Able Innovations Announces $7.5 Million to Take the Pain out of Patient Transfer

The patient transfer process involves a combination of personnel and equipment while causing pain to patients. Able Innovations, a Toronto-based robotic medical equipment company which is developing advanced medical devices to tackle the pressing problem of patient transfer, has built a robotic medical device, ALTA Platform which focuses on improving the care experience by taking the pain out of the patient transfer and ensuring an efficient, easy process. Able Innovations announced $7.5 million to accelerate the adoption of its unique technology. 

With its mission to advance quality of care, efficiency, and safety in healthcare through robotic innovation, Able Innovations is working towards improving throughput across healthcare facilities and providing a safe experience for patients and caregivers. 

OBIO’s Early Adopter Health Network (EAHN™) and the City of Kawartha Lakes Family Health Team Launch a Project with AI Platform Goji Voice to Improve Patient Experience

TORONTO, ON – June 9, 2022 – The Ontario Bioscience Innovation Organization (OBIO®) and the City of Kawartha Lakes Family Health Team (CKL FHT) are launching a project in Ontario through OBIO’s Early Adopter Health Network (EAHN™) to improve the patient and provider experience, and enhance health outcomes via Goji Technology Systems’ innovative artificial intelligence (AI) virtual assistant platform, Goji Voice.

With Goji Voice, clinicians can easily and seamlessly record their interactions with patients using their computers or mobile devices. This allows them to easily capture the entire conversation rather than taking notes or communicating through a computer screen, which can negatively affect the patient-clinician interaction. Goji Voice then converts the recorded conversation into text and makes it available to the clinician, who can quickly review the notes, highlight key points and add new information.

Once the clinical notes have been captured in the system, Goji Voice allows clinicians to save them directly into their medical systems through a simple integration offered by Gojitech. Goji Voice also captures clinical insights, reminders and actions such as follow-ups, tests, orders and more. This way, the clinician no longer needs to manually track notes or actions. Goji Voice is built with robust privacy and security safeguards required for adherence to jurisdictionally applicable legislation/regulations (e.g., PHIPA in Ontario, HIPAA in the US and GDPR in Europe), and stores and maintains data residency in local jurisdictions to provide the utmost data protection.

Gojitech and CKL FHT are excited about the progressive deployment and evaluation of Goji Voice at several clinical locations. Aligned with the quadruple aim of healthcare, the OBIO-funded project will assess Goji Voice’s impact in restoring face-to-face interaction between clinicians and patients, the quality of its clinical documentation automation, the value of recorded and transcribed encounters for clinicians, and the utility of codified data for analytics.

This announcement continues to reflect OBIO’s commitment and momentum to “bringing Canadian innovation to Ontario’s health system and the world,” by expanding the EAHN™ program to include primary care organizations such as Ontario’s Family Health Teams.

“Primary health care is a vital part of Ontario’s healthcare system, as we help to reduce hospital admissions and reduce health complications through prevention, access, early intervention and education. Our adoption of digital technologies has had a positive impact, but at times it has also led to an increased time spent on administration and non-direct clinical care. We hope that innovative solutions like Gojitech’s will contribute to overcoming clinician burnout due to digitization, improve the quality of time spent on clinical care, enhance the accuracy and breadth of data for analytics that lead to better planning and decision making, and ultimately, provide better and more efficient access to patient care,” says Aasif Khakoo, Executive Director, City of Kawartha Lakes Family Health Team.

“We are thrilled to be selected by OBIO® and the City of Kawartha Lakes Family Health Team to showcase our technology and its value to clinicians at CKL FHT. We are confident that Goji Voice will improve patient care by enabling CKL FHT clinicians to focus more on their patients and less on their computer screens. We are impressed with and thankful to OBIO® and the CKL FHT for their passion to transform healthcare through adopting Canadian innovation. Without the vision of organizations like CKL FHT and OBIO®, innovation adoption in Ontario can be challenging and sometimes feels out of reach,” says Roe Sivanandan, President and CEO of Gojitech.

“We are very pleased to support the partnership between the City of Kawartha Lakes Family Health Team and Gojitech, which represents the first EAHN™ project in a family health team,” says Maura Campbell, President and CEO of OBIO®. “Our vision for EAHN™ is to collaborate across the ecosystem and grow a network that will ensure excellent patient care, which means expanding beyond the hospital setting.”

Quebec companies will evaluate their technologies in Ontario hospitals

A recent agreement between the Ontario Bioscience Innovation Organization (OBIO®) and the Centre Québécois d'Innovation en Biotechnologie (CQIB) will enable Quebec companies to evaluate their technologies in real-world healthcare situations as part of OBIO's Early Adopter Health Network (EAHN™).

