Closed
CFIN Innovation Booster
Funding to advance and commercialize food innovation
Last Update: March 4, 2026
Funding available
$ 20,000 - $ 100,000
Timeline
- Open Date : July 7, 2025
- Closing date : August 12, 2025
Location
Canada
Overview
Receive between $10,000 and $100,00 in funding to cover up to 50% of eligible project costs to address food innovation challenges or technical hurdles that have created a barrier for achieving your commercialization goals.
/100
Opportunity Score
Moderate potential, but conditions must align.
At a glance
Funding available
Financing goals
- Increase performance through digital transformation
- Develop a new product or service
- Optimize production processes
Eligible Funding
- Maximum amount : 100,000 $
- Minimum amount : 20,000 $
- Up to 50% of project cost
Timeline
- Open Date : July 7, 2025
- Closing date : August 12, 2025
Eligible candidates
Eligible Industries
- Accommodation and food services
Location
- Canada
Legal structures
- Non-profit
- Public or Parapublic institution
- For-profit business
Annual revenue
- $ 50,000,000 maximum revenue
Organisation size
- 499 employees maximum
Audience
- Canadians
- Startups
Non-profit candidates
Sector of operation
- Research
- Economic, Social and Community Development
Target groups
- Business owners / entrepreneurs
- Academia / students
Revenue structures
- All structures
Scope
- All dimensions
Next Steps
1
Determine your project
2
Validate your eligibility
Activities funded
- Smart Product and Process Development in the areas of health, nutrition & wellness benefits.
- Development of new robotics applications to increase productivity, food safety and worker safety.
- Innovation using AI, sensors, machine learning, and big data to improve efficiencies.
- Exploration of emerging science such as cultured protein.
- Food Ecosystem Sustainability initiatives, including food waste reduction and higher value recovery.
- Circularity and upcycling projects.
- Development of green and smart packaging solutions.
- Optimization for more efficient use of inputs including energy, water and carbon.
- Agile and Safe Supply Chain innovations, focusing on logistics and supply chain improvements.
- Enhancements in consumer and customer analytics.
- Projects ensuring food safety and security.
- Utilization of IoT and digital applications in food chains.
- Adoption of blockchain and traceability technologies.
Eligibility
Who is eligible?
- Small and medium sized enterprises (SMEs) incorporated in Canada with 499 or fewer employees and less than $50 million in gross revenues.
- Not-for-profit organizations that facilitate and fund research and development and primarily receive funding from private-sector organizations.
- Under special circumstances, Canadian researchers at post-secondary institutions in collaboration with an industry partner.
Who is not eligible
- Agriculture or primary production focused projects.
- Projects that primarily focus on agricultural activities and mainly benefit farmers.
- Applicants currently the lead applicant on an active CFIN project (where a Master Project Agreement is signed, activities are underway, and a final report has not been filed and accepted by CFIN).
- Other publicly funded not-for-profit organizations, federal Crown corporations, and government departments or agencies.
Eligible expenses
- Direct Labour: Salaries and wages for direct technical labour on approved project activities.
- Subcontractors and Consultants: Costs for external work or services directly tied to approved project activities.
- Direct Materials: Costs for materials specifically used in performing approved project activities.
- Equipment: Capital costs for equipment purchased for approved project activities, including costs to alter or modernize, get operational, and shipping.
- Other Direct Costs: Shipping costs and other directly related expenses to approved project activities.
Eligible geographic areas
- Projects taking place in Canada.
Additional information
- Total eligible project costs must be between $20,000 and $200,000, with CFIN providing up to 50% of the costs.
- Projects under this funding must focus on advancing from Technology Readiness Levels (TRL) 1 to 7.
- CFIN programs are reimbursement-based; costs must be incurred by the applicant prior to claiming.
- Project duration must not exceed 12 months.
- Applicants must register for a free CFIN membership to access the funding portal.
- CFIN encourages collaboration with independent service providers for project execution.
- Projects are expected to demonstrate alignment with CFIN's innovation priorities: Smart Product and Process Development, Food Ecosystem Sustainability, and Agile and Safe Supply Chains.
- Quarterly claims are required for the reimbursement process, which can take up to 16 weeks.
- Indirect costs are covered up to 55% of eligible direct labour costs but no more than 15% of the total eligible project costs.
Documents and links
Contacts
Frequently Asked Questions about the CFIN Innovation Booster Program
Here are answers to the most common questions about the CFIN Innovation Booster. This section explains what the program is, how much funding is available, eligibility requirements, application deadlines, and other important details to help you determine if this grant is right for your business.
What is the CFIN Innovation Booster?
Receive between $10,000 and $100,00 in funding to cover up to 50% of eligible project costs to address food innovation challenges or technical hurdles that have created a barrier for achieving your commercialization goals.
How much funding can be received?
CFIN Innovation Booster Funds up to 50% of admissible expenses, capped at $100,000 per project.
What is the deadline to apply?
The application deadline for this grant program was August 12, 2025.
Who is eligible for the CFIN Innovation Booster program?
To be eligible for the CFIN Innovation Booster program, you must:
Canadian incorporated SME with under 499 employees and less than $50M in annual sales.
Lead applicant cannot already be the lead on an active CFIN-funded project.
Must be a free registered CFIN member and demonstrate financial capacity (e.g., recent financial statements or equivalent).
What expenses are eligible under CFIN Innovation Booster?
Smart Product and Process Development in the areas of health, nutrition & wellness benefits.
Development of new robotics applications to increase productivity, food safety and worker safety.
Innovation using AI, sensors, machine learning, and big data to improve efficiencies.
Exploration of emerging science such as cultured protein.
Food Ecosystem Sustainability initiatives, including food waste reduction and higher value recovery.
Circularity and upcycling projects.
Development of green and smart packaging solutions.
Optimization for more efficient use of inputs including energy, water and carbon.
Agile and Safe Supply Chain innovations, focusing on logistics and supply chain improvements.
Enhancements in consumer and customer analytics.
Projects ensuring food safety and security.
Utilization of IoT and digital applications in food chains.
Adoption of blockchain and traceability technologies.
Who can I contact for more information about the CFIN Innovation Booster?
You can contact Canadian Food Innovation Network (CFIN) by email at innovation@cfin-rcia.ca.
Where is the CFIN Innovation Booster available?
The CFIN Innovation Booster program is available across Canada.