Canada has an extensive range of research centres, food incubators, accelerators and labs supporting food and beverage innovation through the research they do and/or the services they offer. Each week throughout 2023, we’ll be highlighting an organization that’s supporting food innovation in Canada.
Mission: To help companies commercialize their research, and grow ag bio technology in Saskatchewan.
Focus: Ag-West Bio is a not-for-profit, membership-based company that supports businesses bringing research to market. It focuses on areas such as biological applications in nutrition and agriculture.
Services: The company works with early stage companies to become investment ready. It also offers a technology commercialization fund for start ups and established companies looking to expand. It also assists companies in relocating to Saskatchewan. Its programs include the AWB StartUP Program, a web-based tool to help entrepreneurs develop their business ideas; the Global Agri-Food Advancement Partnership, an accelerator and incubator supporting early-stage companies; and the ABIC Beyond Entrepreneurs training program developed and managed through the Agricultural BioScience Innovation Centre (ABIC) Foundation. In addition, Ag-West Bio offers commercialization seminars, networking events, conferences, and access to a range of online resources.
What you need to know: The company’s members include governments, public agencies, private companies, research institutions, commodity groups and more.
Notable News: One past initiative was the Bioscience Scorecard. Ag-West Bio established the scorecard as a benchmark to measure the size and scope of Saskatchewan’s ag-bioscience research and development efforts.