The Canadian Agri-Food Automation and Intelligence Network (CAAIN) has unveiled the third project to be funded through its 2020 Closed Competition. Providing Transport Assurance Via Generic Data Enablers, led by Ontario’s Transport Genie, requires modest funding but promises to deliver significant results. 

“Data-driven decision-making is the backbone supporting ag-tech innovation,” said CAAIN CEO, Kerry Wright. “The Transport Genie concept uses data to generate much-needed improvements to livestock hauling, a sector whose importance cannot be overstated. Simply put, the drivers and companies responsible for moving animals from point A to point B are integral, and awareness of the role they play is especially evident if the system breaks down. This innovative project could yield major improvements for a relatively small investment.” 

Providing Transport Assurance Via Generic Data Enablers carries a total estimated price tag of less than $125,000, roughly $34,000 of which will be reimbursed through CAAIN funding over the next 12 months. 

“I’ve been active in the agricultural technology space for close to two decades,” explained project lead and Transport Genie CEO, Joel Sotomayor. “In that time, I have seen improvements in a lot of areas, but livehaul trucking is not one of them. My desire is always to innovate and bring strong technology adoption to the agricultural space, but without limiting myself to obvious sectors. Thanks to the support my partners, Luckhart Transport and Marlex Engineering, and I will receive through CAAIN, Canada as a whole will benefit from a more robust, transparent, and resilient agri-food supply chain.” 

CAAIN expects to contribute a total of approximately $15M to the nine winners of its Closed Competition, which involve 24 project partners including small and medium-sized enterprises, large firms and academic collaborators, and will announce details of the other six recipients over the coming weeks. 

About CAINN
The Canadian Agri-Food Automation and Intelligence Network is a not-for-profit company launched in July 2019 with funding of $49.5-million from Innovation, Science and Economic Development Canada’s Strategic Innovation Fund and assistance from Alberta Innovates in the form of significant in-kind contributions. CAAIN connects and invests in Canada’s agri-food and technology sectors to drive innovation and productivity.