AGTECH ACCELERATOR

Saskatchewan is home to vibrant startup culture and a robust ecosystem of world-leading agriculture and food companies. There is no better time than now, and no better place than Saskatchewan to lead the growth of agtech in Canada and beyond.

The AGTECH ACCELERATOR brings agriculture and technology together to accelerate the growth of Canadian agtech startups built to solve global problems. This venture capital-backed accelerator is built with founders and farmers as the foundation– we believe this is the recipe for success.

The What

3-month accelerator program with an opportunity for equity investment from Emmertech.

Cultivator powered by Conexus (Cultivator), Economic Development Regina (EDR), and Emmertech, have partnered to accelerate the cultivation of Canadian agtech through the launch of an AGTECH ACCELERATOR program. What makes the program unique is that it is venture-capital-backed. Companies selected to participate will have the opportunity to receive an equity investment at intake via Emmertech– a first for an accelerator in Saskatchewan and Canada.

Those selected to be a part of the AGTECH ACCELERATOR’s yearly cohort will benefit from a three-month virtual and in-person accelerator program that provides Canadian agtech startups with access to capital, programming, connections, and mentorship needed to help them scale.

The Who

AGTECH ACCELERATOR is open to pre-seed to series A Canadian startups with technology solutions focused in the following areas:

  • Big data and predictive analytics
  • Supply chain, traceability, and sustainability
  • Precision agriculture
  • Robotics and automation
  • Farm management
  • Sensing and Internet of Things
  • Software and Hardware
  • Animal Health

The Why

As a company in the AGTECH ACCELERATOR program, you will have unparalleled access to investors, industry, and farmers.

Our high-performance accelerator provides impactful programming, access to capital, and key industry connections. Through the partnership of Emmertech (capital), EDR (industry), and Cultivator (programming), we have the perfect recipe for cultivating Canada’s agtech sector!

As an AGTECH ACCELERATOR cohort company, you’ll have access to the following:

  • High-impact programming with exclusive access to services, perks, and discounts
  • Exposure to national and international investors and organizations
  • Access to expert mentors and advisors
  • Reoccurring connections with producers and farmers from across the nation
  • Access to high-profile corporate and industry leaders

As with many other industries, technology is driving global agriculture forward. The future relies on collaboration, innovation, and the ability to leverage our strengths and become leaders who drive a sustainable future here at home, across the country, and worldwide. Who better to lead the growth of agtech in Canada and beyond than Saskatchewan:

  • Home to more than 40% of Canada’s cultivated farmland – some of the most productive farmland in the world.
  • Strong ecosystem of world-leading agtech and food tech companies, renowned education and research institutions, world-class transportation and logistics infrastructure, and a strong business community.
  • Builder of agtech-focused venture capital fund, Emmertech.
  • Vibrant startup culture and community growing astronomically and setting new heights within the tech ecosystem.
  • Numerous local and government supports, helping founders launch, grow, and scale.
  • Saskatchewan has always been a leader in agriculture, and we’re driven to continue leading into the future.

The Where

A high-impact hybrid program with key in-person activations.

Our cohorts follow a hybrid program model with some in-person and virtual components. This includes two weeks of founders having the opportunity to be boots on the ground from the Cultivator HQ (annually in March and June) and leveraging key contacts and resources across the great province of Saskatchewan.

Cultivator has the advantage of operating in a hyper-connected mid-sized ecosystem like Saskatchewan with the added ability to deliver programming to founders across Canada.

The When

Cohort 3 Outline:

  • Kick-off week: March 11 – 14, 2024
  • Virtual programming: March – June 2024
  • Finale week + Demo Day: June 17 – 20, 2024

The AGTECH ACCELERATOR will host one cohort each year from March to June — to ensure optimal time for growth, investment, and recruitment. At the end of the programming, companies will pitch their company at Demo Day on Canada’s Farm Show Stage.

