Food Investment Program

The Food & Beverage Investment Program is an initiative funded by the National Research Council's IRAP through their CTO program. The program aims to support founders in the Food CPG, AgTech and FoodTech space fundraise as they navigate key stages in their startup journey with the aim of becoming investment ready.

The Investment Program is a 6-month program designed to support scaling CPG and Tech ventures in the food and beverage sector brands in the food and beverage space to be ready to secure funding.

What to expect

The Food and Beverage Investment Program is a six-month program focused on supporting high-growth Food CPG, AgTech, and FoodTech ventures in scaling up their operations and become investment ready.

It is key that the founding team stays committed to the program to get the most out of it. We believe that at the core of all successful ventures are its founders. As such, our program is designed to develop and strengthen your knowledge of growth foundations and fundraising strategies through educational workshops and focused sprints. Founders will also be able to engage with experienced mentors, program advisors, and industry experts to strategize and execute their growth goals.

2024 Cohort

Community

Get access to our incubation program that supports entrepreneurs throughout the funding process, so you can have guidance as you manage your business journey.

Leadership development

Use our mentorship and guidance opportunities with industry professionals to develop your entrepreneurial spirit and assets.

Growth frameworks

Create frameworks that utilize strategies that are tailored to your business’s needs, while ensuring that exponential growth continues to occur.

Milestone driven

Get access to educational workshops that prepare you for every stage of your business journey, so you can continue to achieve your goals without the pressure of the future.

Timeline

Applications open

July 14, 2025

Applications closed

August 5, 2025

Selection

September 2025

Program kick off day

October 1, 2025

Showcase celebration

March 2026

Application process

Step: One

Complete the application form to apply for the program.

Applications for the 2025 cohort are now open. Apply today!

If you have any questions about the application process, email us at yspace@yorku.ca

Apply Now

Step: Two

If shortlisted, applicants will be contacted by the YSpace team for an interview. The selected companies will be asked to complete an onboarding form and provide a pitch deck that will allow the programming team to better understand the business idea.

Step: Three

Accepted companies will gain access to resources and support for development. Program participants will have access to curated programming and a variety of tailored resources which include a network of industry experts, startup perks, as well as peer founder circles to continue developing their venture.

Program eligibility

Full-time founder(s) who can commit to 6-months YSpace programming
CPG Ventures active for over a year with Monthly Recurring Revenue of $45,000 monthly or an Annual Recurring Revenue of $500,000+
AgTech & FoodTech Ventures pre- or post-revenue with evidence of a strong growth trajectory (will be assessed on a case-by-case basis)
Must be for profit, incorporated in Ontario or majority Canadian owners, with 500 or less employee
You are looking to create foundational funding insights
You are looking to understand the funding process by Angels & VCs (reading a term sheet, funding vehicles, etc)
Focus on scaling and raising capital to achieve high impact
Driven, coachable, growth-oriented and collaborative leader(s)

Frequently asked

We are looking for Full-Time Founders who are driven, coachable, and have a growth mindset. The ideal company will have a product in the market and have a focus on developing traction and unlocking their roadmap to scale.

The program will be conducted online with the exception of the Showcase and a meet-and-greet event, which will be in-person.

The program runs from October to Mid-March with a Showcase scheduled for March 2026.

For the first 4 weeks of the program, the venture should devote a minimum of 3 hours to workshops. The rest of the program will be dedicated to 2-3 hours of monthly mentorship sessions; peer circles, pitch practice sessions, and office hours on a flexible schedule.

NOTHING! It is a free program thanks to our funder, IRAP, and we do not take any equity in the company!

A maximum of 8-10 ventures will be chosen for this pilot bootcamp.

While there is no funding attached to the program, YSpace will make connections with potential investors in addition to providing training on how to get financing.

It is hard to measure the impact or value of the program as it will be different for everyone involved. However, the program offers over $60k worth of startup support paid for by YSpace, York University via dedicated mentorship, exclusive startup perks, and office hours with investors.

This program requires that you have an IRAP membership. You are encouraged to attend an info session with IRAP to learn about their program and membership process. *Please note, you are not required to be a client before applying. Both can be done at the same time*

Next steps would be to apply to the Food & Beverage Investment Program Application. Shortlisted candidates will be invited for a round of interviews in August for further due diligence. The cohort will be finalized in early September and onboarding commences for the program launch in late September

Please note, this is a competitive program. If you are not selected there still may be other opportunities to support you at YSpace. Get in touch at yspace@yorku.ca

There are five (5) key components within the program:

Hands-on workshops on venture growth frameworks with leading industry experts

Office hours with a private network of investors, industry experts, and venture advisors

A dedicated EiR mentor focused on driving your venture growth milestones

A Pitch Day where ventures to pitch their business to potential investors

Engaging in an active community of over 900+ ventures and like-minded peers supporting your journey

Apply Now!

Applications are now open. Apply by August 5th, 2025.

If you have any questions about the application process, email us at yspace@yorku.ca

Apply Now

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Contact us

For more information, please contact us at
yspace@yorku.ca
416-736-2100 ext. 44940