GUELPH, ON, August 10, 2026 — The Canadian Food Innovation Network (CFIN) is awarding $746,627 to eight foodtech projects through its Innovation Booster Program. Industry partners will match these funds, resulting in a total investment of $968,627.
This round emphasizes applied AI solutions on the plant floor and across the food supply chain. Jitto, mode40, FabriSight, Tracktile, and Soralink are each tackling a different operational pain point using AI tools designed for the realities of food processing and distribution.
Other funding recipients are advancing the physical side of food processing. Bliq Photonique is bringing real-time optical sensing to chocolate production lines, CBS Bio Platforms is turning canola meal into food-grade protein using a new enzyme-based process, and Kitchen Hub rounds out the cohort with a multi-vendor operating system built for shared foodservice environments.
Read more about all eight funded projects here.
CFIN’s Innovation Booster provides funding and support to SMEs to help them accelerate product development, overcome innovation hurdles, and validate market fit. In total, 85 Canadian foodtech companies have received $7,000,035 from this program since 2021.
Nationally, CFIN has awarded more than $24,455,813 (matched by $27,491,979 in industry investment) to 145 Canadian foodtech projects that derisk new technologies that will make the food sector more competitive. CFIN-funded companies have generated $90 million in economic impact and created over 355 jobs and co-op placements. Our funding recipients have attracted more than $82 million in follow-on investment.
“Canadian food businesses are operating in one of the most demanding moments our sector has faced in decades. The companies in this cohort are building the kinds of tools that the industry needs to implement to become more productive, resilient, and self-reliant. CFIN is proud to back innovation that strengthens Canada's food sector from the inside out.”
CEO, Canadian Food Innovation Network
“The strength and resilience of Canada’s food sector rely on our ability to innovate and adapt to new challenges. By supporting homegrown foodtech companies through the Innovation Booster program, we are helping Canadian businesses drive productivity, create high-quality jobs, and ensure a more secure and sustainable food supply for all Canadians. Congratulations to this impressive cohort for leading the way in food innovation.”
– The Honourable Melanie Joly
Minister of Industry and Minister responsible for Canada Economic Development for Quebec Regions
“Canada’s food innovators are developing cutting-edge technologies to strengthen our food processing capacity. To help build a future with More Canada, these nine projects will improve efficiency, allowing us to process more of what we grow, reduce our dependence on other countries, and drive economic growth across Canada.”
– The Honourable Heath MacDonald
Minister of Agriculture and Agri-Food
“Innovation is key to Canada's food future, and the latest cohort of CFIN-supported projects is helping food processors work smarter, improve efficiency, and process more food here at home. By building our domestic processing capacity and reducing reliance on imports, we are creating a stronger food system that works for all Canadians.”
Member of Parliament for Guelph
The Innovation Booster provides flexible and rapid support to Small or Medium Enterprises (SMEs) as they address food innovation challenges or technical hurdles that have created barriers to achieving their commercialization goals.
The Innovation Booster is administered by CFIN, which is supported by the Government of Canada’s Strategic Response Fund.
The Canadian Food Innovation Network (CFIN) is a national organization that’s stimulating transformative and transferrable innovation within the Canadian food sector. To date, CFIN-funded projects have resulted in the creation over 355 jobs and co-op placements and enabled the development of 135 new intellectual property assets across the Canadian food innovation ecosystem.
With 9,000 members and counting, CFIN has built the fastest growing and most engaged food business community in the country and their members come from across the globe, representing all parts of the food value chain. CFIN’s free membership includes access to exclusive funding programs, five Regional Innovation Directors, and YODL.
CFIN was established in 2021 and is supported by Government of Canada’s Strategic Response Fund and Canadian Agricultural Strategic Priorities Program.
Canadian Food Innovation Network