Northern Irish company Blaney Group has launched the 2026 iteration of its ‘innovator programme’, offering up to £50,000 of investment to turn everyday farming frustrations into new machinery.Whether it’s a new machine, attachment or tool, the programme’s aim is to help solve challenges that matter in real working environments, the company said.
Blaney is inviting submissions of ideas for new machinery or attachments that: solve real farming problems; save time, labour or money; improve safety or efficiency; and help businesses work smarter day to day. ‘Many of our best machines started with a conversation,’ said Sean Blaney, the company’s founder and chief engineer.
Shortlisted ideas will be reviewed by Blaney’s panel and the selected concepts will receive up to £50,000 of support, including product design and development, the creation of a full prototype and testing and refinement in collaboration with the company’s engineers.
According to the company, several ideas from the 2025 programme are already progressing into further development alongside its engineering team, reinforcing the programme’s focus on turning real-world thinking into practical solutions. Some of the concepts currently being explored include ways to turn waste materials into usable resources, helping to reduce fertiliser and chemical inputs.
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Anyone across the UK and Ireland involved in agriculture, contracting, land management or related industries can register their idea. Registrations close on 30 June 2026. If shortlisted, the entrant will receive a full application form, with final submissions due by 30 July 2026.