CFIN NextGen Food Innovators

Who is eligible?

The NextGen Food Innovators Program is specifically designed for students currently enrolled in full-time programs at Canadian accredited colleges or universities who aspire to become entrepreneurs, focusing on food processing, food service, or grocery retail innovations.

• Applicants must be individual students enrolled in a full-time diploma, advanced diploma, degree, graduate certificate, master's, or PhD program at a Canadian accredited college or university.
• Students must propose a project that is IP-driven and involves the pre-competitive development of technology into a new venture, focusing on food processing, food service, or grocery retail sectors.
• Applicants need a letter of endorsement or recommendation from their institution’s entrepreneurship office, or a professor or mentor.
• Eligible project costs should be between $5,000 to $10,000, with a maximum funding level from CFIN covering 100% of total eligible project costs, not exceeding $10,000.
• Projects must aim to further develop and validate novel intellectual property with a defined commercial application goal.
• Research and development must be conducted at Technology Readiness Levels (TRL) 1 to 7, with TRL 8 and 9 considered only as parts of projects including TRL 1 to 7 components.

Who is not eligible

This program restricts certain types of educational enrollments from applying for the grant, with a specific focus on the institutional status of the applicants. These restrictions are intended to ensure funds are allocated to targeted educational pathways and institutions.

• Students enrolled in private institutions.
• Applicants from junior colleges.
• Participants in CEGEP programs.

Eligible expenses

Eligible expenses for the grant include specific costs necessary to carry out the approved project activities.

• Service Providers: Costs for subcontractors or consultants for services related to the project.
• Direct Materials: Costs for materials explicitly used for the project activities.
• Equipment: Capital costs of equipment purchased for project activities.
• Other Direct Costs: Direct costs related to the project activities, not covered under other categories.

Eligible geographic areas

This program offers grants to students situated in specific Canadian regions. Each region has one award available to help form a new venture.

• Atlantic: Nova Scotia, Prince Edward Island, New Brunswick, Newfoundland & Labrador
• Quebec
• Ontario
• Prairies: Manitoba, Saskatchewan, Alberta, Northwest Territories, and Nunavut
• West: British Columbia, Yukon

Here are additional relevant details for this grant:

• The program will cover 100% of eligible project costs up to a maximum of $10,000.
• Applications will be reviewed based on a merit-based approach, and not all applications fulfilling basic requirements will be guaranteed approval.
• Successful applicants will be required to enter into a Master Project Agreement with CFIN within 30 business days from receipt of the agreement.
• Projects must maintain financial records for at least 7 years after completion for auditing and reporting purposes.
• Intellectual Property generated through the project should remain in Canada for a minimum of five years after the project ends, unless specific written approval is granted otherwise.