EAHN™ brings together health technology companies and organizations in a collaborative healthcare system to evaluate, refine, adopt and procure Canadian-made technology solutions. By joining EAHN™, CQIB will become the first Quebec incubator of EAHN™ and will play a role in helping Canada's healthcare ecosystem improve patient care. As part of the partnership agreement, CQIB will identify companies in its network that are a potential fit for EAHN™ and exclusively evaluate and pre-qualify Quebec companies so they can access EAHN™.

"We are very pleased to welcome CQIB to OBIO's EAHN™ and to share our expertise in supporting Quebec and Canadian companies to improve the adoption of innovation in Ontario's healthcare facilities," says Maura Campbell, President and CEO of OBIO®.

"Thanks to EAHN™, Quebec companies supported by CQIB and its Medxlab program will gain easier access to funding for technical and commercial validation of their technologies. They will benefit from their collaboration with Ontario's healthcare institutions and OBIO's expertise. Also, we will facilitate Ontario companies' access to the Quebec healthcare network as well as the use of our co-working space", says Perry Niro, CEO of the CQIB. 

OBIO® Expands Programming to Prepare Talent for Entering the Health Science Industry

New wage subsidies available to eligible employers

TORONTO, ON – April 28, 2022 – The Ontario Bioscience Innovation Organization (OBIO®), a not-for-profit organization dedicated to advancing health technology innovation and commercialization, is excited to announce the expansion of its Health to Business Bridge™ Program (H2BB™) with support from the Ministry of Labour, Training and Skills Development as part of a new $1.9 million investment in OBIO®.

Since 2017, OBIO® has successfully orchestrated and delivered the H2BB™ program to prepare professionals to transition into the health science industry by equipping them with the skills, knowledge and resources they need to get up to speed quickly and build a solid foundation in the field. This new funding will enable OBIO® to help companies attract and retain talent with a background in health science and those transitioning into the industry. OBIO® will also support health science companies to facilitate new hiring and ensure a smooth transition for personnel entering the sector by providing a wage subsidy grant to each company.

“We need to be prepared to meet and capitalize on the increased demand for industry-ready talent in Ontario as we recover from the pandemic,” says Maura Campbell, CEO and President at OBIO®. “This new funding will allow us to bring the successful model of H2BB™ training programs and bootcamps to a wider pool of talent and employers.”

Through H2BB™, OBIO® has provided industry-specific training to the rapidly growing health science and technology industry to more than 300 individuals.

“OBIO’s H2BB™ will deliver training to new entrants into the workforce, empowering them with the skills they need to transition smoothly into key roles in scaling companies like ours,” says Frank Florio. Vice President, Strategy & Business Development at Myant. “As the health science industry in Ontario continues to mature, we remain challenged to find the right talent and will rely on this important program.”

“Like many industries, employers in Ontario’s health sciences sector continue to face a shortage of skilled workers needed to grow their businesses,” said Monte McNaughton, Minister of Labour, Training and Skills Development. “The Health to Business Bridge Program will connect talented workers with the training needed to join growing companies and earn bigger paycheques for themselves and their families.”  

“It is vital that scaling life sciences companies attract, train and retain the talent they need,” said Vic Fedeli, Minister of Economic Development, Job Creation and Trade. “OBIO’s program complements what we are looking to accomplish with Ontario’s Life Sciences Strategy.”

To learn more about H2BB™ and the OBIO® Job Board and Talent Network, visit www.obio.ca/obioh2bb. 

OBIO® Secures Funding to Support Health Science Innovators to Build Their Business Capacity in Ontario

TORONTO, ON – April 26, 2022 – Today, the Ontario Bioscience Innovation Organization (OBIO®) is pleased to announce it has secured another round of funding for its Business Development Skills Program (BDSP™), with a $5.45 million investment from the Ontario Ministry of Labour, Training and Skills Development and the Skills Development Fund. The program was first launched in May 2021 to provide funding to health science companies to support the intellectual property commercialization of Ontario innovations. With this new funding, OBIO® will continue to address the need for innovative training solutions to help companies gain the critical skills they need to build a global business based in Ontario.

“The BDSP™ is unique in that it focuses on enhancing the strategic business development capabilities of management teams in health science companies,” says Maura Campbell, CEO and President at OBIO®. “By providing mentorship and training for key team members, including senior management and C-suite, Ontario companies will be better positioned to attract significant investment, create highly-skilled jobs and grow a business-savvy health science labour force.”

In its first year, the BDSP™ enabled 84 Ontario-based companies to transform their teams through intensive mentorship and training to develop the skills necessary to take their business to the next level.

“OBIO’s BDSP™ has given Cyclica the opportunity to invest in our team’s growth and take our business development skills to the next level. The funding we received has allowed us to acquire and translate knowledge that we believe will have demonstrable impact on the company by transforming our thinking,” says Naheed Kurji, President & CEO at Cyclica. “Learning is a lifelong journey, and I cannot overstate the benefits to our business by being able to provide continuous opportunities to my team.”

