The global personalized nutrition market size is estimated to reach US$45B by 2032, and Canada wants a slice of the pie.
The Canadian Food Innovation Network recently awarded more than $650,000 to eight food-tech projects, including two based in British Columbia, through the organization’s Innovation Booster Program.
The theme of CFIN’s funding wave orients around nutrition innovation and food as medicine, according to Dana McCauley, chief executive of the network.
“Personalized nutrition thrives on innovation, offering individuals the tools they need to navigate the complex world of dietary choices and personalized meal plans,” the CEO said, “promoting a healthier and more sustainable future.”
As far as BC-based projects go, Cronometer Software received capital toward upgrading its current app with artificial intelligence technology to launch an AI Food Suggestions feature that will provide tailored suggestions based on individual user needs, assisting users in meeting their specific daily calorie and nutrient targets.
The AI Food Suggestions project is designed to cater uniquely to each user, generating recommendations based on factors such as recently logged foods, selected filters (high- protein, vegetarian) and categories, and dietary restrictions.
“AI Food Suggestions are going to be a game changer for our users,” says Cronometer CEO Aaron Davidson, “and we’re thrilled to be partnering with the Canadian Food Innovation Network to implement this powerful new functionality.”
Inspired by the precision of chronographic timepieces as well as the “CRON” diet—an approach to food emphasizing Calorie Restriction with Optimal Nutrition—Cronometer aims to deliver the most accurate, comprehensive nutrition tracking app on earth.
The idea for Cronometer was originally conceived back in 2005, when Davidson was seeking to track his CRON-based diet. As a developer, he built his own app to do so.
After several years of using the diet tracking app for his own personal use, Davidson realized he may have a business model on his hand. He quit his corporate job to focus on entrepreneurship.
And despite remaining bootstrapped, his passion project today boasts eight million users.
Moving forward, Davidson’s company is utilizing collaboration with other innovators to drive solutions for users. For example, Cronometer tech is integrated into Oura Ring, a smart ring that delivers personalized health data and insights into sleep.
This week, Cronometer announced an expanded partnership with ŌURA, the company behind the ring. Now, the Cronometer app features a “Cycle Tracking” feature for females. Users can create a chart showing overall calorie intake or drill down to any nutrient (like carbs or vitamin C) to see if a cycle phase has an impact on their diet.
“We hope that this new feature unlocks a world of insights around women’s health,” stated Davidson. “Being able to chart and visualize the impact a cycle phase has on health data like nutritional intake, sleep, energy, mood and more will be eye-opening for women.”
In total, 37 Canadian food-tech companies have received more than $3M from CFIN’s Booster program since 2021, including several from BC.
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