The Canadian healthcare industry is notoriously one of the most difficult to innovate within. When they’re not navigating complex regulations, healthtech startups are looking for the best partners to test and build their product with — balancing the dual needs of compliance and rapid iteration.
However, there are support tools across Canada aimed at helping healthtech startups overcome the specific challenges they face at each stage. BetaKit has rounded up a non-exhaustive list of some of the grants available right now — though it should be noted that some of these programs are province-specific, or require a partner in the healthcare sector willing to work with you.
Is there a useful healthtech grant in your region you don’t see on the list? Tell us in the comments below!
Joule’s 2018 Innovation Grant Program
Joule, the Canadian Medical Association’s newest company, is offering nine grants totaling $200,000 as part of its 2018 Joule Innovation program. The grants fall into four categories: early-stage (two grants of $25,000), later-stage (one grant of $25,000 and one of $80,000), social innovations (one grant of $25,000), and medical student and research grants (four grants of $5,000).
Projects are evaluated by the Joule Innovation Council, a team of physicians and healthtech entrepreneurs. All applicants must be a member of the Canadian Medical Association.
Deadline: June 1
Ontario Brain Institute: 2018 OBI ONtrepreneurs Program
The Ontario Brain Institute is offering up to 10 Ontario-based entrepreneurs with $50,000 to support neurotech projects. Preference is given to applicants who have graduated in the last five years, and successful applicants must develop milestones for the commercialization of the neurotechnology, and sign a milestone-based agreement with OBI and their affiliated academic/research institute.
The startup must be developing or commercializing that helps people understand, diagnose, improve, or treat brain and brain-related disorders.
Deadline: May 14
Ontario Health Technologies Fund
The Ontario Health Technologies Fund finances up to 50 percent of eligible project costs, up to a maximum of $500,000 to $1 million in Ontario government grants. The HTF is currently looking for projects focused on “better care closer to home,” which prioritizes home and community care through digital health technologies.
All proposals must be submitted by a health innovation team that includes a publicly funded health service provider and a tech partner.
Deadline: May 9
Alberta Innovates’ Accelerating Innovations Into Care (AICE)
The AICE program is meant to support small and medium-sized enterprises that want to test their technology in real clinical settings. The product or technology must address an existing health-related need in Alberta’s health system, and “generate evidence that informs health system adoption beyond the test site.”
50 percent of total project costs are covered, up to $150,000 per project, running for a maximum of 18 months.
Alberta Innovates has partnered with TEC Edmonton through the TEC Health Accelerator program (TEC-HA) on AICE, so all interested applicants must contact one of TEC Edmonton’s Health Accelerator consultants to apply.
Deadline: Applications accepted on an ongoing basis.
Industrial Research Assistance Program (IRAP)
While IRAP isn’t specific to healthtech startups, IRAP can be helpful for these companies that are in the research and development stage working towards commercialization, or hiring young talent between 15 to 30 through its Youth Employment Program. Proposals are assessed within three months, and a typical non-repayable contribution is $50,000 (though it can run to a maximum of $1 million).
Deadline: Applications accepted on an ongoing basis.
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