Through the BDSP™, OBIO® helped more than 350 employees to receive training specific to the rapidly growing health science and technology industry. Participating companies hired more than 300 new team members and collectively raised over CAD $100M in investment funding. OBIO® is now accepting applications for its next cohort.

"Ontario is a global health sciences leader and we need to ensure innovators have the tools they need to take their businesses to the next level,” says Monte McNaughton, Minister of Labour, Training and Skills Development. “This OBIO® program will ensure Ontario remains at the cutting edge of health sciences technology for years to come.”

“Life sciences innovation is often driven by entrepreneurs that can benefit from a deeper understanding of how to scale and grow their businesses. It is critical that they have access to the best business development advice,” says Vic Fedeli, Minister of Economic Development, Job Creation and Trade. “OBIO’s Business Development Skills Program will give Ontario-based life sciences entrepreneurs practical skills development and advice that will help them succeed.”

OBIO® is now accepting BDSP™ applications for 2022-2023.
To learn more and apply, visit www.obio.ca/bdsp.

OBIO’s Fifth Annual Investment Summit Attracts Record Number of Global Investors

TORONTO, ON – February 14, 2022 – More than 120 global investors with an impressive book of US$58 billion to spend converged virtually from February 9-11 at the Ontario Bioscience Innovation Organization’s (OBIO®) Investment Summit and Early Technology Showcase to hear from 50 of Canada’s most promising health science companies and 10 of Canada’s leading research institutions.

“Over the three days of the summit we showcased Canadian science and innovations to the world,” said Dr. Maura Campbell, OBIO® CEO. “Thank you to all participants, keynotes and panellists for your expertise, thought leadership and support for investment in the Canadian health science ecosystem. We look forward to building on this year’s success and seeing everybody back next year.”

“Ontario is home to a thriving health science sector and plays a vital role in the global industry,” said the Honourable Helena Jaczek, Minister responsible for the Federal Economic Development Agency for Southern Ontario (FedDev Ontario). “Supporting this key sector is a priority for the Government of Canada, as it grows the competitive domestic life sciences sector in Canada, leading to innovative healthcare discoveries and creating good jobs and resilient economic growth in southern Ontario.”

“Ontario is home to the largest life sciences sector in Canada, and one of the leading life sciences sectors in North America,” said Vic Fedeli, Minister of Economic Development, Job Creation and Trade. “Supporting the growth of this sector will help our economic recovery, strengthen our pandemic resilience, and, most importantly, build a stronger and healthier Ontario.”

“Nurturing the ecosystem that supports Canada’s best health science innovators is key to success,” said Dr. Sir Michael Houghton, Nobel Prize Winner & Director of the Li Ka Shing Applied Virology Institute, University of Alberta, who spoke on the first day of the three-day Summit. “Events like this go a long way towards supporting the growth of a strong and competitive domestic life science sector securing Canada’s ability to deliver healthcare solutions to Canadians and the world. The OBIO Investment Summit will greatly help the emergence of a world-class private biotech industry in Canada.”

Investment in Canada’s biotech, medtech, life sciences and healthtech industry is supported by an ecosystem of partners many of whom have participated in the annual OBIO Investment Summit and Early Technology Showcase since 2018. Included amongst these partners are Canada’s research institutions, universities, technology incubators, start-ups, scientists, and multinationals all of whom are collaborating on the development of world-class healthcare technologies. OBIO® looks forward to bringing our partners together at future summits as we welcome the world to invest in Canadian healthcare innovations.

About OBIO®

The Ontario Bioscience Innovation Organization (OBIO®) founded in 2009, is a not-for-profit, membership-based organization engaged in strategy, programming, policy development and advocacy to further the commercialization of human health technologies positioning Canada as a leader in the international marketplace. OBIO® advances this goal through collaborative partnerships with industry, the investment community, academia, the health system and government.

For more information, please visit www.obio.ca and follow OBIO® on Twitter @OBIOscience.

About FedDev Ontario

For more than 12 years, the Government of Canada, through FedDev Ontario, has worked to advance and diversify the southern Ontario economy through funding opportunities and business services that support innovation and growth in Canada’s most populous region. The Agency has delivered impressive results, which can be seen in southern Ontario businesses that are creating innovative technologies, improving their productivity, growing their revenues, and in the economic advancement of communities across the region. Learn more about the impacts the Agency is having in southern Ontario by exploring our pivotal projects.

Global Investors to Bring as Much As US$52B In Capital to Fund Canadian Healthcare Innovations

This week, the Ontario Bioscience Innovation Organization (OBIO), a membership-based not-for-profit organization, is set to bring investors from around the world to its annual OBIO Investment Summit (OIS) and Early Technology Showcase (ETS), which showcases Canada’s leading innovations in health sciences, including biotech and medtech. According to OBIO’s analysis, the registered investors have approximately US$52 billion combined in unallocated and available funds to invest during the summit.

