The winner of the GIMA Innovators’ Seed Corn Fund for 2016 has been announced; Dublin-based Vivagreen.
As winners they will receive support up to the value of £6,000 to help with development and marketing costs associated with entering the UK garden retail market, plus a year’s full GIMA membership, and a wide range of business support tools.
The company impressed the judges with its MossOff product, a multi-surface concentrate that offers a new and unique biocide-free way of controlling moss and algae on all outdoor surfaces.
The product is also available in a separate variant designed to take advantage of the specific lawn care market and provide dual merchandising opportunities as well as maintain rates of sale throughout the season.
GIMA director Vicky Nuttall said: “We’re incredibly pleased to confirm that Vivagreen is the 2016 winner of the GIMA Innovators’ Seed Corn Fund. A truly innovative product, the judges were impressed with the simplicity of the product, as well as its dual-use that delivers results, whilst providing peace of mind for consumers. The fact that the product is also biocide-free and yet still beats chemical based competitor products, really stood out as a key USP. I’ve no doubt that Vivagreen will quickly become a core product for any garden retailer.”
In addition to choosing a winner, the panel also selected three highly commended companies. Those just missing out on the coveted title were:
- Kikka Digga with its namesake product, the Kikka Digga: The Kikka Digga is a digging attachment tool for all garden forks and spades, which adds a footplate lever to the tool itself. The footplate is designed to reduce the physical strain associated with digging, as well as improving posture.
- easyMulch with its namesake product, easyMulch: easyMulch is a new pelleted plant mulch made from natural organic British straw. easyMulch pellets are made specially for garden plants, and are highly absorbent, retaining up to 300% water by volume. The pellets are pH balanced and make for an organic, eco-friendly, carbon neutral alternative to wood, coir or artificial mulches
- Banbury Innovations with the Fabrik Wall: This textile façade can be fixed to any wall to create an instant show of colour. Using artificial plants, the Fabrik Wall can add greenery to any wall, offering an eye-catching addition or privacy where needed.
As the winner, Vivagreen is now set to receive funding and help with the development and marketing of their product, together with support from experts within the industry.
