For immediate release
Guelph, ON (February 10, 2025) – Bioenterprise Canada is pleased to announce the launch of the second round of the Grow Ontario Accelerator Hub (GOAH) Initiative.
The Grow Ontario Accelerator Hub is funded by the Governments of Canada and Ontario through the Sustainable Canadian Agricultural Partnership (Sustainable CAP), a 5-year, federal-provincial-territorial initiative. GOAH provides support to innovative Ontario-based companies to advance more solutions and technologies to market.
GOAH offers robust support to innovative Ontario-based agri-food and agri-tech companies. With tailored mentoring and business resources, GOAH helps propel innovative solutions to market, enhancing competitiveness and opportunities in the agri-food sector. This will be facilitated by providing mentoring and advisory services in agri-food business acceleration, growth planning and investment readiness, as well as to provide supports to businesses across the agri-food supply chain with respect to adoption of innovation.
The Grow Ontario Accelerator Hub Initiative supports the Grow Ontario Strategy which aims to increase the creation and adoption of innovative technologies to enhance competitiveness, grow market opportunities and strengthen the agri-food sector against future disruptions. The objective of this initiative is to provide a suite of advisory services and mentorship to innovative companies in Ontario. To date, 41 innovative Ontario-based agri-food businesses have participated in this unique initiative.
“The success of the Grow Ontario Accelerator Hub in its first year is a testament to the remarkable innovation thriving in Ontario’s agri-food sector,” says Dave Smardon, CEO of Bioenterprise Canada. “This second round will build on this momentum and continue to empower forward-thinking businesses, providing the resources and mentorship they need to scale solutions that address industry challenges, accelerate adoption of innovation, and drive market competitiveness across the agri-food supply chain.”
Formal intake for GOAH 2025 applications begins on Monday, February 10, 2025. Visit the Grow Ontario Accelerator Hub webpage for full initiative details and information on how to apply. A virtual information session will be held on February 13, 2025, with an opportunity for Q&A with program administrators. Watch your inbox and social media for more details and updates.
Bioenterprise Canada’s Food & Agri-Tech Engine aims to expand initiatives like GOAH to other key regions in Canada. Join our mailing list for updates on GOAH and more, or contact Bioenterprise Canada today to explore the other programs and commercialization support services we offer nationally.
Media Contacts
Braden Kemp, GOAH Manager, Bioenterprise Canada, braden.kemp@bioenterprise.ca
About Bioenterprise Canada
Bioenterprise is Canada’s Food & Agri-Tech Engine. As the country’s national agri-technology focused commercialization accelerator, Bioenterprise uses its 20+ years of industry experience and its national and international alliance of advisors, experts, funders, mentors, researchers, government and industry partners to help small and medium-sized agri-food businesses connect, innovate and grow.
Since its inception in 2003, Bioenterprise has supported over 2,500 innovative ag-tech companies, helped launch more than 2,000 technologies, generated over $285 million in follow-on investment in Canadian agriculture and agri-food, and yielded a 200:1 return on invested dollars. The organization has six locations across Canada and more than 800 members and partners nationwide.
About the Sustainable Canadian Agricultural Partnership
The Sustainable CAP is a 5-year (2023-2028), $3.5-billion investment by federal, provincial and territorial governments to strengthen competitiveness, innovation, and resiliency of Canada’s agriculture, agri‐food and agri‐based products sector. This includes $1 billion in federal programs and activities and a $2.5 billion commitment that is cost-shared 60% federally and 40% provincially/territorially for programs that are designed and delivered by the provinces and territories.