitzgerald, Business Development Officer, Tipperary County Council, Ballingarrane House, Clonmel, Co. Tipperary.
• The closing date and time is 5pm on Friday, March 30th, 2018.
• No correspondence will be entered into in relation to any issue arising out of this competition.