Winning two awards at last year's Bendigo Inventor Awards gave AgriNous' Joel Rockes and Marcus Pollock more exposure, connections and credibility.
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Not only that, Mr Rockes said, it was personally a "shot in the arm", an extra motivation boost.
Now other inventors and innovators can again enter their own products in the renamed Bendigo Invention + Innovation Awards.
Program director David Hughes said the new name reflected the event's evolution.
"A lot has changed since 2010, when the awards were established," Mr Hughes said.
"In some ways they were ahead of their time, but the landscape we operate in has changed significantly since then.
"The time was right for us to reflect those changes and our growing family of partners."
This year, awards will be offered in categories of environmental sustainability, health, youth, and an open category.
The overall winner will win $5000 and entry to La Trobe University's 12-week Accelerator program.
Mr Rockes took home both the agriculture award and overall Inventor of the Year title in 2018.
He said involvement with La Trobe had gone down "many pathways", including opening a relationship that saw third-year agribusiness student Shaun Doolan first intern with the company, then join the team part-time.
Mr Pollock said it had also motivated them to move their technological work internally, rather than relying on external contractors.
It was good to get exposure from the awards too, Mr Pollock said, and added weight to their product.
Mr Rockes said the shift in focus from invention-only to innovation as well (last year organisers hosted the first Bendigo Invention + Innovation Festival, which included the awards) opened the event up to a broader demographic.
"While we didn't invent anything... We did innovate," he said.
AgriNous provides a livestock transaction platform that works as an electronic inventory for agents and saleyard operators, tracking animals from the farm through to slaughter.
Mr Pollock said the company had digitised a process that was, for livestock agents dealing in sheep, heavily paper-based, making it more efficient and helping its users meet new regulatory obligations.
He said the company was now expanding its scope.
Entry to the 2019 Bendigo Invention + Innovation Awards is open until August 5.
For more information, visit the Bendigo Invention + Innovation Festival website.
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Natalie Croxon
Reporter at the Illawarra Mercury, mostly covering social affairs. Previously of the Bendigo Advertiser, Northern Daily Leader and Quirindi Advocate. Our Watch award winner.
Reporter at the Illawarra Mercury, mostly covering social affairs. Previously of the Bendigo Advertiser, Northern Daily Leader and Quirindi Advocate. Our Watch award winner.
