Canada
Natural Products Canada (NPC) is a not-for-profit organization established in 2016 with a focus on fostering innovation in Canada's natural product industry. Their mission is to support the development and commercialization of natural products that can replace synthetic materials to benefit people, animals, and the planet.
NPC serves as a one-stop shop for strategic insights, programs, and services for those looking to participate in Canada's natural product industry. They define natural products as biologically-based solutions that leverage naturally-occurring molecules and can be applied across various industries, including food production, bioproducts, human and animal health, and sustainability.
The organization's efforts are concentrated on building and supporting Canada's Natural Product Innovation Cluster, which encompasses SMEs, research institutes, corporations, investors, government departments, and service providers. NPC offers advisory services and commercialization programs to help Canadian innovations advance to market. Additionally, they facilitate connections between Canadian innovations and international or local corporations and investors, and they operate an Investment Fund to de-risk and develop promising opportunities.
As of now, 13 investments have been made through their Investment Fund, resulting in two exits. NPC collaborates closely with partner organizations such as PEI BioAlliance, Institute for Nutrition and Functional Food, University of Guelph, Bioscience Association Manitoba, Ag-West Bio, and BioAlberta.
Overall, Natural Products Canada provides Intel, introductions, and investment opportunities for those seeking to engage with Canada's natural product industry, creating a beneficial ecosystem for innovation and growth.