“We look forward each year to connecting with entrepreneurs at the Summit, learning of the opportunity for their business and being able to share some of our experience and insight from 20+ years of building great life sciences companies.

As part of its annual OBIO Investment Summit which takes place virtually starting February 9 to Friday, February 11, 2022, over 50 emerging Canadian companies will be in attendance, looking to bring their breakthrough innovations to market as part of Canada’s thriving health sciences technology industry.

“OBIO is welcoming over 100 global investors to their 2022 annual Investment Summit who will have the unique opportunity to access the best Canadian innovations in this sector,” says Dr. Maura Campbell, CEO of OBIO. “The summit has built on its strengths each year since 2018, and to date 101 companies have gone on to successfully raise over $1 billion in investment to boost Canada’s economy and its health sciences industry.”

The summit showcases investable companies, including the Early Technology Showcase, which this year, highlights 10 of Canada’s leading health research institutions presenting their latest breakthrough technologies, from mental health and cancer detection to AI and stem cell therapies. Together, the OIS and ETS bring together global investors, high potential Canadian companies, and top Canadian research institutions with the goal of bringing venture capital investment to Canada.

“The OBIO Investment Summit is a great venue for a preselected group of Canadian life sciences companies to showcase their technologies and connect to a diverse group of global investors and potential partners,” says Jacki Jenuth, Partner at Lumira Ventures. “We look forward each year to connecting with entrepreneurs at the Summit, learning of the opportunity for their business and being able to share some of our experience and insight from 20+ years of building great life sciences companies.”

For more information on the lineup of companies presenting at the 2022 OBIO Investment Summit or to register for attendance, visit www.obioinvestmentsummit.com.

OBIO’s H2BB™ Workforce Development Program Accredited by the University of Toronto School of Continuing Studies

OBIO’s H2BB™ Business Development Bootcamp: Marketing and Sales in Health Science is being endorsed and recognized by the University of Toronto School of Continuing Studies (UofT SCS). Participants who successfully complete this OBIO® program will receive a micro-credential issued by UofT SCS. In addition, a successful completion of the bootcamp program paired with UofT SCS courses may lead to a full UofT SCS Certificate. Details on eligible certificates are currently under review and will be published shortly on learn.utoronto.ca.  

The Business Development Bootcamp: Marketing and Sales in Health Science, held between January 24 – 31, is an intensive six-day training program delivered by seasoned professionals in various areas of business and designed to help participants transition into or advance their careers in the growing health science industry. The bootcamp provided participants with the opportunity to attain proficiency in marketing and sales strategy, build successful marketing and sales plans, gain a deeper understanding of the structured sales process, and more. This bootcamp was specially tailored to enhance participants’ marketing and sales knowledge and leverage their existing skills to enter into the workforce of the thriving health science industry.

With the endorsement of the University of Toronto School of Continuing Studies, OBIO’s H2BB™ Business Development Bootcamp: Marketing and Sales in Health Science represents a unique upskilling opportunity for individuals considering a career in marketing and sales in the booming health science industry.

Ontario Bioscience Innovation Organization welcomes Dr. Maura Campbell as incoming CEO

Outgoing CEO Gail Garland to consult with OBIO® for successful transition
of not-for-profit

TORONTO, ON – February 1, 2022 – Ontario Bioscience Innovation Organization (OBIO®), a not-for-profit organization dedicated to advancing health technology innovation and commercialization, is pleased to announce and welcome Dr. Maura Campbell as its new chief executive officer. Founder and outgoing CEO, Gail Garland, will continue to work with OBIO® in a consultant capacity to ensure a successful transition.

Dr. Campbell was appointed Chair of the Board of Directors for OBIO® in March 2021 and brings with her over 30 years of experience in managing successful biotech companies. Most recently, Maura was the Vice President of Intellectual Property and Contracts for Turnstone Biologics and had a significant role in the company’s seed, and Series A, B, C and D financings, in addition to executing two large pharma-licensing deals, raising over US$370 million in the six years since the company was incorporated in Ontario in 2015.

“From my vantage point on the OBIO® Board of Directors, I was inspired by Gail’s vision and the contributions OBIO® has made advocating for a health science ecosystem that encourages companies to stay and grow here in Canada,” says Campbell. “As the incoming CEO, I look forward to continuing to work with industry and the entire OBIO® team as we push forward in our goals to successfully support the many Ontario-based innovations looking to grow the health science industry in the province.” 

Founded in 2009 under Garland’s leadership, OBIO® has grown into a premier health sciences institution that advances solutions to achieve health and economic benefits for Canadians by building domestic and global networks, attracting investors to Canada, and implementing activities and programs to address industry needs in the areas of capital attraction, workforce development, technology commercialization and market access.

