Call for innovation projects in agritechnologies
QC, Canada
The Agritechnology Innovation Call supports Quebec enterprises in developing cutting-edge agricultural technologies tailored to address current industry challenges.
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Grant and Funding
grant_single|eligibleIndustries
- Agriculture, forestry, fishing and hunting
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- Gouvernement du Québec
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The "Call for Innovation Projects in Agritechnologies" supports Quebec-based companies in developing innovative agricultural technologies to address current sector challenges. Eligible activities include the development or significant improvement of products or processes that offer a competitive advantage and involve technological or business uncertainties, with a strong potential for commercialization.
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Eligible projects or activities for this grant include the development of new products, processes, or significant improvements in existing products or processes in the field of agritechnology, as well as projects focused on developing technologies for automation, optimization, or robotization of agricultural activities.
- Development of new agritechnology products or processes
- Significant improvements of existing agritechnology products or processes
- Development of technologies for the automation of agricultural activities
- Development of technologies for the optimization of agricultural activities
- Development of technologies for the robotization of agricultural activities
- Projects aiming to improve productivity, competitiveness, and profitability of agricultural enterprises
- Projects targeting the reduction of agricultural labor dependency
- Projects aimed at improving resource use efficiency
- Projects to reduce the environmental impact of agricultural production
- Projects to reduce agricultural sector vulnerability to climate change
- Projects to enhance food autonomy or security in Quebec
- Projects to improve food quality, conservation, or safety
- Projects to increase the recycling or valorization of agricultural production residues
- Projects targeting the connectivity enhancement of agricultural systems
grant_single|admissibleProjectsExample
$300,000
Montreal
Development of an autonomous drone system for precision agriculture.
grant_single_labels|admissibility
To be eligible for the grant, businesses must meet specific criteria to support innovation in agritechnologies either individually or collaboratively, with a focus on impactful technological solutions.
- Businesses or groupings of businesses must be legally constituted under Quebec or Canadian laws and have an active establishment in Quebec.
- Social economy enterprises, such as cooperatives and non-profits, must be recognized as such before applying.
- Projects can be carried out by a single business, with or without collaborations from Quebec's public research centers, or a business grouping with potential partners outside Quebec.
- In collaborative projects with non-Quebec partners, intellectual property terms must be agreed upon to benefit Quebec-based partners.
- The project must aim at developing or significantly improving a product or process with a competitive edge and commercial potential.
- The project should introduce an innovative agritechnology contributing to improved productivity, reduced labor dependence, efficient resource use, environmental impact reduction, climate change resilience, food autonomy, food quality and safety, residue valorization, or agricultural connectivity.
- Projects must conclude by December 31, 2026.
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This grant is available for companies legally constituted under the laws of the government of Quebec or Canada and operating in Quebec. Eligible entities include private enterprises and social economy enterprises, such as cooperatives and non-profit organizations (NPOs).
- Private enterprises and company groups from all sectors legally constituted under Quebec or Canadian law with an active establishment in Quebec
- Social economy enterprises, including cooperatives and non-profit organizations (NPOs)
grant_eligibility_criteria|eligible_expenses
Eligible expenses for this grant include costs related to the development of innovative agricultural technologies. These expenses must align with the project's scope and objectives.
- Research and development efforts
- Prototyping costs
- Expenses for demonstration in real operational situations
- Technological showcase expenses
- Collaborative project costs involving multiple partners
- Document and report preparation
- Technology deployment and commercialization costs
grant_eligibility_criteria|zone
This grant is eligible for enterprises legally constituted under the laws of Quebec or Canada and with an establishment in active operation in Quebec.
- Quebec
- Canada
grant_single_labels|criteria
The evaluation and selection criteria for the grant are designed to ensure that the projects are innovative, commercially viable, and beneficial to the Quebec agritechnology ecosystem. Below are the detailed criteria that will be used to evaluate and select the projects.
- Level of innovation: The project must offer a significant advantage over existing market solutions.
- Technological or business risk: The project must involve a certain level of risk or uncertainty.
- Research and Development efforts: The project must require or have required substantial R&D efforts.
- Commercial potential: The product or process developed must demonstrate strong commercial potential or deployment capability.
- Contribution to agritechnology: The project must target an agritechnology that has the potential to improve productivity, competitiveness, or reduce environmental impact among other specific objectives.
grant_single_labels|register
- Step 1: Download the Application Form
- Save the form onto your computer before filling it using Adobe Reader (version 10 or higher).
- Do not fill the form in a web browser. Do not modify the PDF document.
- Step 2: Read the Application Guide
- Review the Guide de présentation des demandes (PDF 1.06 Mo).
- Step 3: Fill out the Application Form
- Complete and sign the financial aid application form (PDF 1.72 Mo).
- Prepare the required documents as per the guide.
- Step 4: Submit the Application
- Send the completed application form and all required documents in a single submission.
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The grant aims to support Québec-based businesses in developing innovative agritechnologies addressing contemporary agricultural challenges.
- Eligible projects must finish by December 31, 2026.
- Applicants should not fill the funding form directly in a web browser, but instead use Adobe Reader (version 10 or higher).
- Submission deadline for applications is October 29, 2024, by 11:59 PM.
- A mandatory web seminar will be held on October 3, 2024, from 11 AM to 12 PM.
- Selected projects must adhere to specific conditions outlined by the evaluation committee by February 1, 2025.
- Projects must start within six months of signing the funding agreement.
- Reports on project progress and final outcomes are required.
- For social economy businesses, the aid rate can be increased to 80% of eligible expenses.
grant_single_labels|contact
innovation.agtech@economie.gouv.qc.ca
Apply to this program
Summary
The Quebec Government is offering financial assistance for innovative agritechnology projects to support the development, commercialization, and implementation of cutting-edge agricultural technologies. The initiative aims to enhance productivity, competitiveness, and environmental sustainability in the agricultural sector.
