Innovation Booster

Overview of the Innovation Booster program:

The Innovation Booster is a high-impact funding program managed by the Canadian Food Innovation Network (CFIN), designed to help Canadian food innovators accelerate the commercialization of new products, services, and technologies. It provides strategic support to food and beverage companies aiming to tackle technical hurdles, prototype ideas, and test market-readiness. This program enables small- and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) to carry out short-term (under 12 months), transformative R&D projects that align with CFIN’s key innovation priorities: Smart Product and Process Development Food Ecosystem Sustainability Agri-Food Traceability and Transparency Applicants must demonstrate a clear path to commercialization and show how the proposed project contributes to Canada’s food innovation goals. Projects may involve product formulation, equipment testing, ingredient sourcing, automation, supply chain traceability, and more. The funding covers up to 50% of total project costs, requiring applicants to secure the remainder through other sources (e.g., private capital, other grants, internal funds). Applicants must be CFIN members (membership is free) and have fewer than 500 employees. Collaboration with research institutions, accelerators, or other innovation partners is encouraged but not required. The program operates on a rolling intake, enabling applicants to apply year-round.

Benefits of the Innovation Booster program:

• Up to $250K in matching, non-repayable funds
• Encourages commercialization of new food innovations
• Supports R&D, pilot testing, formulation, and automation projects
• Promotes traceability and sustainability in food production
• Open to a wide range of project types including technology adoption, process improvement, packaging innovation, ingredient substitution, and supply chain enhancement
• Provides access to CFINs national network of collaborators, researchers, and solution providers
• Offers flexibility with no strict deadlines or cohort limits

Eligibility criteria of the Innovation Booster program:

• Eligible applicants must:
• Be a CFIN member (membership is free and open to Canadian-based organizations)
• Be a Canadian-registered business or not-for-profit organization
• Employ fewer than 500 full-time employees
• Operate in the food and beverage industry, with a focus on innovation
• Propose a project that aligns with one of the three key innovation areas:
• Smart Product and Process Development
• Food Ecosystem Sustainability
• Agri-Food Traceability and Transparency
• Match at least 50% of project costs with non-CFIN funds
• Demonstrate a clear commercialization or adoption pathway
• Submit a detailed project budget, workplan, and outcomes
• Have the capacity to complete the project within 12 months