In 2010, OBIO® led the pan-Ontario development and implementation of the Ontario Bioscience Economic Strategy Team (OBEST®), a collective mandate which outlines the health science industry’s strategic vision for sustainability, growth and long-term prosperity. With industry collaboration and participation in numerous consultations and summits over the ensuing years, OBIO® has helped to advance strategic imperatives to establish anchor companies, address the issues of scaling companies and facilitate the procurement of innovative technologies. 

Today, the OBIO® team of experienced industry professionals delivers a suite of seven best-in-class programs, including the OBIO Investment Summit, which brings international attention to the Canadian health science industry; the Early Adopter Health Network (EAHN), which partners health technology companies with health organizations to evaluate their technology and gain access to domestic markets; and the Business Development Skills Program (BDSP), which provides senior management teams with the necessary skills to scale and grow their companies in Ontario. 

“I am grateful to OBIO’s Board, our many members and adherents who provided our strategic direction and kept us focused on industry priorities while advocating alongside us,” says Garland. “I am proud of all that we have accomplished and know that Maura’s extensive leadership experience will propel OBIO® forward in its goals. I look forward to working in conjunction with Maura as she transitions to her new role as CEO.”

About OBIO
The Ontario Bioscience Innovation Organization (OBIO®) founded in 2009, is a not-for-profit, membership-based organization engaged in strategy, programming, policy development and advocacy to further the commercialization of Canadian human health technologies positioning Ontario as a leader in the international marketplace. OBIO advances this goal through collaborative partnerships with industry, the investment community, academia, the health system and government.

For more information, please visit www.obio.ca and follow OBIO on Twitter @OBIOscience.

For more information, contact:

Elizabeth Glassen, Account Manager

BlueSky Communications

eglassen@blueskycommunications.com | 647-309-0141

OBIO’s Early Adopter Health Network: Partnering on Innovation to Improve Patient Care

OBIO’s Early Adopter Health Network (EAHN™) is featured in the November issue of Hospital News for creating a collaborative ecosystem where health technology companies and healthcare organizations work together to develop, test, refine, adopt, and disseminate novel technologies across the Canadian health system.

This provides health science companies with a proven and repeatable path to early market access, and healthcare organizations with a pipeline of high impact innovative technologies. And, with access to local markets, companies are incentivized to stay and grow in Canada, providing more opportunities to develop additional solutions that address domestic health system needs.

Award-Winning Author Dan Breznitz Wins Balsillie Prize for Public Policy

The Writers’ Trust of Canada has named award-winning author Dan Breznitz the inaugural winner of the Balsillie Prize for Public Policy.

The Balsillie Prize is awarded for a book of non-fiction that advances and influences policy debates on a wide range of social, political, economic, or cultural topics relevant to Canadians.

Dan Breznitz received this honour for Innovation in Real Places: Strategies for Prosperity in an Unforgiving World, published by Oxford University Press. The book examines how policy makers prioritize invention over innovation to the detriment of their communities.

OBIO® was recently honoured to host Dan Breznitz as the keynote speaker at its 2021 Annual Public Meeting where he addressed some of the most compelling and thoughtful topics in his book. OBIO congratulates Dan on this outstanding achievement!

A Health Industry for a Healthy Canada OBIO® Annual Public Meeting 2021

On November 15, OBIO® hosted Dan Breznitz as the keynote speaker for OBIO’s 2021 Annual Public Meeting. Dan is an award-winning author, speaker and educator, and one of the world’s most renowned authorities of innovation policies and economic growth. Dan addressed some of the most compelling and thoughtful topics from his book “Innovation in Real Places, Strategies for Prosperity in an Unforgiving World”.

Dan is an award-winning author, speaker and educator, and one of the world’s most renowned authorities of innovation policies and economic growth.

OBIO® would like to thank Dan Breznitz for his enlightening presentation on innovation capacity, economic growth and the policy change that must happen to build a “A Health Industry for a Healthy Canada”.

Dan also answered audience questions on the opportunity for Canada’s health science industry, including building capacity for different stages of innovation, alternative financing options, and how culture and trust impact our ecosystem.

A video recording for this event is now available on the OBIO® Member Portal.

Roundtable Discussion with Minister of Economic Development, Job Creation and Trade Victor Fedeli on Supporting a Scaling Commercial Health Science Industry

Thank you to Minister of Economic Development, Job Creation and Trade Victor Fedeli for meeting with OBIO® members on November 8, to discuss how best to support a scaling commercial health science industry in Ontario. We look forward to working with you to anchor companies, create jobs and support global trade.

