ACCESS TO TALENT PROGRAM

The Access to Talent Program helps Canadian SMEs or start-up companies hire an experienced individual to carry out a project to achieve key milestones that support the development of a natural product or technology

Natural Products Canada

Overview of the ACCESS TO TALENT PROGRAM program:

NPC defines natural products or technologies as biologically-based innovations that leverage or enhance the use of naturally-occurring molecules. NPC is looking for highly innovative products or technologies with proprietary intellectual property. The innovation must benefit people, animals and the planet, and may be applied to a range of industries, including: food production and value-added agriculture; bioproducts and sustainability; human nutrition, health and wellness; animal health and nutrition; and water and waste management. Technologies and solutions based on IT (software, hardware, AI, etc.) or mechanical solutions (drones, automation, etc.) that exclude a biological element fall outside of scope for the Programs.

Benefits of the ACCESS TO TALENT PROGRAM program:

Eligible project activities include but are not limited to:
An employee working directly on product or technology development
An employee conducting pre-commercial business development
An employee working on the regulatory strategy and/or collecting necessary data for regulatory submissions
An employee working on product or technology scale-up

Eligibility criteria of the ACCESS TO TALENT PROGRAM program:

Incorporated Canadian SME or start-up company with fewer than 10 employees.
Company has a novel natural product or technology that aligns with NPCs definitions of natural products or technologies (See examples of previously funded projects) and must also fit within the TRL 4-9 of the Government of Canadas established Technology Readiness Levels.
Potential to achieve $10MM to 15MM in annual revenue within a reasonable period for the market or sector.
Potential for significant economic, social, health and/or environmental benefits.
Technological advancement and benefits to the natural products ecosystem across Canada.
Technical feasibility of the project.
Potential for commercialization in Canada.
Potential spillover benefits to more than one sector.
Potential for improving the representation of women, visible minorities, and Indigenous peoples in the natural products ecosystem.
Member of Canadas Natural Product Innovation Cluster.