L’Assomption, September 3, 2026 – The Agtech Zone and its partners, Écotech Québec and Cycle Momentum, have announced the companies selected to participate in the Nexterre Program, which aims to accelerate the development and adoption of clean technologies that address the current challenges facing Quebec’s agricultural sector.
Launched last spring, Nexterre has generated significant interest within the ecosystem, with more than 40 applications received. The cohort brings together companies developing solutions in fields as diverse as precision agriculture, robotics, artificial intelligence, photonics, traceability, waste-to-energy, and production system optimization.
“The diversity and quality of the applications received demonstrate the considerable potential of Quebec innovation to address the environmental and operational challenges facing our agriculture sector. Through the Nexterre Program, we aim to build concrete bridges between the companies developing these solutions and the realities on the ground, in order to accelerate their development and adoption. “This cohort brings together technologies that can address multiple aspects of the agricultural transition, from reducing inputs to optimizing resource use, as well as automating and optimizing operations,” said Marilou Cyr, Executive Director of Zone Agtech.
“The enthusiasm generated by Nexterre—with more than 40 applications received—confirms the considerable potential of Quebec’s agtech innovation. But this potential can only truly be realized in the field, under real-world conditions on farms and in agri-food businesses. This is precisely what the program’s demonstration phase will enable, by giving companies the means to test their solutions at scale and demonstrate their value to producers. “In a context where agriculture must contend with growing environmental and economic pressures, these pilot projects are an essential step toward making Quebec innovation a true driver of transition for the entire sector,” adds Morgan Guiton, Vice President, Programs, Cycle Momentum.
“Support for the development of clean technologies through programs such as Nexterre is promising, not only because it fosters the emergence of concrete innovations tailored to the realities of businesses—by helping clean technology developers test their innovations and diversify their markets among potential customers— but also because it gives agri-food companies access to a wider range of cutting-edge technologies that can improve their competitiveness in international markets. In an economic and geopolitical context marked by uncertainty, such government assistance, combined with expert guidance, provides this dual benefit. “They thus contribute to a more efficient, resilient, and sustainable agricultural sector and represent a strategic investment for Quebec and for Canada as a whole, by stimulating the economy and fostering a transition toward a forward-looking agricultural sector,” concludes Isabelle Dubé-Côté, President and CEO of Écotech Québec.
While Phase 1 is devoted to developing the projects, After helping companies structure their approach, adapt their technology, and prepare their demonstration, Phase 2 will be dedicated to real-world demonstrations. Selected companies will thus be able to validate their solutions directly in the field, with financial support to aid in their implementation.
A total of 12 companies were selected for Phase 1, while 3 companies advanced directly to Phase 2. At the end of their incubation process, 9 companies from Phase 1 will be selected to continue their projects in Phase 2. The selection will be announced in December.
Through this approach, the Nexterre program ultimately aims to foster the development of concrete solutions that are tailored to the realities of Quebec farmers and capable of contributing to a more efficient, resilient, and sustainable agricultural sector.
The various companies selected for this program offer complementary approaches to the sector’s sustainability and performance challenges. Here are the 12 companies selected for Phase 1 of the program.
Given their level of maturity, three companies are moving directly to the demonstration phase of the Nexterre program:
Through the Nexterre program, the Agtech Zone, Cycle Momentum, and Écotech Québec aim to bring technology companies together with producers, experts, and other stakeholders in the sector in order to better align innovations with the real needs of Quebec’s agricultural sector.
By fostering collaboration between innovative companies and the agricultural ecosystem, the Nexterre program helps create the conditions necessary for clean technologies to move from technological potential to tangible impact on the ground.
-###-
Led by Zone Agtech, in collaboration with Écotech Québec and Cycle Momentum, Nexterre is an innovation program dedicated to the growth of clean and sustainable agriculture. It aims to support innovative clean technologies that improve the agricultural sector’s performance and environmental footprint. With a budget of up to $3.25 million, the project—launched in 2026—provides guidance and support for the implementation of demonstration projects. It is supported by Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada’s Clean Technology in Agriculture Program, Research and Innovation Component—Accelerator.
The Agtech Zone is an innovation ecosystem dedicated to agricultural technologies and plant-based bioproducts. Its mission is to bring together, propel, and promote companies in the agtech and plant-based bioproducts sectors by consolidating, within a single business zone, the resources needed to accelerate the development, adaptation, and commercialization of agricultural innovations.
Cycle Momentum is an international acceleration and innovation platform whose mission, since 2015, has been to identify and support the development of cutting-edge technologies to address the major environmental challenges facing humanity. As a member of the Cycle Capital platform, Cycle Momentum offers acceleration and open innovation programs to support the growth of entrepreneurs, as well as the financing and commercialization of climate technologies. We facilitate the necessary collaborations between industry players and startups to accelerate the commercialization of their solutions.
Cycle Momentum invests through Origo, an investment matching program supported by the Government of Quebec.
As the first organization of its kind in Canada, Écotech Québec has represented the clean technology cluster since 2009. Its initiatives aim to support local stakeholders—companies, researchers, investors, and groups—in order to accelerate the development and deployment of clean technologies. Écotech Québec collaborates with several organizations in Quebec, including the G15+ and SWITCH, the Alliance for a Green Economy.