OBIO’s Early Adopter Health Network advances technologies to address pressing challenges in the healthcare system

BRUYÈRE HOSPITAL PARTNERS WITH ABLE INNOVATIONS TO ADVANCE
AN INNOVATIVE PATIENT BED TRANSFER PLATFORM WITH SUPPORT
FROM OBIO

October 25, 2021 – TORONTO, ON – As Canada’s healthcare system continues to be impacted by the added burden of COVID-19, the Ontario Bioscience Innovation Organization (OBIO®), a not-for-profit organization dedicated to advancing health technology innovation and commercialization, is prioritizing the evaluation of new technologies through their Early Adopter Health Network (EAHN™) to provide solutions. Through the EAHN, OBIO facilitated a partnership between Bruyère, an EAHN member located in Ottawa, and Able Innovations Inc., a Canadian medical technology company, to evaluate Able’s automated patient transfer system – the ALTA Platform™.

“OBIO recognizes the urgency of addressing challenges that the healthcare system is currently facing, and the need for advancing technology evaluations to provide meaningful solutions,” says Gail Garland, President and CEO of OBIO. “The EAHN was developed to evaluate and scale cutting-edge technologies that improve patient care while providing solutions to issues in the healthcare system that have been exacerbated by the pandemic, such as busy hospitals, staff burnout and shortages.”

The ALTA Platform solves what is a highly labor-intensive and repetitive task for hospital staff by enabling a single operator to perform patient lateral bed transfers, which will eliminate the source of numerous injuries, while creating a more dignified care experience for patients and care providers.

“The pandemic has really impacted hospitals and the entire healthcare system, and we see that technological advancements such as the ALTA Platform can help to address some of the increasing challenges we’re facing,” says Paula Doering, Senior Vice-President, Clinical Programs, Chief Nursing Executive and Allied Health Professionals. “We are happy to partner with Able Innovations to evaluate the ALTA Platform. We believe that with this type of technology we can improve the patient experience, reduce injury for our teams, and create more time in the day for our staff to focus on other aspects of patient care.”

The successful evaluation at Bruyère Hospital of the ALTA Platform will help accelerate technology uptake in healthcare settings – that’s why OBIO is expediting an EAHN Committee to review the evaluation findings and determine the value of innovative patient bed transfer technologies for all stakeholders, as well as to advance system-wide adoption and dissemination.

“It is our mission to make care-giving sustainable through technology. In Bruyère and OBIO we have found partners that share our values,” says Jayiesh Singh, CEO of Able Innovations. “We are excited for our partnership with Bruyère hospital and OBIO to serve as a launchpad for making our technology available to providers and patients across Canada and globally at a time it is needed the most.”

For more information about OBIO’s EAHN, or if you are interested in being part of the EAHN network, please contact Dr. Jeff Aramini at jeffaramini@obio.ca.

About OBIO
OBIO®, founded in 2009, is a not-for-profit, membership-based innovation organization engaged in strategy, programming, policy development and advocacy to further the commercialization of human health technologies positioning Canada as a leader in the international marketplace. OBIO advances this goal through collaborative partnerships with industry, the investment community, academia, the health system and government.

About Able Innovations Inc.
Able Innovations Inc. is solving the painful and labor-intensive process of patient transfers by developing technology that enables effortless, hands-free, safe and dignified transfers. Their ALTA Platform™, is capable of automated transfers of supine individuals who need to be moved laterally (ex. Bed to stretcher, imaging table) in healthcare facilities.

About Bruyère Hospital
Through the people it serves, the specialized care it provides and the research it conducts, Bruyère plays a critical role in the Ottawa region’s health care system. It offers a wide range of services in the community, from hospital programs to long term and primary care, and supportive and independent living for seniors and vulnerable populations. In addition, Bruyère is transforming care through strengths in research, education, collaboration, and innovation.

For media inquiries, please contact:
Bojana Duric, BlueSky Communications
bduric@blueskycommunications.com
289.981.7710

Ontario Bioscience Innovation Organization and Ontario Tech Talent Partner to Strengthen Biomanufacturing Capacity in Canada

October 21, 2021 – TORONTO, ON – The Ontario Bioscience Innovation Organization (OBIO®), a not-for-profit organization dedicated to advancing health technology innovation and commercialization, and Ontario Tech Talent (TALENT™), a workforce development organization affiliated with Ontario Tech University, are proud to announce their partnership to strengthen the talent pipeline of the Canadian biomanufacturing sector.

Biomanufacturing is a key area of Canada’s health sciences sector and the ongoing pandemic has accentuated the urgent need for increased manufacturing capacity for vaccines and innovative therapies to eradicate Covid-19. The demand for a biomanufacturing-ready workforce with the expertise and skills required to meet the needs of the sector continues to increase.

Within this partnership framework, OBIO and TALENT will partner to address this growing demand by identifying key biomanufacturing roles and providing skills training and verification through a program of alternative credentials, such as micro-credentials that are intended to fill the talent pipeline with personnel equipped with the high-demand and emerging skills required for Canadian companies to compete globally.

“The strategy developed between OBIO and TALENT enables an adaptable response to the evolving workforce needs of the biomanufacturing sector in Canada. The partnership builds on OBIO’s deep industry understanding and track record of preparing professionals for the health science business” said Gail Garland, President & CEO, OBIO “and TALENT’s expertise in verifying skills and developing accredited programming, making them the ideal partner for us.”

