Introduction
CAAIN is committing up to $9M CAD in funding to support collaborative activities that will bridge the gap between the development of new innovations in agriculture and their adoption in the commercial space.
CAAIN is seeking applications for research and innovation projects that:
- Advance the development, use, and value of automation and robotics in agri-food production and primary processing;
- Support the creation of data-based decision-making tools that can be applied to improve knowledge, reduce risk or optimize production; and/or
- Contribute to the implementation of a smart farm platform or smart farm networks to support technology adoption through fulsome integration of partners; creation of frameworks for validation, demonstration and scaling; and training of a technologically proficient agricultural workforce. (see Appendix 1 of the Program Guide for a description of Smart Farms and Smart Farm Networks)
Project Term
Project start dates are dependent upon the date of proposal approval by CAAIN. Contact CAAIN program managers for upcoming project start dates. Project expenditures must be completed by March 31, 2028, to ensure reimbursement of funds.
Eligibility
The following criteria are minimum requirements to be eligible to receive CAAIN funding:
- Project teams/networks must be comprised of organizations with operations in Canada. Teams/networks involving multiple stakeholders are encouraged. This may include academic/research institutions, not-for-profit organizations, for-profit entities (SMEs, MNEs), etc.
International collaborations are encouraged; however, CAAIN funding can only flow to Canadian entities. - Projects must include cash contributions from at least two small or medium enterprises (SME) incorporated in Canada. SMEs are defined by Statistics Canada as those with 499 or fewer employees and may be for-profit or not-for-profit entities.
- All project partners must be in good standing with CAAIN. This includes having no overdue reporting or monies owed to CAAIN.
- Proposal objectives must be consistent with those of CAAIN and of the ISED Strategic Response Fund (https://ised-isde.canada.ca/site/ised/en/programs-and-initiatives/strategic-response-fund#investment-priorities).
- The initiative must be incremental to the regular business of project team member organizations, meaning that:
- Financial commitments are distinct from investments that would otherwise occur
- The project is new or would not be undertaken at the same scope or scale without the support of CAAIN funding
- Project teams/networks commit to sharing widely the results of all technology assessments supported by CAAIN and uploading research and evaluation results onto a CAAIN-led or CAAIN-managed software platform.
- Project teams/networks commit to promoting the CAAIN brand in association with the smart farm or smart farm network.
- Former and current funding recipients of CAAIN are welcome to apply.
To access the Project Applicaton Form (PAF) and/or the Program Guide, you must be a member of CAAIN’s free online community. Register at https://network.caain.ca/.
To download the 2026 Open Competition Program Guide, click the following link: Program Guide
To download the 2026 Open Competition Project Application Form, click the following link: PAF
