How much funding can be received?

Funds up to 2000000% of admissible expenses.

What is the deadline to apply?

The deadline to apply is not specified.

Who are the financial supporters of the Circular Economy Fund?

Circular Economy Fund is funded by Fondaction

What are Circular Economy Fund's eligibility criterias?

The startup must be located in Quebec. The business model must be based on products, services, or technologies rooted in the circular economy. The company must offer innovative solutions with strong potential for resource optimization or valorization, reducing residual materials and GHG emissions.

Circular Economy Fund

Last Update: April 18, 2025

QC, Canada

Canada's first investment fund for circular economy startups

Circular Economy Fund at a glance

Eligible Funding

From $250,000 to $2,000,000

Timeline

Continuous Intakes

Financing Type

Loans and Capital investments

Eligible Industries

Agriculture, forestry, fishing and hunting
Construction
Manufacturing
Administrative and support, waste management and remediation services

Grant Providers

Fondaction

Status

Open

Overview of the Circular Economy Fund program

The Circular Economy Fund is Canada's first investment fund dedicated to accelerating ecological transition by reducing waste and greenhouse gas emissions, with a maximum funding of $2,000,000. Eligible activities include innovation in agro-food systems, recycling and resource recovery, and eco-construction, focusing on startups in Quebec with circular economy business models.

Financing terms and conditions

Investment amounts range from $250,000 to $2,000,000 per project.
Funding is provided in the form of equity or quasi-equity investments.

Eligible projects & activities

Examples of admissible projects:

$ 450,000

Developing an urban agriculture initiative to reduce food miles and promote local food production

$ 1,000,000

Creating a local food hub for processing and distributing organic produce from urban farms

$ 600,000

Implementing a food waste transformation project to convert discarded vegetables into marketable products

Eligibility criteria of the Circular Economy Fund program

Eligibility for this grant is determined by specific requirements related to the applicant's profile and proposed activities.

The applicant must be a young enterprise in its startup phase.
The business model must be based on products, services, or technologies rooted in the circular economy.
The company must be located within Quebec.
The initiative must offer innovative solutions with strong potential for resource optimization or valorization, aimed at reducing residual materials and GHG emissions.
The company must operate in one of the targeted sectors: Agro-food, Recycling and revalorization of resources, or Ecoconstruction.

Who is eligible?

Start-up companies in the circular economy sector
Businesses in the agri-food industry, including urban agriculture, short supply chains, food processing, and by-product valorization
Companies involved in resource recycling and revalorization, including organic material recovery and new recycling technologies
Businesses engaged in ecoconstruction, such as those focused on construction waste management and eco-design

Who is not eligible

Eligible expenses

This grant supports projects that integrate circular economy principles to reduce waste and greenhouse gas emissions while promoting resource optimization and valorization. Eligible projects are primarily in sectors such as agri-food, recycling, resource revalorization, and eco-construction.

Agri-food projects focusing on urban agriculture, short supply chains, and the upcycling of downgraded foods and by-products.
Initiatives in recycling and resource valorization, particularly those addressing organic waste and new recycling technologies.
Eco-construction projects aimed at reducing construction waste and optimizing raw material use through ecodesign.

Eligible geographic areas

This grant supports companies located within the province of Quebec. Businesses from various sectors are encouraged to apply as long as they are within the specified region.

Companies located anywhere in Quebec.

Eligibility criteria of the Circular Economy Fund program

Oui, il existe des critères d'évaluation et de sélection pour cette subvention. Les entreprises doivent démontrer une solution innovante avec un fort potentiel d'optimisation de l'utilisation des ressources ou de leur valorisation.

Secteurs d'activités ciblés : agroalimentaire, recyclage et revalorisation des ressources, écoconstruction, et autres secteurs d'intérêt relevant de l'économie circulaire
Phase de démarrage
Modèle d’affaires ancré dans l'économie circulaire
Localisation : entreprise doit être située au Québec
Montant de l'investissement demandé : entre 250 000 $ à 2 000 000 $

How to apply to the Circular Economy Fund program

Initial contact

Contact the Fund to briefly present your company and its project.
Ask for details about the required documents and the application submission process.

Preparation of the file

Prepare a complete file detailing your business model and how it fits into the circular economy.
Include a description of your project, the innovative solutions proposed, and their potential impacts in terms of resource optimization.
Gather all necessary supporting documents, such as financial projections and environmental impact studies.

Submission of the request

Send your complete file using the method of transmission indicated during the initial contact (for example, by email or via an online portal).
Ensure that the application is submitted before any deadline that may be communicated.

Monitoring and evaluation

Wait for a response from the strategic committee after the evaluation of your request.
Be prepared to provide additional information if necessary during the evaluation process.

Additional information

Here are additional relevant details for this grant:

The fund emphasizes collaboration between young innovative companies and larger enterprises to enhance circularity solutions.
Investments are made in the form of equity or quasi-equity.

Apply to this program

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