Call for innovation projects in agritechnologies
Last Update: March 15, 2025
QC, Canada
Supports innovative agritechnology projects in Quebec businesses
Call for innovation projects in agritechnologies at a glance
Eligible Funding
- Max. $2,000,000
- Up to 30% of project cost
Timeline
- Open Date : September 25, 2024
- Closing date : October 29, 2024
Financing Type
Grant and Funding
Eligible Industries
- Agriculture, forestry, fishing and hunting
Grant Providers
- Gouvernement du Québec
- Investissement Québec (IQ)
Status
Closed
Overview of the Call for innovation projects in agritechnologies program
The grant aims to support Quebec-based companies in developing innovative agricultural technologies by providing non-repayable financial contributions, with a maximum funding of up to $2 million per collaborative project. Eligible activities include product development, prototyping, and real-world demonstration or technological showcasing.
Financing terms and conditions
This grant provides financial support for innovation projects in agritechnologies, facilitating their development through substantial non-repayable contributions. It caters to both single enterprises and collaborative projects ensuring diverse funding assistance according to specific project needs.
- For development and prototyping by a single enterprise, up to 30% of eligible expenses are covered, with a maximum contribution of $1 million per project.
- Collaborative projects can receive funding for up to 50% of eligible expenses, also capped at $1 million per project.
- Demonstration projects carried out by a single enterprise are eligible for up to 50% funding of eligible expenses, with a maximum of $1.5 million per project.
- Collaborative demonstration projects may receive up to 50% coverage of eligible expenses, with funding limits of $2 million per project and $1.5 million per individual enterprise.
- For enterprises identified as social economy organizations, the maximum funding and total governmental aid can go up to 80% of eligible expenses.
- The total government funding received must not exceed 50% of the eligible expenses for single projects and 75% for collaborative ones.
Eligible projects & activities
This grant supports innovative initiatives in the field of agritechnologies, aiming to enhance agricultural productivity and sustainability. Eligible projects focus on developing new technologies or improving existing ones to address current challenges in the agricultural sector.
- Development of new agricultural products or processes, or significant improvement of existing ones.
- Projects that present a unique advantage over existing solutions and provide a competitive edge in the market.
- Initiatives that involve technological or business risks and require research and development efforts.
- Projects demonstrating commercial potential or strong deployment prospects.
- Efforts in agritechnology integrating components from advanced technologies like digital tech, robotics, automation, or biotechnology.
- Technologies aiming to increase agricultural productivity, reduce labor dependency, enhance resource efficiency, and lower environmental impact.
- Projects focused on automation, optimization, or robotization of slaughtering-related activities.
Examples of admissible projects:
$ 300,000
Development of an autonomous drone system for precision agriculture
Eligibility criteria of the Call for innovation projects in agritechnologies program
To be eligible for this grant, applicants must meet specific criteria related to their business structure and operational presence.
- Applicants must be enterprises or groups of enterprises legally incorporated under the laws of the Government of Québec or Canada and have an active establishment in Québec.
- Social economy enterprises, such as cooperatives and non-profit organizations (NPOs), must be recognized as a social economy business before submitting their funding application.
- Projects can be undertaken by a single enterprise, a single enterprise with one or more public research centers in Quebec (collaborative project), or a group of enterprises with or without public research centers in Quebec (collaborative project).
- Partnerships may include enterprises or organizations from outside Quebec, but must include at least one eligible Québec enterprise and generate significant benefits for Québec.
- For collaborative projects with non-Québec partners, an agreement must be in place to ensure that the intellectual property benefits particularly or entirely return to Québec partners.
Who is eligible?
- Businesses or groups of businesses from any sector legally constituted under the laws of the Government of Quebec or Canada and operating an establishment in Quebec.
- Social economy enterprises, such as cooperatives and non-profit organizations (NPOs), recognized under the Social Economy Act.
- A project can be carried out by a single company, a single company with collaboration from one or more Quebec public research centers, or a consortium of companies with or without collaboration from Quebec public research centers.
- The consortium of companies may include one or more organizations outside Quebec, provided it includes at least one eligible Quebec enterprise and results in significant benefits for Quebec.
Who is not eligible
This grant program focuses on supporting innovation in agritechnologies and does not specify any direct exclusions based on industry or company status. Certain eligibility criteria are highlighted in the terms.
Eligible expenses
The eligible activities for this grant focus on the development of innovative agritechnologies and technological solutions that address current agricultural challenges. Projects must demonstrate advancement and improvement in agricultural processes or technologies.
- Development of new agricultural products or processes.
- Significant enhancement of existing agricultural products or processes.
- Development of technologies aimed at agricultural automation, optimization, or robotics, specifically in slaughtering and processing activities.
Eligible geographic areas
This grant is available to companies located in specific areas as determined by the grant's eligibility criteria. Eligible locations primarily include regions where companies have a business establishment actively operating.
- Businesses with an operational establishment in Quebec.
Eligibility criteria of the Call for innovation projects in agritechnologies program
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.
How to apply to the Call for innovation projects in agritechnologies program
1
Preparation of the form
- Save the financial aid application form to your computer.
- Fill out the form using Adobe Reader.
- Do not modify the PDF document after downloading.
2
Revision of the guide
Become familiar with the Application Submission Guide.
3
Assembly of documents
- Prepare all required documents according to the guide.
- Sign the financial aid application form.
4
Transmission of the request
- Send the completed funding application and all required documents in a single submission.
- Direct the submission to innovation.agtech@economie.gouv.qc.ca.
- Make sure to submit your application before October 29, 2024, at 11:59 PM.
Additional information
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.
Contact Gouvernement du Québec
innovation.agtech@economie.gouv.qc.ca
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