GUELPH, ON, JULY 23, 2025 — The Canadian Food Innovation Network (CFIN) is awarding $1,215,012 to 13 groundbreaking foodtech projects through its Innovation Booster Program. Industry partners will match these funds, resulting in a total investment of $2,430,028.
The Innovation Booster funding recipients are:
The funded projects span a wide cross-section of food innovation priorities as Canadian innovators increasingly translate emerging technologies and research into practical solutions for a changing food sector.
AI was a key theme of this funding round. Companies like Vancouver’s Stocky AI are building an AI-powered ordering and pricing platform that helps independent food retailers manage procurement more efficiently and stay competitive with larger chains. Ingredient innovation also featured prominently. In Quebec, PULR Technologies is pairing biopeptide chemistry with machine learning to predict food freshness in real time to develop a faster, more precise way to assess bacterial load and reduce food waste.
Read more about all 13 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. During this 12th round of Innovation Booster funding, CFIN received 66 applications from across the country. In total, 69 Canadian foodtech companies have received $5,583,149 from this program since 2021.
Across all programs, CFIN has awarded more than $19,809,523 (matched by $22,162, 363 in industry investment) to 102 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.
QUOTES
“These 13 innovative projects directly address key food industry challenges like volatile input costs, labour shortages, food waste, and rising demand for healthy, clean-label ingredients. CFIN is proud to support the creative and ambitious companies doing transformative work that will fuel productivity, drive economic growth, and contribute to a more resilient, sustainable, and competitive Canadian food economy.”
– Dana McCauley
CEO, Canadian Food Innovation Network
“The Government of Canada is focused on supporting the development of cutting-edge innovations to bolster an industry that is so important for our country. Through the CFIN Innovation Booster program, we are investing in future industry leaders that are the driving force behind new technologies, creating new jobs and ensuring Canadians have a more efficient, healthier and less wasteful food system to meet their needs.”
– The Honourable Melanie Joly
Minister of Industry and Minister responsible for Canada Economic Development for Quebec Regions
“Innovation is at the heart of a strong, successful, and competitive food processing sector. From developing cleaner ways to process plant proteins, to reducing food waste using artificial intelligence, these thirteen projects show that Canadian innovators are at the forefront of the industry, and helping the sector thrive.”
– The Honourable Heath MacDonald
Minister of Agriculture and Agri-Food
ABOUT THE PROGRAM
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 Innovation Fund.
ABOUT THE CANADIAN FOOD INNOVATION NETWORK
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 7,000 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 Innovation Fund and Canadian Agricultural Strategic Priorities Program.
SUPPORTING INFORMATION
Innovation Booster
CFIN Membership
CFIN Media Page
CFIN Media Kit
MEDIA CONTACT
Jamil A. Karim
Communications Director
Canadian Food Innovation Network
Jamil@cfin-rcia.ca
