Proof-of-Concept Program

Amount

Varies

Deadline

Rolling

Odds

Not published

Effort

1–2 weeks to hear ba

Can you get this?

✓Canadian incorporated SME or start-up company

✓Novel bio-based product at TRL 4–9

✓Revenue potential of $10M–$15M annually

✓Must be a Natural Products Canada member

✕IT, software, AI, or mechanical solutions are not eligible

Your real odds

There is no public acceptance rate, but the multi-stage process ending in a Sub-Committee decision signals real selectivity.

The NPC team reviews your application first and gives you a chance to revise before it reaches the Commercialization Sub-Committee, so a weak draft can be strengthened, but the committee still weighs novelty, market opportunity, and management team quality against a genuine bar.

What it takes

Contact NPC for an eligibility assessment before applying1–2 weeks to hear back

Prepare and submit a full application covering novelty, market, business model, team, and project milestones2–6 weeks of preparation

Revise application based on NPC team feedback, then await Sub-Committee review and funding decisionSeveral weeks to months

Worth knowing

Funding arrives as quarterly reimbursements, which means you pay eligible costs upfront and claim them back with invoices and proof of payment, and you also need to budget for a non-refundable 5% project administration fee on top of total project costs.

Apply on funder's site →

What else do you qualify for?

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