Program looking to fund innovative solutions to advance agriculture-based technologies.  

Canada’s Innovation Booster program is offering 50% grant funding up to $100,000 for business development and innovation projects related to:

1. Smart Product and Process Development including novel health, nutrition & wellness benefits; new robotics applications to increase productivity, food safety and/or worker safety; AI, sensors, machine learning and big data to improve efficiencies; and emerging science such as cultured protein.
2. Food Ecosystem Sustainability including novel food waste reduction; higher value recovery; circularity and upcycling; green and smart packaging; and more efficient use of inputs e.g., energy, water and carbon.
3. Agile and Safe Supply Chains including logistics and supply chain; consumer and customer analytics; food safety and security; IoT and digital application to food chains; and blockchain and traceability software/applications.

Funding is provided to support a broad range of R&D activities at Technology Readiness Levels (TRL) 1 to 7. Projects are expected to result in the discovery of new knowledge that aims to support the development of new technology-driven products, processes or services at early-stage TRLs (e.g., 1-4); and/or large-scale technology demonstration, including the advancement and development of new technologies into product-specific applications at TRLs 5-7. Projects undertaking higher TRLs (i.e., 8 and 9) may also be supported if part of the overall project.

Eligible expenses include but not limited to project-related equipment purchases, subcontractor and consultant fees, materials costs, direct labour, plus building and land leasing, expansion or upgrades.

Applicants must be a Canadian business with less than 500 employees and sales under $50 million.

Note that successful applicants must pay the organization administering the fund an upfront contingency fee of 5% against the entire project budget (so basically the funding is 40%). Next Intake deadline July 7, 2022