Food IMPACT Challenge

A 10-week food IMPACT challenge to help food businesses accelerate their social or environmental impact.

Total of $30,000 CAD in available prizes for successful projects!

About the Challenge

The Food IMPACT Challenge is designed to guide entrepreneurs passionate about solving food-related obstacles in the categories of gender lens, food access or waste reduction.

Food is a core part of all our lives. Many areas within the food supply chain—from production, processing, distribution, consumption and disposal—can be redesigned to be more inclusive of people and the planet.

Our vision with Food Innovation is to prioritize regeneration and sustainability within the food supply chain while minimizing any damage or exploitation. At Spring, we believe in using business as a force for good, and this Challenge is all about guiding food entrepreneurs through their own impact development.

During this 10-week Challenge, businesses will learn how to launch and scale a food innovation impact project and have an opportunity to pitch and win the top prize of $15K CAD. The Challenge includes a total of $30K available in funding, which will be distributed to the top three projects that pitch on demo day. Think of it as a hackathon for food entrepreneurs working to make the world a better place through their businesses.

From defining the problem to designing a solution and a plan to validate results, the Food IMPACT Challenge will support you at every step of the impact development journey. In the end, if successful, you’ll win prize money from Spring to invest in your initiative!

Your weekly sessions with the Spring team will teach you best practices, tools, and frameworks to help you gain confidence in seeking to grow a food innovation project.

Interested? Scroll down to learn about the program details and apply by August 19 at 11:59 pm PST.

"From defining the problem to designing a solution and a plan to validate results, you will be supported at every step of the impact development journey. In the end, if successful, you'll win prize-money from Spring to invest into your initiative!"

What You Will Learn

How to integrate or accelerate impact in your businesses while refining your impact thesis
About food innovation themes including Gender lens, Food Access and Food Waste

How you can start, launch and grow your food innovation projects

How to track and measure the impact your project creates to ensure outcomes are achieved

Successful applicants will receive prize funding to grow their projects ($30k in total available funding)

This Challenge Is Right for You If You

Are seeking to implement or accelerate an impact project at your business in at least ONE of the following categories:
- Gender Lens | Supporting women within the food industry
- Food Access | Increasing community access to food
- Waste Reduction | Reducing food waste within the food supply chain at any stage

Have a food business (including but not limited to foodservice, consumer packaged goods, food-tech)

Align with the UN’s SDGs (at least 2)

Program Details

Format

9 weekly interactive sprint sessions on Zoom – 90 minutes in length
Modules accessible via Spring’s online Learning Management System
Access to the Spring Community and network resources
Ongoing 1:1 support from the Food & Sustainability Program Manager and program advisors

Eligibility Criteria

Operating in Canada
Have been operating for minimum of 1 year
Food or food-centric businesses that is scalable
Launching or scaling an impact-focused project or initiative within existing business
opportunities for your teams and suppliers
Can demonstrate proven traction in the market – Proven with demonstrated impact results, data, sales, customer testimonials
Alignment with at least 2 UN SDGs
Must have an idea of how you will measure, track and report impact of their proposed project

To Prepare Before You Apply

A brief description of your overall business
A brief description of the impact project you are looking to implement or accelerate within your existing business
- Must be in line with at least ONE of the following categories:
  - Gender Lens | Supporting women within the food industry
  - Food Access | Increasing community access to food
  - Waste Reduction | Reducing food waste within the food supply chain at any stage
A brief outline of how you currently measure impact within your business
The UN SDG’s your project is aligned with (Must align with at least 2 SDG’s)
Your primary impact goal, impact thesis or impact outcomes

Cost to Participate in the Challenge

None

Questions? Contact lucy@spring.is

Who You Will Learn From

Lucy Cullen

Food & Sustainability Program Manager

Lucy has worked in the hospitality industry for 10+ years, and founded two social enterprises in the food space. Before joining Spring, Lucy worked with Forward Food under Humane Society International/Canada which reduces the environmental impact of foodservice menus. She has been named Canada's Top 25 Under 25 Environmentalists twice, and Corporate Knight's Top 30 Under 30 in Sustainability. She is excited to help food entrepreneurs solve complex problems. In her spare time, Lucy enjoys writing and playing music on the piano and saxophone.

Connect with Lucy

Allison Gibson

Director of Program Operations

Allison is a social enterprise strategist and entrepreneur with over two decades of experience in the hospitality industry. As Director of Impact & Operations at Paintbox Catering & Bistro and Program Operations Director at Spring, she prioritizes creating opportunities for marginalized residents of under-serviced communities with a focus on those on an entrepreneurial journey or facing barriers to meaningful employment.

Connect with Allison

Interested in Collaborating?

Mentorship, guest speaking, and sponsorship opportunities are available.

Are you looking to engage with up-and-coming entrepreneurs and become part of the growing food ecosystem in Canada? Join our network of mentors, guest speakers, and sponsors!

How you can get involved:

Deliver innovative content through a guest lecture
Work one-on-one with our entrepreneurs to help their businesses grow and thrive
Sponsor a session or a Demo Day prize

Contact Lucy Cullen at lucy@spring.is