Bioenterprise Canada Celebrates 5 Years of The Engine, the Nation’s Leading Food & Agri-Tech Alliance

Guelph, Ontario,  — Bioenterprise Canada is marking the fifth anniversary of Canada’s Food & Agri-Tech Engine (The Engine), a coast-to-coast alliance that unites like-minded innovators, partners, and investors to fast-track breakthrough agri-food solutions.

Launched in June 2020 with a mandate to connect, innovate, and grow, The Engine has quickly become a hub for national and global agri-tech innovation and commercialization with:

• 800 + members collaborating across every province
• $30 million + in funding for food-tech and agri-tech projects
• 325 + projects, companies, and initiatives supported in areas like precision and smart farming, alternative proteins, bio-inputs, clean tech, circular solutions and more

The Engine provides tailored, expert advisory and mentorship; connections to critical services; free and accessible resources through an online community-collaboration platform, and funding and support initiatives—from Alberta Yield to the Quebec AgTech Acceleration Program, and many others, including the recent Grow Ontario Accelerator Hub (GOAH). 

“In five short years, The Engine has become Canada’s leading agri-tech alliance. What started as a connector has grown into a catalyst—empowering innovation and creating opportunities for startups and scale-ups to thrive,” says Carla Berquó, Director of Canada’s Food & Agri-Tech Engine. “But we haven’t done this work alone. We could not have accomplished so much in such a short time without the support of the whole ecosystem. We’re grateful for our partners, sponsors, and funders—for their contributions of time, resources, and financial backing. It truly is an alliance, with everyone working together for a greater purpose.” 

Carla credits early, foundational partners who were critical to the creation of The Engine, including Invest Nova Scotia, Greenspring Bioinnovation Hub, Zone AgTech, EMILI, and the Canadian Federation of Agriculture(CFA). With the common goal of supporting agri-food innovators across Canada, The Engine champions all of its collaborative, knowledge & development, industry, and service provider partners as a driving force behind its success. 

Notable funders include:

• Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada (AAFC)
• Farm Credit Canada (FCC)
• Federal Economic Development Agency for Southern Ontario (FedDev Ontario)
• Federal Economic Development Agency for Northern Ontario (FedNor)
• Ontario Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Agribusiness (OMAFA)
• Prairies Economic Development Canada (PrairiesCan)

“The Engine was built on a bold vision: to unite Canada’s agri-tech sector and accelerate innovation from coast to coast. In just five years, we’ve seen that vision come to life with hundreds of companies supported, millions in funding unlocked, and a national network of collaborators and changemakers,” says Dave Smardon, President & CEO of Bioenterprise. “As we look to the future, our focus remains on expanding our reach, scaling impact, and positioning Canada as a global leader in sustainable food and agriculture innovation.” 

Bioenterprise will celebrate the milestone with a campaign kicking off in July, featuring special newsletter highlights, founder spotlights, partner success stories, and interactive social media under the hashtag #TheEngineTurns5. Stakeholders can follow the conversation or join The Engine community at bioenterprise.ca. Plans are also underway for a celebratory event (details to come).