What Qualifies?
Environmental Performance Improvements
Developing methods to reduce waste, emissions, contamination, or resource consumption where existing solutions proved insufficient.
Agricultural Innovation
Testing growing methods, nutrient systems, environmental controls, processing techniques, or production improvements.
Resource Efficiency Projects
Improving energy use, water consumption, recycling, recovery, or sustainability performance through systematic investigation.
Applied Scientific Development
Creating new processes, equipment, materials, or methodologies requiring experimental validation.
Common Examples
Waste Reduction Systems
Developing technologies to minimize environmental impact or improve recovery rates.
Agricultural Production Methods
Testing cultivation, harvesting, storage, or processing techniques.
Water Treatment & Recovery
Developing systems to improve treatment efficiency or resource utilization.
Sustainable Product Development
Creating environmentally responsible alternatives to existing products or materials.
Top Misconceptions
Only lab-based science counts.
We were just improving efficiency.
Using existing technology means no SR&ED
Agriculture is too traditional for SR&ED.
Failed projects don’t count.
Industry-Specific Opportunities
Waste Management & Recycling
Waste Management & Recycling
- New separation and sorting methods for higher recovery
- Waste-to-energy process development and tuning
- Reducing contamination rates in recovery streams
- Throughput and efficiency improvements through iterative testing
Agri-Tech Developers
Agri-Tech Developers
- Precision agriculture monitoring platforms and algorithms
- Automated planting/harvesting system development
- AI-driven crop analytics refinement and deployment testing
- Sensor integration for reliable field performance
Clean Technology
Clean Technology
- Emission reduction system prototyping and validation
- Energy storage efficiency improvements under load
- Carbon capture / utilization process optimization
- Performance tuning for real-world operating conditions
Crop Farms & Greenhouses
Crop Farms & Greenhouses
- Controlled trials to improve yield, quality, or resilience
- Irrigation optimization to reduce water use
- Soil and nutrient delivery testing (rates, timing, application)
- Climate-control system tuning for consistent performance
Livestock & Dairy Farms
Livestock & Dairy Farms
- Automated herd health monitoring systems
- Feed formulation trials to improve output / reduce emissions
- Manure management redesign to reduce environmental impact
- Barn ventilation, housing, or climate optimization testing