HAMILTON, ON – March 27, 2025 – Five promising life science companies took center stage yesterday at the 2025 Synapse Life Science Competition, hosted by Innovation Factory – competing for $120,000 in cash and in-kind prizes at the final showcase. Ontario’s leading life science pitch competition continues to accelerate groundbreaking innovations by providing critical mentorship, training and industry exposure to emerging companies.
The competition began with 15 early-stage life science companies, who received training and resources to develop their commercialization strategies and refine their business model. Each company also received a $2,000 grant through Innovation Factory to support their business development journey.
After months of training, mentorship, and pitch development, CELLECT Laboratories Inc., LynxsurfBio Inc., Medloaner (Canada) Inc., Power of Play, and Stoked Bio emerged as this year’s top finalists and delivered their pitch to the esteemed judging panel to compete for big prizes.
Power of Play was named the first place winner securing the grand prize of $25,000 in cash and $5,000 of kind prizes including a legal package from Gowling WLG. Power of Play is dedicated to transforming pediatric rehabilitation by creating a child-friendly tool that accurately measures grip and pinch strength in young patients.
“In 2023, Deena [co-founder] and I were at the Synapse Life Science Competition, watching all the amazing pitches. We were so impressed by everyone presenting, and we had no idea that two years later, not only would we be up there presenting but that we would actually win first place,” said Rooaa Shanshal, Co-Founder of Power of Play. Participating in the Synapse program, learning from and meeting all these mentors and advisors, has been incredibly gratifying. Winning first place is a very humbling experience, and we look forward to everything we can achieve with the help of Innovation Factory moving forward”.
Second prize was awarded to CELLECT Laboratories Inc. for disrupting women’s health diagnostics with a non-invasive, accessible, and cost-effective solution, taking home $15,000 in cash.
Medloaner came in third place and received in-kind prizes totaling $7,500 from Shift Health and Megalab Group Inc. Medloaner is a transformative AI-powered solution designed to address inefficiencies in the hospital supply chain for surgical instruments.
In addition to the top prizes, Creative Medical Solutions was recognized for their compelling pitch, earning the $2,500 Quick Pitch Award for their innovative approach to developing a uroflowmetry device to simplify testing, enhance clinic workflows, and improve both patient comfort and access to care. Stoked Bio walked away with an in-kind prize from CDD Vault valued at $14,000. Stoked Bio is a translational biotechnology company established to develop new candidates for resistant infectious diseases and cancers identified using a unique, biology-driven ai-assisted drug discovery and optimization platform. Finally, Nuvia, who provides women suffering from Post Mastectomy Pain Syndrome (PMPS) with a non-invasive solution for long-lasting pain relief through at-home scrambler therapy received the Medstack Prize by Launchit Solutions valued up to $20,000 in-kind.
“The caliber of this year’s finalists reflects the strength of Ontario’s life science sector” said David Carter, CEO of Innovation Factory. “The Synapse Competition is more than a pitch event—it’s a platform for fostering partnerships, driving commercialization, and positioning Canada as a leader in life science innovation.”
The 2025 competition was made possible through the support of key partners, including the “Title Sponsor” Gowling WLG and the “Innovation Partners” Deloitte and CDD Vault along with a network of industry experts, mentors, and judges committed to advancing life science innovation. This year’s judging panel featured Derek Sheppard, an associate in Gowling WLG’s Hamilton office specializing in intellectual property; Danina Kapetanovic, Joint Vice President of Innovation and Chief Health Innovation Officer at Grand River Hospital, St. Mary’s General Hospital, and the University of Waterloo; and Mark, a director in Deloitte Burlington’s Global Investment and Innovation Incentives (Gi3) service line.
Since its inception in 2013, the Synapse Life Science Competition has supported over 130 companies, awarding more than $1 million in cash and prizes, helping participants collectively raise over $100 million in follow-on funding.
For more information on the Synapse Life Science Competition and this year’s winners, visit: synapselifescience.com
About Innovation Factory
Innovation Factory is a not-for-profit business accelerator, serving as the catalyst for technology innovation in the Brant, Halton, Hamilton and Norfolk regions 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.
