HAMILTON, ON – June 25, 2025 – Innovation Factory announced the renewal of its HEALTHI (Health Ecosystem to Accelerate and Leverage Trials of Healthcare Innovation) program, set to welcome its fourth cohort. The upcoming phase of the program aims to support 36 new projects from small to medium-sized enterprises over the next year.
HEALTHI services are supported in part by funding of up to $650,000 from the National Research Council of Canada Industrial Research Assistance Program (NRC IRAP). This renewal follows remarkable program success, with HEALTHI generating $8 million in collaborative commercialization funding since its 2021 launch.
The HEALTHI program, delivered in collaboration with the Synapse Life Science Consortium (Synapse), connects emerging health technology businesses with leading research institutes such as Hamilton Health Sciences (HHS) and the Research Institute of St. Joseph’s Healthcare Hamilton (RISJH). Leveraging this collaborative framework, HEALTHI offers eligible start-ups access to specialized support services, worth up to $15,000 per project, enabling them to identify product gaps, refine solutions, and develop pre-trial protocols and documents required for commercialization projects or clinical trials. This approach serves as a critical validation point in determining market readiness, facilitating the advancement of the most promising innovations to market.
David Carter, CEO of Innovation Factory, stated, “The renewal of HEALTHI confirms its impact. We are not just supporting projects; we are building a strategic bridge between brilliant entrepreneurs and the clinical expertise needed to validate their technologies. This program is instrumental in de-risking early-stage ventures and creating a clear path from the lab to market.”
Entrepreneurs like Sydney Robinson, Co-founder and CEO of Vessl Prosthetics, attest to HEALTHI’s strategic impact: “The HEALTHI collaboration contributed significantly to the development, evaluation, and commercialization efforts of Vessl Prosthetics. It helped us uncover critical gaps in our journey, allowing us to refine our strategy and expedite delivery of our technology to those who need it most.”
Since its launch in 2021, HEALTHI has supported 67 companies, with 17 securing approximately $6.9 million in follow-on funding for product development and clinical trials. An additional 14 companies are expected to generate approximately $1.1 million in collaborative projects with hospital and research partners. The program’s renewal underscores its role in shaping the future of health technology, demonstrating how strategic partnerships between start-ups and research institutions are essential for continuous product innovation and sustained economic growth.
Applications for the HEALTHI program are open until March 2026. Interested health technology companies can apply online or contact Innovation Factory.
About Innovation Factory
Innovation Factory is a not-for-profit business accelerator, serving as the catalyst for technology innovation in the greater Hamilton area since 2010. Innovation Factory provides business services, training, mentorship, and strategic connections to drive market adoption, leverage intellectual property, and increase revenues, investment, and jobs. Innovators can also access sector-specific resources including exclusive smart transportation test environments and data; and a formal life science and health innovation ecosystem.
