Introducing Canada’s first regional food innovation with cellular agriculture competition
30 November 2021 – With a potential result of food innovations that will create billions in economic value for Canada and environmental benefit for the world, Canadian Food Innovation Network (CFIN) and Ontario Genomics today announced AcCELLerate-ON, Canada’s first regional cellular agriculture competition. Designed to spark food innovation, this $700,000 program will support the research and development of viable food production methods such as cell culture, precision fermentation, tissue engineering, scaffolding and hybridizing production capabilities.
“With this first regional cellular agriculture competition, CFIN and Ontario Genomics are challenging traditional production methods to find new innovative ways to bring food to the table, to the benefit of the environment and all Canadians.”
– The Honourable François-Philippe Champagne
Minister of Innovation, Science and Industry
The Opportunity of Food Innovation with Cellular Agriculture
In addition to proteins, enzymes, flavour molecules, vitamins, pigments and fats, that can be incorporated with existing products to create new value-added goods, cellular agriculture food innovation can create a wide variety of foods produced through precision fermentation (i.e., dairy, eggs, chocolate, honey, vanilla) as well as cultivated food products (i.e., red meat, poultry, seafood, pet food and others).
“Because of recent advances in food science and bioengineering, we’re at a point where cell-multiplier techniques may offer the world a viable avenue to reduce its environmental footprint while producing additional food to sustain growing global populations,” says Dana McCauley, Chief Experience Officer at CFIN. “Ontario Genomics’ national report on the opportunities for Canada in cellular agriculture food production is persuasive and identifies that if Canada acts quickly to find ways to use new and existing technologies to build capacity, it can become a global leader in this field.”
“This competition is an exciting boost to ensure innovative cellular agriculture technologies get closer to market in Ontario and the world,” says Dr. Bettina Hamelin, President and CEO at Ontario Genomics. “Canada has an up to $12.5 billion a year food innovation opportunity on the horizon. Making sure promising companies and academics receive the right support at the right time can catalyze Ontario’s leadership and support the creation of up to 142,000 jobs nationwide.”
Please see the AcCELLerate-ON page for the “Open Call for Applications,” important dates and contact information.
Competition details and key dates:
- Competition Guide available: November 30, 2021
- Online Info Session: December 14, 2021
- Applications accepted until February 28, 2022
- Project start date: May 1, 2022
- Project duration: 12 to 18 months
- Project funding from $150K to $200K
Please contact Laura Riley, Manager, Sector Innovation and Programs, Ontario Genomics at lriley@ontariogenomics.ca for more information.