Comprehensive Guide to Quebec's Agritechnology Innovation Grant
In a bid to foster innovation in the agricultural sector, the Quebec Government has launched a funding program specifically targeted at agritechnologies. This grant is designed to bolster the development of new and advanced technologies that address current challenges faced by the agricultural sector, thereby supporting the sustainability and competitiveness of Quebec's agricultural businesses. This detailed guide will explain the specifics of the grant, including objectives, eligibility criteria, project requirements, financial assistance details, and application procedures.
Objectives
The Quebec Agritechnology Innovation Grant aims to achieve several key objectives:
- Support Development Stages: Provide financial backing to Quebecois businesses at different stages of developing innovative agritechnology products, services, or processes.
- Accelerate Innovation: Fast-track the creation of groundbreaking products or processes that address the contemporary challenges of agricultural businesses.
- Enhance Industrial Ecosystem: Strengthen the agritech industrial ecosystem in Quebec and seize market opportunities both within and outside the province.
Eligibility Criteria
To be eligible for this grant, applicants must meet specific criteria. The eligible entities include:
- Quebec or Canada legally incorporated businesses or business groups with an active establishment in Quebec.
- Social economy enterprises (such as cooperatives and non-profit organizations) meeting Quebec's legal requirements for social economy enterprises.
Eligible projects can be undertaken by:
- A single company.
- A single company collaborating with one or more Quebec public research centers (collaborative project).
- A group of companies, which may include organizations outside Quebec, provided they involve at least one eligible Quebec company and bring significant benefits to Quebec.
Non-Quebec partners must contribute to the project and invest in it, but financial assistance will be provided only to companies with active establishments in Quebec.
Intellectual Property
For collaborative projects, intellectual property (IP) generated from the project must be clearly distributed among all partners. If the project involves non-Quebec partners, a signed agreement must ensure that Quebec partners retain full or partial IP rights and benefit significantly from project outcomes.
Eligible Projects
Projects must meet all the following criteria to be deemed eligible:
- Focus on developing a new product or process, or significantly improving an existing product or process.
- Demonstrate a necessary level of innovation with a substantial advantage over existing market solutions, providing a competitive edge on national or international scales.
- Involve technological or business risks or uncertainties for the company.
- Require research and development efforts.
- Show potential for commercialization or significant deployment.
Agritechnologies
The project must focus on developing an agritechnology, defined as a technological solution incorporating advanced components such as digital, robotic, automated, or biotechnological technologies to address agricultural production challenges. Furthermore, the technology should contribute to at least one of the following objectives:
- Enhancing productivity, competitiveness, and profitability in the agricultural sector.
- Reducing reliance on agricultural labor.
- Improving resource use efficiency.
- Mitigating the environmental impact of agricultural production.
- Reducing the sector's vulnerability to climate change.
- Increasing Quebec’s food security and autonomy.
- Improving food quality, conservation, and safety.
- Boosting the valorization or recycling of agricultural production residues.
- Strengthening the connectivity of agricultural systems.
This technology can target agricultural production or its related activities, including product handling, sorting, washing, or packaging.
Abattoir Technologies
Projects focusing on the development of technologies for automating, optimizing, or robotizing activities like slaughtering, evisceration, cutting, or deboning are also eligible under this program.
Funding Details
The grant offers financial assistance in the form of non-repayable contributions. The assistance varies based on the type of project:
Development and Prototyping Activities
- Single Company Projects: Max 30% aid of eligible expenses, up to a $1M limit; a maximum 50% cumulative government aid.
- Collaborative Projects: Max 50% aid of eligible expenses, up to a $1M limit; a maximum 75% cumulative government aid.
Real-World Demonstration or Technological Showcase
- Single Company Projects: Max 50% aid of eligible expenses, up to a $1.5M limit; a maximum 75% cumulative government aid.
- Collaborative Projects: Max 50% aid of eligible expenses, up to a $2M limit overall and $1.5M per company; a maximum 75% cumulative government aid.
For social economy businesses, the maximum aid rate and cumulative government aid rate increase to 80% of eligible expenses.
Application Process
Applicants must follow these steps to apply:
- Review the Application Guide.
- Complete and sign the financial aid application form, and prepare the required documents as indicated in the guide.
- Submit the application and all accompanying documents in a single transmission.
Applications must be emailed to innovation.agtech@economie.gouv.qc.ca by October 29, 2024, at 11:59 PM.
Project Approval and Obligations
Selected projects will have to meet conditions specified by the evaluation committee by February 1, 2025, and sign a financial aid agreement with Investissement Québec. Beneficiaries must fulfill the following obligations:
- Begin the project no later than six months after the letter of offer is signed.
- Use the financial aid strictly for the project's purposes.
- Provide progress reports on the project's advancement.
- Submit a final report on project completion and goal achievement.
- Supply Investissement Québec with necessary documents and maintain expenditure records related to the project.
Webinar Information Session
An online information session will be held in webinar format on Thursday, October 3, 2024, from 11 AM to 12 PM. It will provide an overview of the grant's general parameters and a chance for applicants to ask questions to the program administrators. Individuals interested in participating should sign up for the webinar.
Get Assistance
For any questions or support regarding the application process or project details, applicants can reach out via email to innovation.agtech@economie.gouv.qc.ca.
In summary, this grant represents a significant opportunity for Quebec-based companies and collaborative ventures to innovate within the agricultural sector, enhancing productivity, sustainability, and overall market competitiveness through cutting-edge agritechnologies.