Cohort 3 - 2024

15 companies have been selected to participate in our third cohort of the AGTECH ACCELERATOR. Learn more about these innovative companies.

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Cohort 2 - 2023

16 companies were selected to participate in cohort 2 of the 2023 program. The companies extended globally across Canada, the United Kingdom, and Australia.

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Cohort 1 - 2022

16 companies participated in our inaugural cohort of the AGTECH ACCELERATOR. Learn more about the solutions these companies are creating for the future of agriculture.

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Million Acres Project

We are bringing producers and founders together by creating a network that represents a collective of one million acres around the world.

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Partners

Each of our AGTECH ACCELERATOR partners brings their unique assets that contribute to accelerating the innovation and commercialization of game-changing technologies on a global scale, and help us to build globally competitive leaders within the agtech space.

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Advisory Council

As a collective group, the AGTECH ACCELERATOR Advisory Council shares years of experience, different views in the industry, and extensive knowledge of the global business market.

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The latest news

April 21, 2023 Agtech, News

Vivid Machines, an AGTECH ACCELERATOR Cohort 2 company, closes $4.3M USD Seed Round

Vivid Machines Inc. announced the successful completion of an oversubscribed first close of its seed round funding of $4.3M USD. The company, founded by Jenny Lemieux, CEO, and Jonathan Binas, CTO, has developed advanced computer vision technology that gives fruit growers and others in the fruit supply chain accurate real-time crop data down to the plant level.

Read

March 30, 2023 Agtech, Event recaps, News

AGTECH ACCELERATOR Cohort 2 Kick-off Week

Our HQ hosted companies from across Canada, Australia, and the UK, and we made sure to give them a taste of the best that Saskatchewan has to offer... especially in that cold winter weather!

Read

March 1, 2023 Agtech, News

AGTECH ACCELERATOR cohort 2 is on the horizon

The AGTECH ACCELERATOR, founded by Cultivator powered by Conexus (Cultivator), Emmertech, and Economic Development Regina (EDR), is excited to announce the 16 companies selected to participate in cohort 2 of the program. Meet the companies and learn more here!

Read

December 2, 2022 Agtech, Event recaps, News

Agribition 2022: Not our first rodeo

On November 30, Cultivator powered by Conexus represented the Agtech Accelerator at the Grain Expo + Indigenous Ag Summit. We hosted two insightful panels with friends in the industry and colleagues from Conexus Credit Union. Saddle up and read our recap here!

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October 26, 2022 Agtech, News

AGTECH ACCELERATOR Cohort 1 yields incredible success

The AGTECH ACCELERATOR shared the results of its inaugural cohort, which saw unprecedented success, in the first half of 2022! The AGTECH ACCELERATOR brings together both agriculture and technology to accelerate the growth of Canadian agtech startups built to solve global problems. Read the metrics here.

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July 5, 2022 Agtech, Event recaps, News

Agtech Accelerator Cohort 1 Finale Week Recap

After 8 weeks of virtual programming, 20 founders, from our Agtech Accelerator, reconnected in Regina to conclude their formal programming with Cultivator. Take a look back at some of the events the Agtech Accelerator founders attended during their visit to Regina in June, 2022.

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May 30, 2022 Agtech, Founders, News

Cultivator hosts Lucent Bioscience $19 million announcement

Protein Industries Canada (PIC), AGT Food and Ingredients Inc. (“AGT Foods”), Lucent BioSciences (“Lucent”), NuWave Research, IN10T, and Aberhart Ag Solutions announce a collaborative project that includes the installation of a new manufacturing process for the production of Soileos in Rosetown, Saskatchewan. Find out more here!

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May 24, 2022 Agtech, News

Saskatchewan rallies behind the next wave of innovation in agriculture

Whether it's government, industry, mentors, or producers... when asked, Saskatchewan shows up without hesitation! Read how here.

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More News

Have questions or want to get involved in the AGTECH ACCELERATOR?

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