Strengthening Canada’s cellular agriculture ecosystem requires fostering academia-industry collaboration focused on "translatable" science with direct industry impact. Amii’s matchmaking model, which connects researchers with industry to address real-world problems, could be adapted for cellular agriculture to enhance partnerships and commercialization. However, restrictive academic IP policies and lengthy federal funding processes, such as those of the Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada (NSERC), hinder industry progress.

According to participants, provincial funding offers faster and more accessible alternatives. However, it was highlighted that combining funding models and streamlining IP negotiations within universities, allowing industry partners to retain ownership, can accelerate commercialization processes.

Broadening the scope of existing funding schemes to prioritize multistakeholder networking and collaboration across academia, industry, and government is crucial in a country as big as Canada.

In-person convenings provide platforms for sharing ideas and building relationships nationwide, fostering partnerships that drive innovation and the dissemination of knowledge. Strengthening connections across provinces and engaging diverse stakeholders ensures a cohesive and coordinated approach to advancing cellular agriculture while avoiding duplication and increasing the efficient use of limited resources.

A dynamic, measurable government engagement plan should include creating working groups in key regions, such as Alberta and Ontario, leveraging their political influence, economic power, and existing innovation infrastructure. Regional working groups will enable the tailoring of messaging to align with provincial priorities, ensuring that cellular agriculture becomes relevant across various sectors, including agriculture and innovation. 

While regional prioritization is essential, federal-provincial collaboration is critical for building the necessary infrastructure. Continued engagement with provincial and federal governments is crucial to fostering a cohesive Pan-Canadian strategy and bridging inter-provincial infrastructure and resource-sharing gaps. Connecting with influential figures, established government relations (GR) firms, and building relationships with producers' associations can effectively connect cellular agriculture advocates with decision-makers to build support.

A national strategy must account for regional differences while fostering unity through consistent messaging, clear goals, and replicable successes across provinces. By aligning cellular agriculture with broader biomanufacturing strategies and emphasizing its potential for economic diversification and sustainability, Canada can position itself as a global leader in sustainable food production and agricultural innovation.

Building publicly accessible infrastructure is crucial for supporting the innovation and scaling of cellular agriculture. Scale-up remains a major bottleneck, as the leap from pilot-scale (100-litre) to large-scale (1,000-litre or more) production requires food-grade fermentation facilities tailored to commodity food products rather than biopharmaceuticals. Establishing such infrastructure at a reasonable cost for startups would attract global companies, anchor talent, and accelerate commercialization in Canada. 

Centers like Innotech Alberta and the Verschuren Centre are excellent examples, offering state-of-the-art facilities that help start-ups bridge the “valley of death” by scaling processes efficiently and cost-effectively. Expanding similar infrastructure across Canada at a cost-competitive range would provide critical support for start-ups navigating early-stage challenges across various biotechnology domains, including those beyond cellular agriculture. Leveraging existing provincial and federal investments and funding schemes can accelerate the development of scalable infrastructure to foster collaboration and attract international funding.

Participants emphasized the need for more favourable and timely IP terms, such as those from the University of Waterloo Universities should recognize the benefits of supporting high-volume, low-cost industries like cellular agriculture and adjust their IP expectations accordingly. Funders can provide additional negotiating power to secure favourable IP terms for projects that can support the ecosystem. 

Agreeing on IP standards among cellular agriculture companies and academic institutions could enable consistent practices that are also more timely across the sector. This would allow parties to compete effectively while cooperating on the best approaches to negotiating funding and IP. 

Project-specific agreements were another suggestion that could offer flexibility and incentivize universities to engage in high-value partnerships instead of attempting to overhaul institutional IP policies. Ensuring startups retain IP ownership is critical for attracting investors and facilitating commercialization. Adopting collaborative and flexible IP frameworks that balance the interests of different stakeholders while also speeding the negotiating process can help foster innovation, accelerate commercialization, and ensure the economic benefits stay within Canada.