BUDDING Herefordshire entrepreneurs are being invited to showcase their ideas for ground-breaking new technologies in a Dragons’ Den-style pitch for their share of £100,000.

The search for the next Peter Jones or Deborah Meaden is part of a new initiative to discover the best innovators in the agriculture industry, including those from this county.

The Agri-Innovation Den has been launched by Briefing Media Agriculture, the owners of publications including Farmers Guardian, in conjunction with The Co-operative Food, to give entrepreneurs with an interest in farming an opportunity to develop their ideas for new technologies and innovations.

Neil Thackray, chief executive and co-founder of Briefing Media, said: “Your business could be a software company, app developer or systems supplier. You could be using farm data, mapping or weather information in an innovative way. You might even have a product already launched or be in the process of prototyping. Whatever stage you are at we want to help you achieve your goals.

“With our expertise in media and agriculture we are looking to support the best of these concepts, not just with financial assistance but also with publicity, marketing, mentorship and business planning.”

Entries are now open and running until the end of August, and the leading innovators will be shortlisted to pitch to an expert panel in September.

Winners will receive their share of a £100,000 funding pot in exchange for Briefing Media Agriculture retaining a stake in their business.

In addition to the funding, winners will get advice, support and mentoring in areas such as marketing, buying, distribution channels, business planning, plus the opportunity to trial the innovation, product, process or technology within The Co-operative Food’s farming groups.

“We are committed to supporting UK farming, and see our role as fundamental to helping embrace, nurture and develop the ideas generated," said Ciara Gorst, senior agricultural manager at The Co-operative Food.

“Identifying and implementing better, more efficient ways of working is fundamental to our commitment to delivering a transparent supply chain and further improving the high standards The Co-operative, and our farming groups, adhere to, and which our customers expect.

“The success of the agricultural industry is dependent on its delivery of innovation and the Agri-Innovation Den is an ideal platform to deliver this.”

To enter the competition go to aginnovationden.com or follow @innovationDen on Twitter.