connect 2019 • 36 “WhenwewereafinalistinTheIrelandFundsBusinessPlan Competition in 2017, we were still only in prototype stage. It taught us that constant testing with our customers was absolutely critical to success. It really helped us to ensure we had the right product-market fit before our launch. We were also introduced to one of our first advisors, who sits on our advisory board, who is critical in helping us with business planning and to talk with equine industry leaders outside of Ireland. One of the great benefits of the competi- tion is working with other companies who are in the same position as you as you are able to share your experiences with people who are facing similar challenges and to hear how they resolved them." Equine MediRecord provides the first and only digital platform for the recording of veterinary regulatory documentation in the equine industry. There are increasing regulatory documentation requirements for race and sports horses with heavy fines and even criminal prosecu- tion for non-compliance. The current system which Equine MediRecord is replacing is entirely paper-based. Every medication and the supporting information is recorded manually in a large book called a Medicines Register—vaccination dates are remem- bered by post-it notes in the trainer’s office and there is no way of knowing which drugs or supplements are allowed for use in various domestic and foreign territories without asking regulators first. This means that regulators have to carry out spot inspections which can be very time consuming and disruptive. Equine MediRecord helps automate this process ensuring yards have a 100% compliance rate. They launched in Ireland, the UK and France in 2018, after receiving regulatory approval from the various national regulators. Equine MediRecord currently has hundreds of trainers, assistant trainers and vets who use the system; for thousands of horses, on a daily basis. THE IRELAND FUNDS BUSINESS PLAN COMPETITION FINLAY DARGAN, SIMON HILLARY AND PIERCE DARGAN 2017 FINALISTS WITH EQUINE MEDIRECORD