Unpuzzling: Foodtech Ontario

Unpuzzling: Foodtech Ontario 

Unpuzzling: Foodtech Ontario is a 12-week mentorship and peer cohort program designed to support early-stage foodtech entrepreneurs as they prepare to scale and commercialize their innovations.  

This is a non-competitive, collaborative experience. We want to connect participants with sector experts, strategic partners, and a community of peers—creating an environment focused on learning, connection, and growth to accelerate your foodtech innovation to market. 

Who Can Participate 

Unpuzzling: Foodtech Ontario is open to southern Ontario startups and early-stage companies developing innovative food technologies, products, or services for use beyond the farmgate—serving industries such as food processing, distribution, retail, and foodservice. 

Participants must: 

  • Be an incorporated Canadian business 

  • Operate in the post-farmgate food innovation space 

  • Be committed to mentorship, market development, and collaboration 

We especially encourage applications from innovators working in the following priority areas: 

  • Food manufacturing technology 

  • Food waste & circularity 

  • Digital supply chain 

  • Food safety & traceability 

  • Kitchen & restaurant technology 

  • NextGen ingredients & food 

  • Food packaging 

  • Consumer apps & services 

  • Cleantech 

What You’ll Gain 

  • A place in a peer cohort of up to 12 high-potential ventures, fostering shared learning, collaboration, and networking 

  • Access to 12 weeks of live, expert-led sessions covering essential commercialization topics 

  • Mentorship and advisory support from sector leaders and innovation experts 

  • Opportunities to connect with potential investors, pilot partners, and early customers 

  • A private digital community and resource hub on CFIN’s YODL platform 

  • Visibility through CFIN’s innovation scouting and industry matchmaking efforts 

Curriculum Overview 

The program curriculum is tailored to address the practical challenges of bringing foodtech innovations to market. Topics include: 

  • Assessing your current state and building a market entry/expansion plan 

  • Defining your value proposition – why the food sector should care 

  • Understanding the investment landscape – from private capital to grants and non-traditional financing 

  • Mastering financial literacy – interpreting P&L statements, mapping your burn rate, financial modeling and more 

  • Perfecting your pitch – with guidance for presenting to investors, banks, and funding partners 

  • Building strong collaborations – executing pilots and demonstrations with industry players 

  • Creating an IP strategy – evaluating your assets and understanding their strategic value 

  • Navigating food safety regulations – understanding how they impact commercialization pathways 

  • Exploring food sector trends – across restaurants, processing, distribution, and retail 

Program Format 

  • Duration: 12 weeks 

  • Format: Virtual, with potential for select in-person opportunities 

  • Schedule: Weekly 90-minute sessions 

  • Wednesdays (12:00–1:30 PM) or Fridays (9:30–11:00 AM) 

  • Cohort size: Up to 12 companies 

  • Cost: $750 per company (includes access for up to two (2) team members) 

Key Dates 

Cohort #1: (CLOSED) 

  • Applications open: July 2, 2025  

  • Applications close: August 5, 2025 

  • Participant notifications: August 19, 2025 

  • Program start: September 10, 2025 

  • Program end: December 5, 2025 (break during Thanksgiving week) 

Cohort #2: (OPEN) 

  • Applications open: September 29, 2025 

  • Applications close: November 13, 2025 

  • Participant notifications: December 1, 2025 

  • Program start: January 7, 2026 

  • Program end: March 31, 2026 

Cohort #3: 

  • Applications open: February 2, 2026 

  • Applications close: March 13, 2026 

  • Participant notifications: March 27, 2026 

  • Program start: April 15, 2026 

  • Program end: July 8, 2026 (break during Canada Day week) 

For program inquiries, please contact Sara Hipson, Program Manager.

 

FAQs

Info Session Recording

Apply Now

 

Unpuzzling: Foodtech Ontario is a collaborative initiative led by the Canadian Food Innovation Network (CFIN) and funded in part by the Government of Canada through the Federal Economic Development Agency for Southern Ontario (FedDev Ontario). It was created to turn early-stage food innovation into market-ready solutions.