The Food Innovation Challenge requires partners because collaboration is a core program objective, not just a preference.
CFIN is mandated to strengthen Canada’s food innovation ecosystem by fostering meaningful collaboration across the value chain. Requiring multiple, complementary partners ensures that:
Projects combine diverse expertise (e.g., industry, academia, technology providers, end users).
Solutions are market-relevant, scalable, and commercially viable.
Knowledge, intellectual property, and economic benefits are shared across the network.
Innovation capacity is strengthened beyond a single organization.
Collaborative research and open innovation models consistently produce stronger technical, commercial, and sector-wide outcomes. By requiring partnerships, the Food Innovation Challenge accelerates cross-sector integration, reduces silos, and increases the likelihood of successful commercialization and measurable industry impact.
In short, partnerships are required for application to the Food Innovation Challenge because the program is designed to catalyze network-driven innovation that advances Canada’s food system performance.