“TALENT is thrilled to tap into the deep industry expertise of the OBIO team as we develop a portfolio of micro-credentials in biomanufacturing that ensure scaling companies can access the talent that they need. Our goal is to enable individuals to be able to rapidly and effectively develop sufficient competency in high demand skills so that they can be redeployed to address the growing number of vacancies in this sector” said Rachel Sumner, Executive Director of Ontario Tech Talent.

“We are excited that OBIO and TALENT are working together to increase the pool of highly-skilled talent in biomanufacturing. We need more qualified personnel in the Canadian health science industry and hiring the right talent continues to be a challenge for us as we expand our biomanufacturing capabilities. This new partnership will help us train the next generation of workers and grow our team faster to address our global scale-up”, commented Brent Stead, CEO at Specific Biologics.

About OBIO

OBIO®, founded in 2009, is a not-for-profit, membership-based innovation organization engaged in strategy, programming, policy development and advocacy to further the commercialization of human health technologies positioning Canada as a leader in the international marketplace. OBIO advances this goal through collaborative partnerships with industry, the investment community, academia, the health system and government.

About Ontario Tech Talent (TALENT™)

TALENT is bold, connected, and empowered to meet global digital transformation head on. As an ecosystem of learners and employers, we are building resiliency into key economic sectors, enabling organizations to evolve and individuals to thrive. We are transforming together and for the future, in step with emerging needs and for a lifetime of meaningful employment for all. Find out more at www.ontariotechtalent.ca.

For more information and/or if you are a biosciences organization that would like to get involved, contact:

Rachel Sumner
Executive Director
TALENT™
rachel@ontariotechtalent.ca

Doriane Rey
Manager, Marketing and Events
Ontario Bioscience Innovation Organization
dorianerey@obio.ca

OBIO Announces Expansion of Early Adopter Health Network Partnerships

OCTOBER MARKS THIRD EAHN™ COHORT SELECTION TO COMMERCIALIZE INNOVATIVE TECHNOLOGIES

September 29, 2021 – TORONTO, ON – The Ontario Bioscience Innovation Organization (OBIO®), a not-for-profit organization dedicated to advancing health technology innovation and commercialization, is proud to announce the growth and expansion of its Early Adopter Health Network (EAHN™) partnerships, together with the upcoming selection round of its new cohort.

With more than 18 healthcare members and 11 innovation organization partners from across Canada, the EAHN™ has grown into Canada’s premier health science market acceleration program since its launch in early 2020. Now, OBIO® will be hosting its third cohort network day in October, where innovative companies will meet with healthcare organizations prior to launching new EAHN™ projects later this year.

“We are delighted to expand the EAHN™ with the engagement of so many leading healthcare organizations and with the support of our innovation organization partners,” said Gail Garland, President & CEO of OBIO®. “Growing and maintaining a robust and globally competitive domestic health science industry ecosystem here in Canada requires partnerships and collaborations to get the job done.”

Through the EAHN™, which is supported by the Federal Economic Development Agency of Southern Ontario, OBIO® provides project management and financial support to evaluate technologies in the real-world setting and facilitate their broad adoption into the health system. They connect leading-edge, scaling health science companies with healthcare organizations, providing an opportunity for innovators to access local markets before expanding globally, as well as a strong reason to anchor themselves in Canada.

Driven by OBIO’s unique capacity to pair commercial-ready technologies with clinical end-users who want to deliver improved care at any health institution, the goal for the EAHN™ is to become early adopters of homegrown medical technology and help streamline the procurement process. Through a collaborative and comprehensive approach, EAHN™ addresses both the “push” and “pull” factors of what industry has developed and what burdened hospitals are trying to address. This allows the EAHN™ to catalyze change by delivering improved patient care more efficiently while opening the door to a new health-care economy that benefits Canadians and Canadian companies alike.

OBIO® would like to thank and recognize the following organizations for their involvement and support in the EAHN™:

EAHN™ Healthcare Members:

• Baycrest

• Bruyère

• Centre for Addiction and Mental Health (CAMH)

• Hamilton Health Sciences

• Health Sciences North

• Hôtel-Dieu Grace Healthcare

• Joseph Brant Hospital

• Kingston Health Sciences Centre

• Michael Garron Hospital

• North York General Hospital

• Southlake Regional Health Centre

• St. Mary’s General Hospital

• The Ottawa Hospital

• Unity Health Toronto

• University Health Network (UHN)

• West Park Healthcare Centre

• Winchester District Memorial Hospital

• Women’s College Hospital

EAHN™ Innovation Organization Partners:

• Carleton University

• Clinical Trials Ontario

• Invest Ottawa

• Life Sciences British Columbia

• Montréal InVivo

• Ontario Institute for Regenerative Medicine

• Ryerson Biomedical Zone

• SOSCIP Consortium

• StarFish Medical

• Stem Cell Network

• Synapse Life Science Consortium

For more information about OBIO’s EAHN™, or if you are interested in being part of the network, please contact Dr. Jeff Aramini at jeffaramini@obio.ca.

