Grant
Provincial
Active
Agtech Commercialization Readiness (ACRE) Program
Innovation Saskatchewan
Maximum Funding
Up to $30,000
Applications accepted year-round; assessed after two deadlines a year, March ...
Difficulty
Moderate
Payment
Advance Payment
Trend
Stable
First-Timers
Friendly ✓
Co-Funding
50%
Agtech Commercialization Readiness (ACRE) Program provides up to $30,000. ACRE pays a Saskatchewan agtech startup up to $30,000 of non-repayable funding to pilot its technology with a Saskatchewan agricultural producer, input or equipment retailer, producer group or industry association. The program covers up to 50% of eligible costs. Applications accepted year-round; assessed after two deadlines a year, March 31 and October 31. The October 31, 2026 deadline has passed; the next is March 31.
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Eligibility & Details
What this program funds and who can apply
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Program Description
ACRE pays a Saskatchewan agtech startup up to $30,000 of non-repayable funding to pilot its technology with a Saskatchewan agricultural producer, input or equipment retailer, producer group or industry association. The grant must be matched 1:1 by that project partner, and the $30,000 is a lifetime ceiling shared with Innovation Saskatchewan's MIST program. Startups need a Saskatchewan base, fewer than 50 employees, under $2 million in annual recurring revenue and technology at Technology Readiness Level 6 or higher. Applications are accepted year-round and assessed twice a year, after the March 31 and October 31 deadlines.
Eligibility Requirements
- Based in Saskatchewan: a Saskatchewan head office address, registered to carry business in the province, and at least 50% of employees residing in the province (startups that do not meet the residency rules are encouraged to contact the program managers)
- Fewer than 50 employees, including full-time, part-time and contract workers
- Annual recurring revenue under $2 million in the latest year-end financial statements
- A novel technology with relevant applications in agriculture that is ready to implement or close to commercialization, at least Technology Readiness Level 6
- Reasonable capacity to work with an enterprise-level customer, such as a large agricultural producer, retailer or equipment dealer
- The pilot runs with an eligible project partner approved by Innovation Saskatchewan: Saskatchewan-based agricultural producers, agricultural input and equipment retailers, producer groups and industry associations
- ACRE and MIST funding combined cannot exceed $30,000 per startup, and an ACRE grant cannot supplement project funding from another Innovation Saskatchewan grant program such as SAIF
Provinces
Industries
Business Stage
Quick Assessment
Difficulty
Moderate
Competition
Moderate
First-Timer
Friendly
Funding Details
- Amount
- Up to $30,000Up to $30,000 per startup, as a lifetime maximum across all ACRE pilots, non-repayable. The cap is shared with the Made in Saskatchewan Technology (MIST) program: a startup can receive a combined maximum of $30,000 from the two. The ACRE grant must be matched 1:1 by the eligible project partner(s). Innovation Saskatchewan's examples: a $60,000 pilot with one partner providing $30,000 cash and ACRE $30,000; a $60,000 pilot with two partners providing $15,000 cash each and ACRE $30,000; and a $10,000 pilot with the partner providing $5,000 cash and ACRE $5,000. A partner may contribute non-monetary services such as specialized equipment, lab use or agricultural inputs, but these should not exceed 20% of its contribution: on a $20,000 pilot, a partner giving $8,000 cash and $2,000 in-kind is matched with $10,000.
- Type
- Grant
- Level
- Provincial
- Co-Funding
- Up to 50% of eligible costs
- Deadline
- Applications accepted year-round; assessed after two deadlines a year, March 31 and October 31. The October 31, 2026 deadline has passed; the next is March 31.
Program Scorecard
Competition, effort, and approval at a glance
Competition
Moderate
Deadline
Ongoing
Approval
Varies
Accessibility
3/5
Moderate — standard application process
Competition
3/5
Moderate competition — prepare a strong application
Difficulty
3/5
Moderate — standard requirements
Processing Time
Budget Trend
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How to Win
Insider tips, common pitfalls, and what successful applicants look like
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Insider TipStart with the partner, not the form.
