Alberta Innovates — Tech2Farm

• Funding available of up to $500,000 per project.
• Alberta Innovates may contribute up to 50% of total eligible project costs; the remainder must come from private, government, or approved in-kind sources.
• Project expenses are only eligible if incurred after the funding approval letter is issued and the Investment Agreement is signed.
• Milestone-based payments; project funding is released upon achievement of agreed results and progress reporting.
• Exceptions to the 50% matching requirement or funding cap may be considered at Alberta Innovates' sole discretion based on project impact and strategic relevance.

• The applicant must be an Alberta-based small or medium-sized enterprise (SME) with significant physical and operational presence in Alberta, appropriate ownership, and incorporation or partnership registration in Alberta.
• The company must have fewer than 100 full-time employees and less than $25 million in annual gross revenue.
• The project must involve a collaboration with an industry leader and a separate smart farm, testing facility, or research partner, both operating at arm's length from the applicant.
• The project must focus on the commercialization demonstration of technology at TRL 8 or 9 addressing key agricultural challenges such as food insecurity, waste reduction, or resource efficiency.
• The applicant must demonstrate a clear competitive advantage or unique value proposition, operational scalability, financial strength, and market readiness.

Who is eligible?

• Alberta-based small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) in the agri-tech sector
• For-profit companies focused on agriculture and food innovation
• Companies with a significant physical and operational presence in Alberta

Who is not eligible

• Companies that are not incorporated or not registered as a General Partnership, Limited Partnership, or Limited Liability Partnership in Alberta.
• Businesses that are not in good financial standing with Alberta Innovates or its subsidiaries (e.g., those with past bad debt).
• Organizations that are not operating at arm’s length from required partners or collaborators.
• Companies or project participants prohibited from receiving Alberta Innovates funding.

Eligible expenses

• Salaries and benefits for individuals specifically working on the project.
• Reasonable material costs required for project execution.
• Capital improvements, capital equipment, and software or information databases (costs pro-rated to the project timeframe based on the asset’s expected economic life).
• Travel costs for project purposes, including mileage, low economy airfare, meals, and accommodation.
• Costs for services or products provided by sub-contractors.
• Other costs pre-approved in writing by Alberta Innovates as eligible for the project.

Eligible geographic areas

• Alberta

• Relevance and innovation opportunity of the proposed work for the target industry/end-user, including its advantage over existing solutions and alignment with Alberta Innovates and program priorities.
• Clarity and feasibility of the commercialization pathway, including plans for market readiness, end-user adoption, and risk mitigation strategies.
• Quality of the project overview, including clear objectives, deliverables, methodology, and measurable outcomes.
• Potential environmental, economic, and social impacts for Alberta and/or the markets being targeted, including benefits that extend beyond the applicant.
• Strength of the project team, including skills, commitment, access to facilities and resources, and partner participation.

• Cash contributions from applicants are strongly preferred and demonstrate market demand.
• Funding is tied to milestone completion, and applicants must report progress before receiving further payments.
• Alberta Innovates may monitor project outcomes for up to five years after project completion to assess benefits.
• Reliance on uncommitted funding may delay or complicate the contracting process.