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A Haskayne School of Business student鈥檚 AI-driven solution to herd management has earned him top prize at a national pitch competition.

Haden Harrison, a third-year bachelor of commerce student, has been awarded the $10,000 grand prize from , a bracket-style competition presented by the at , and sponsored by .

Harrison鈥檚 company has developed a digital platform that uses AI, sensors and GPS-enabled devices to allow for remote fencing, automated pasture planning and the monitoring and management of livestock in real time. 

The system keeps track of a herd鈥檚 location, movement patterns and health indicators. It then uses AI to analyze the data and flag issues such as illness, stress or changes in grazing behaviour. 

The GPS-enabled smart collars also enable virtual fencing using audio cues and gentle guidance to move cattle. This means producers can automate rotational grazing, and mitigate daily fence moves and long drives to check remote pastures.

The Arena competition took place over 31 days, and featured more than 64 participants from 41 post-secondary institutions across Canada.

鈥淐ompeting in a unique bracket-style format is something I had never experienced before, and in the spirit of innovation and trying new things, this structure has been both enlightening and a lot of fun.鈥� says Harrison, who is chief operating officer at Agrivanna. 

鈥淚t has also pushed us to sharpen our story, pressure-test our business model and connect with an incredible community of founders, mentors and supporters.鈥�

Modelled after the NCAA March Madness championship, The Arena unfolded in a bracket-style competition from March 3 to April 2. During each, pitches were delivered live and judges deliberated in real time. 

This year鈥檚 judging panel included Shannon Bryne Susko, Metronomics founder and CEO; Diane Lafontaine, chief marketing and corporate strategy officer with BDC; Janice Buchanan, director of marketing and agency services at Irving Oil; Jennifer Grimm, founder of LUX Beauty; Catherine Bagnell Styles, co-owner of Gallery on Lincoln; Michael Khan, president and vice-chancellor of Saint Mary鈥檚 University, and; Mark Brand, chef and social impact entrepreneur with Upward Kitchens.

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