Farm-ING Smart Farm Equipment, a startup from the Austrian town of Horn, has won the Econovius, the special award for the most innovative small or medium-sized company in the country. The award was presented on November 4, 2026, in Vienna as part of the State Prize for Innovation.
Precision Spraying System Recognized
The award was given for the project “Ultra High Precision Spot SprayING – Plant protection only where it is really needed.” The development convinced the jury with its innovative approach to using plant protection agents precisely and resource-efficiently. While conventional agriculture often applies these agents over entire areas, the Spot Sprayer developed by Farm-ING uses the highest precision. The technology recognizes the areas that actually need treatment and applies the agent exclusively there. According to the company, this can reduce the use of plant protection agents by up to 90 percent. This not only lowers costs for agricultural operations but also conserves soil, water, and the environment.
A Team Effort
“This prize belongs to the whole Farm-ING-Team,” said CEO and founder Gregor Witzmann. “Behind the Spot Sprayer stand many heads and hands that have tinkered, tested, and gotten to work. That a project from agricultural machinery is being honored on this stage shows that sustainability and economic efficiency are no contradiction on the field,” said the company founder. Farm-ING was able to prevail against strong competition from all of Austria with its development.
Path to the National Prize
The Econovius is awarded as part of the State Prize for Innovation and honors outstanding achievements of small and medium-sized enterprises. The State Prize for Innovation is considered the highest state award for innovative companies in Austria and is awarded by the Federal Ministry for Economic Affairs, Energy and Tourism together with the federal states. For participation, companies must first qualify through the innovation awards of the federal states. Farm-ING succeeded in this at the NÖ Innovation Prize 2026, where the company had already been awarded the special prize “Digital Innovation.”
