Regional Innovation Ecosystem


Note: Applicants are strongly encouraged to contact FedDev Ontario prior to submitting an application for funding through the website.

Applicant toolkit

Rural innovation and growth

FedDev Ontario is dedicating $100 million, from its three funding streams, for projects in rural southern Ontario.

Driving innovation and growth:

  • To continue driving innovation and growth in the region, FedDev Ontario has been provided over $1 billion in new funding.

FedDev Ontario is looking for:

  • Not-for-profit organizations who contribute to fueling an entrepreneurial environment conducive to business innovation and growth.
  • Regional economic stakeholders who promote the entrepreneurial talent of underrepresented groups, including women, Indigenous peoples and young entrepreneurs.
  • Ways to strengthen opportunities and networks for rural businesses to support innovation and growth.

Applications can be submitted for:

  • Non-repayable contributions from $500,000 up to $10 million per project.

Funding is available to:

  • Grow and sustain strategic clusters and consortia that support businesses to scale up and commercialize innovative products, technologies and services.
  • Enhance the development and reach of business incubators, accelerators, and other organizations, which support entrepreneurs, start-ups and innovative companies with high-growth potential.
  • Support projects led by innovation-oriented organizations to increase and promote business productivity and global competitiveness, and investment and talent attraction.
  • Leverage local advantages, institutions and infrastructure in rural areas.

Examples of projects include:

  • Encouraging the first customer for new technologies, products or services.
  • Delivering seed funding, mentoring, networking opportunities and other programs and services to enable the commercialization of new technologies by southern Ontario firms.

Next steps:

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