About OBIO®

OBIO®, founded in 2009, is a not-for-profit, membership-based innovation organization engaged in strategy, programming, policy development and advocacy to further the commercialization of human health technologies positioning Canada as a leader in the international marketplace. OBIO® advances this goal through collaborative partnerships with industry, the investment community, academia, the health system and government.

For media inquiries, please contact:

Bojana Duric, BlueSky Communications
bduric@blueskycommunications.com
289.981.7710

OBIO’s H2BB™ Workforce Development Program Accredited by the University of Toronto School of Continuing Studies

It’s official! OBIO’s H2BB™ Women in the Business of Health Science Bootcamp will be endorsed and recognized by the University of Toronto School of Continuing Studies (UofT SCS). Participants who successfully complete this OBIO® program will receive a micro-credential issued by UofT SCS. In addition, a successful completion of the bootcamp program paired with UofT SCS courses may lead to a full UofT SCS Certificate. Details on eligible certificates are currently under review and will be published shortly on learn.utoronto.ca.

The Women in the Business of Health Science Bootcamp, taking place between August 23 – 30, is an intensive six-day training program delivered by seasoned professionals in various areas of business and designed to help women transition into or advance their careers in the growing health science industry. The bootcamp addresses some of the challenges encountered by women and supports their re-entry into the workforce post-pandemic, enabling them to enhance their business knowledge and leverage their existing skills. With the endorsement of the University of Toronto School of Continuing Studies, OBIO’s H2BB™ Women in the Business of Health Science Bootcamp represents a unique upskilling opportunity for women in health science.

Ontario Bioscience Innovation Organization Supports Advancement of Women in the Business of Health Science With Six-Day Bootcamp

COMPLETED APPLICATIONS FROM EMPLOYED AND UNEMPLOYED WOMEN LOOKING TO ENTER OR ADVANCE IN THE HEALTH SCIENCE INDUSTRY
DUE FRIDAY, AUGUST 13

August 5, 2021 – TORONTO, ON – As health science companies gear up for post-pandemic growth, the Ontario Bioscience Innovation Organization (OBIO) is working towards positioning women to meet the demand for top talent with its second six-day bootcamp, Women in the Business of Health Science. The training, conducted from August 23 –30, addresses the knowledge and skills required to secure business-oriented roles in the health science industry. The bootcamp, which covers topics such as marketing, sales, strategy, business development, project management and operations, is open to employed and unemployed women looking to enter or advance their careers in the health science industry who meet the eligibility criteria and submit their application on/before Friday, August 13. The program is free of charge for qualified participants.

The COVID-19 pandemic has exacerbated the barriers women face across all industries and by April 2021, more than 16,000 women had dropped out of the labour force completely. To address some of the challenges encountered by women and to support their reentry into the workforce, the bootcamp provides participants with professional development mentorship in career advancement strategies or in job search preparation, such as resume and interview coaching.

“As Canada shifts into higher gear post-COVID-19, we want women to be prepared to meet and capitalize on the increased demand for talent,” said Gail Garland, President and CEO, OBIO. “We know that women benefit from the knowledge and skills acquired during our bootcamp because 75% of participants secured positions within three months of completion. OBIO is ideally positioned to help both women and health science companies grow during our post-pandemic recovery.”

About OBIO

OBIO®, founded in 2009, is a not-for-profit, membership-based innovation organization engaged in strategy, programming, policy development and advocacy to further the commercialization of human health technologies positioning Canada as a leader in the international marketplace. OBIO advances this goal through collaborative partnerships with industry, the investment community, academia, the health system and government.

Contact

Doriane Rey
Manager, Marketing & Events
Ontario Bioscience Innovation Organization
dorianerey@obio.ca

Aifred Health wins $1 million in AI competition

Aifred Health, a Montreal-based startup that uses machine learning to treat depression, has earned second spot and $1 million from the IBM Watson AI XPRIZE competition.

Aifred Health was a presenting company at the 2020 OBIO Investment Summit.

Highmark Innovations Inc. Completes a Brokered Private Placement Financing, Closes Acquisition of BrainFx Inc. and Announces Future Acquisitions

Highmark Innovations Inc. is pleased to announce the completion of its brokered private placement financing, along with the execution of a number of strategic acquisitions, including BrainFx Inc., an OBIO CAAP 2016 company.

By adding the technology developed by BrainFx team, Highmark now has a complete, bookended solution for the market. BrainFx designs and develops mobile and virtual neurological performance testing software applications, as well as collects normative neurofunctional data.