A University of Guelph partnership is turning ideas into solutions that aim to secure the world's food supplies.
Canadian entrepreneurs in agriculture and food can now connect with U of G's expertise and innovation through a new partnership with the Creative Destruction Lab-Rockies (CDL-Rockies) AgriFood stream.
U of G's Ontario Agricultural College (OAC) has been named an affiliate site of CDL-Rockies, which helps seed-stage science and technology startups commercialize their ideas.
Through the program, participants can connect with an international network of experts, including OAC expertise, to develop, test and commercialize their innovations that advance sustainable and secure food systems. This could include solutions in precision and digital agriculture, biotechnology, food safety, animal health, environmental systems and more.
Dr. Rene Van Acker, U of G president and vice-chancellor, says the program is a powerful new connection point for entrepreneurs across Canada.
"By partnering with CDL, we're helping startups access the deep scientific expertise, business insight and innovation ecosystem in agrifood that define the University of Guelph," he says.
The CDL affiliate partnership adds to the strong agrifood entrepreneurial ecosystem already established at U of G, including the John F. Wood Centre, the Research Innovation Office and the Sustainable Food Systems for Canada (SF4C).
"OAC's capacity and expertise are recognized worldwide," says Dr. John Cranfield, dean of OAC at U of G. "By working with CDL, we're extending our impact by helping innovators turn bold ideas into real-world solutions that strengthen food systems everywhere."
CDL partnership amplifies agri-food innovation
Founded at the University of Toronto's Rotman School of Management and operating at 15 sites across North America, Europe and Australia, CDL is a non-profit organization with a mission to commercialize deep-science and technology innovations for the betterment of humankind. The AgriFood stream is operated out of CDL-Rockies, which is housed at the Haskayne School of Business at the University of Calgary
CDL takes no equity and charges no fees. Its objective-based mentorship programs bring together innovators and mentors to help founders scale and commercialize their ideas.
"Having University of Guelph join our affiliate university network extends the strength of CDL's global community and deepens our impact across sectors and geographies," says Sonia Sennik, CEO, Creative Destruction Lab. "By connecting world-class agrifood expertise with CDL's platform, we are strengthening the foundation for startups to scale."
"This partnership represents an exciting step for CDL-Rockies and for agrifood innovation in Canada," says Heather Marshall, Site Lead for CDL-Rockies. "The University of Guelph is one of Canada's top agrifood universities, and by extending our pan-Canadian reach through this partnership, we're able to connect startups to world-class expertise, strengthen regional agrifood ecosystems and accelerate the commercialization of technologies that will transform how we grow, process and sustain food."
Since 2017, CDL-Rockies alumni have raised more than $3 billion in capital, generated $8.7 billion in equity value and created more than 2,600 jobs. CDL AgriFood alone has supported over 100 ventures.
Future of food driven by technology and innovation
Technology and innovation are transforming how food is produced, processed and distributed. From artificial intelligence and biotechnology to automation and data-driven decision-making, new opportunities exist for entrepreneurs to build more sustainable, efficient and resilient systems.
By connecting founders with the agrifood expertise in OAC, U of G and CDL will help accelerate the development and adoption of these technologies that define the next generation of agrifood innovation.
"The partnership between CDL and U of G allows both parties to adapt and scale according to the needs and trends of the market," says Cranfield.
"It reinforces our position as Canada's leader in agrifood innovation and strengthens the tech and entrepreneurship corridor spanning Guelph, Waterloo and Toronto."
For more information, visit the CDL website.
About University of Guelph Ontario Agriculture College
The University of Guelph is one of Canada's top comprehensive and research-intensive universities. U of G's Ontario Agricultural College was established in 1874 and is globally recognized for its research and teaching strengths in agriculture, food, animals, plant science, rural communities and the environment.
About CDL-Rockies
CDL-Rockies, housed at the Haskayne School of Business, University of Calgary, is at the heart of Calgary one of Canada's fastest-growing and most innovative cities, and specializes in Prime, Energy, AgriFood, and Cancer streams. Creative Destruction Lab is a nonprofit organization that delivers an objectives-based program for massively scalable, seed-stage, science- and technology-based companies. Founded by Professor Ajay Agrawal in 2012 at the University of Toronto's Rotman School of Management, the program has expanded and now has 15 sites across nine countries: Toronto, Vancouver, Calgary, Montreal, Halifax, Paris, Madison, Seattle, Estonia, Berlin, Melbourne, College Station, Milan, London, and San Sebastian. Learn more at creativedestructionlab.com.
