Guelph, Ontario – September 9, 2024—Bioenterprise Canada is pleased to announce the launch of the second round of the Ontario Agri-Food Research Initiative (OAFRI) Commercialization Stream. This program will target innovative Ontario-based agri-food and agri-tech organizations who are ready to transform their ideas into market-ready products and services. Bioenterprise is pleased to partner with the Ontario Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Agribusiness (OMAFA) to support the delivery of the OAFRI Commercialization Stream with up to $3.4 million in funding from the Governments of Canada and Ontario through the Sustainable Canadian Agricultural Partnership (Sustainable CAP).
The Commercialization Stream is designed to provide Ontario’s agriculture, agri-food, and agri-based products sectors, including technology or equipment suppliers, 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 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
The OAFRI Commercialization Stream supports outcomes of the province’s 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.
“Ontario’s agri-food and agri-tech sectors are using innovative approaches and technology to bring top-quality food to Canadians and the world,” said the Honourable Lawrence MacAulay, federal Minister of Agriculture and Agri-Food. “This support will give them access resources to get their great ideas one step closer to market.”
“Helping agribusinesses grow, compete and thrive is key to a resilient agri-food sector and that’s why the government of Ontario is partnering with Bioenterprise Canada Corporation,” said Rob Flack, Minister of Agriculture, Food and Agribusiness. “Ensuring that small to medium sized companies have access to commercialization tools like market validation and product development through Bioenterprise demonstrates how Ontario is driving the future, now.”
“One of the critical gaps that has been identified in our agri-food sector is the difficulty in getting new innovations adopted by industry. This is partially due to the high risk associated with innovation adoption, but also the time and expertise needed to complete the implementations,” says Dave Smardon, President and CEO of Bioenterprise. “OMAFA has had the vision to recognize this, and the OAFRI program is designed to address these concerns, making it far easier to move innovations into the market.”
Applicant organizations to OAFRI may include, but are not limited to, for-profit and not-for-profit entities, government (except federal and provincial) 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 OMAFA’s key research priority areas and initiative objectives, be operating in the agriculture, agri-food, and agri-based products sector, and must have a product/technology/service that is unique to Ontario.
The intake for OAFRI formally opens Wednesday, October 2, 2024, including a webpage with full initiative details, a Call for Proposals document, and information on how to apply. Keep an eye on your inbox for the intake announcement. A virtual Information Session for OAFRI will be held on Wednesday, October 16th, 2024, at 10am EST with an opportunity for Q&A with the program administrators. In the meantime, you can direct any questions to submissions@bioenterprise.ca.
Sustainable CAP is a five-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 per cent federally and 40 per cent provincially/territorially for programs that are designed and delivered by the provinces and territories.