Ontario Agri-Food Research Initiative – Commercialization Stream launches: Funding up to $150,000 per project
Cleantech Commons strategic partner, Bioenterprise Canada Corporation, has partnered with the Ontario Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs (OMAFRA) to support the delivery of stream C (Commercialization) of the Ontario Agri-Food Research Initiative (OAFRI).
See Backgrounder: “Cleantech Commons and Bioenterprise partner to advance clean technology innovations – collaboration brings agritech & food accelerator services to research park clients“
This new initiative is supported by $2 million in funding.
The OAFRI Commercialization stream is designed to provide Ontario’s agriculture, agri-food, and agri-based products sectors, including technology or equipment suppliers, with access to funding to support commercialization projects with a focus on Market Validation and Product Development activities.
These efforts aim to enhance competitiveness and the leadership position of Ontario in the agriculture and agri-food sectors.
The OAFRI Commercialization stream will provide funding for two project types:
Project Type A: Market Validation Grants
Conduct market research to determine the size and quality of the market opportunity for a new and promising technology, product, or service with the goal of determining if there is any market potential before more research funds are spent on the technology.
Funding Available: up to $30,000 per project
Project Type B: Product Development Grants
Create prototypes, perform field trials, remove any barriers to a market launch or private sector adoption and optimize a minimum viable product that best meets the needs of customers.
Funding Available: $50,000-$150,000 per project
“When it comes to innovation, Ontario’s research ecosystem has an incredible amount of untapped potential. Our universities, for example, are full of technologies that are waiting to disrupt the market once they can get off the ground.” says Dave Smardon, CEO of Bioenterprise, “This initiative shows OMAFRA’s commitment to supporting early-stage agri-businesses, and partnering with Bioenterprise, Canada’s Food & Agri-Tech Engine, makes commercialization a top priority.”
Applicants may include for-profit and not-for-profit entities, government and non-government organizations, universities and colleges, and research institutions based in Ontario.
Eligible organizations must be located in Ontario, have project activities and costs that take place in Ontario, develop projects that address OMAFRA’s key priority areas, be operating in the agriculture, agri-food, and agri-based products sector, and must have a product/technology/service that is unique to Ontario.
An official intake opened on Friday, September 24th, 2021, including a webpage with initiative details, a Call for Proposals document, and information on how to apply. The deadline to apply is October 29th, 2021, at 2 pm EST.
A virtual information session will be held on Wednesday, October 6th, 2021, at 10 am EST with an opportunity for Q&A with the program administrators. In the meantime, you can direct any questions to submissions@bioenterprise.ca