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Rejection Pitfalls 7
- Head office outside Saskatchewan, not registered in the province, or fewer than half the employees living there
+6 more pitfalls
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Success Profile
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Evaluation Criteria
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All 7 pitfalls, the checklist and the reviewer notes are in the Playbook below. See what it includes ↓
What's in this Playbook
Everything you need to win ACRE
Not a marketing summary. The actual checklist, intel, and stack strategy reviewers look for.
- 7 rejection pitfalls reviewers flag — so you catch them first
- 6-document checklist with what each reviewer is actually checking
- Your Application Game Plan — the print-ready PDF the preview below describes
- 6-step application timeline with prep hours per step
- Insider tip from program officers on what separates winners
- 3-program stacking strategy to combine with compatible funding
- Success profile + evaluation criteria — exactly what reviewers score on
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Application Playbook
Step-by-step process, required documents, and expenses
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6 steps
6 docs
Application Steps
1
Read the program guide Confirm the Saskatchewan basis, fewer than 50 employees, annual recurring revenue under $2 million, TRL 6 or better, and how much of the shared ACRE and MIST cap you have left.
Required Documents 6
✓ Online application form, completed in a user account on Innovation Saskatchewan's application portal
✓ Latest year-end financial statements, which the annual recurring revenue test is read from
Eligible Expenses 5
Ineligible Expenses 7
Intake Periods
Deadline Notes
Ineligible Organizations
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The full guide for this program also covers:
- 5 more application steps
- 4 more required documents
- 5 eligible expenses
- 7 ineligible expenses
- Intake periods
- Deadline notes
- Ineligible organizations
Funding Stack Strategy
Compatible programs, clawback risk, and combined funding potential
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3 partners
Compatible Programs
Made In Saskatchewan Technology (MIST) Program
Saskatchewan Advantage Innovation Fund (SAIF)
Saskatchewan Agtech Growth Fund (AGF)
Combined Funding Potential
See your total funding potential
Clawback Risk
Low Risk
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How ACRE Compares
Side-by-side with similar programs
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| Program | Amount | Difficulty | Payment | Deadline |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Agtech Commercialization Readiness (A... | Up to $30,000 | Moderate | Advance Payment | Applications accepted... |
| Saskatchewan Advantage Innovation Fun... | Up to $450,000 | Moderate | Reimbursement | Open (twice-yearly... |
| Saskatchewan Agtech Growth Fund (AGF) | Up to $450,000 | Moderate | Reimbursement | Two... |
| Strategic Response Fund (formerly Str... | Minimum $10 million contribution | Hard | Mixed (Advance + Reimb.) | Ongoing — continuous... |
| CanExport SMEs | Up to $50,000 | Moderate | Mixed (Advance + Reimb.) | Between intakes — the... |
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Frequently Asked Questions
Quick answers to the questions founders most often ask about ACRE
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How much can one agtech startup get from ACRE?
Up to $30,000 over the life of the company, shared with the MIST program: a startup can receive a combined maximum of $30,000 from the two. Several pilots are allowed within that total.
Who can be the project partner for an ACRE pilot?
Saskatchewan-based agricultural producers, agricultural input and equipment retailers, producer groups and industry associations, subject to Innovation Saskatchewan's approval. The partner must match the grant 1:1.
Can the partner's contribution be in-kind instead of cash?
Partly. A partner can provide services such as specialized equipment, lab use or agricultural inputs, but these should not exceed 20% of its contribution to the pilot.
When is the next ACRE deadline?
Applications are accepted year-round and assessed after two deadlines a year, March 31 and October 31. The October 31, 2026 deadline has passed, so the next review follows March 31.
Do I need a partner before I apply to ACRE?
No, but no grant is issued until you have a signed contract or statement of work with an eligible partner. Innovation Saskatchewan offers pathfinding to startups without a partner.
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Full Playbook: ACRE
6 steps · 6 docs · reviewer insights