Provincially-funded Alberta Innovates has launched a new funding program for the agri-food and bioindustrial sectors to help address global food security issues.
Named the Agri-Food and Bioindustrial Innovation Program (ABIP), Alberta Innovates will be doling out funding to eligible projects year-round, with no deadline to apply. The program is open to small and medium-sized enterprises, industry organizations, research and development organizations, post-secondary institutions, and government research laboratories.
Alberta Innovates is allocating $10 million over three years to ABIP, to support tech that increases productivity, enhances competitiveness, boosts the value of agriculture and forestry commodities, and lowers greenhouse gas emissions.
Applicants are not required to be based in Alberta, but must show a clear value proposition for the province. Projects that will be researched, piloted, demonstrated, and implemented in Alberta that are expected to implement a long-term impact across the province will be prioritized.
ABIP is expected to invest in innovative solutions that will be used by the agriculture and forestry sectors for deployment in Alberta. Managed by Alberta Innovates’ Agri-Food Innovation and Bioindustrial Materials Technology Portfolios, the program’s focus areas include agricultural biotechnology, food processing, and green construction.
“Developing and implementing technology to grow the agri-food and bioindustrial sectors is crucial for Alberta,” said John Zhou, chief cleantech office and vice president of clean resources at Alberta Innovates. “From genetic yield improvement to automation and biofibres, these technologies will be important steps toward addressing global food security and demand for sustainable materials.”
At Alberta Innovates, Zhou oversees program investments directed to agrifood, cleantech, energy, environment, and forestry. He was also the executive director, chief technical officer, and acting CEO of Alberta Innovates’ Energy and Environment Solutions division.
RELATED: Alberta Innovates invests cumulative $9.1 million to 15 projects focused on tech ecosystem growth
Founded over a century ago, Alberta Innovates is an economic development agency that provides technical expertise, partnership opportunities, and funding to research projects and companies.
Earlier this month, Alberta Innovates announced that it is providing a cumulative $9.1 million CAD investment to 15 projects dedicated to supporting Alberta’s tech sector growth. That financing was made through Alberta Innovates’ Ecosystem Development Pilot Program and announced at Alberta Innovates’ 2022 Inventures conference.
Alberta Innovates previously announced that it is also financing one pre-accelerator and three accelerators through its Scaleup and Growth Accelerator Program, which launched last year.
Featured image from Tim Mossholder via Unsplash.