The Homegrown Innovation Challenge is funded and delivered by the Weston Family Foundation and will identify teams and support the development of tools and technologies that enable Canadian farmers and producers to sustainably and competitively grow berries out of season. By solving the interconnected challenges that currently prevent out-of-season production of berries at scale, the Homegrown Innovation Challenge will catalyze a range of solutions relevant to a broad array of fruit and vegetable crops in Canada and around the world.

The program will be delivered in three phases:

• Spark Phase (deadline was in May 2022)
• Shepherd Phase - will provide 10 innovation teams up to $1M to build out a small proof of concept. Note that applying to the Spark Phase is not a prerequisite to apply for the Shepherd Phase. 
  • Deadline: December 20th, 2022
• Scaling Phase - the top 4 innovation teams selected from the Shepherd Phase will be awarded up to $5 million each across three years to build and demonstrate their system at farm scale in Canada
  • Deadline: September, 2024

Applications must be received in the Office of Research and Innovation a minimum of 5 business days in advance of the application deadline. Applications must be submitted to the Office of Research and Innovation via ROMEO. Please allow enough time for Chair and Dean approval.