Ontario Centre of Innovation programs
Government fundToronto · Pre-Seed–Growth · 17 people tracked
Also known as Ontario Centre of Innovation
Find your way into Ontario Centre of Innovation programs
3,242 people in our graph share verified history with the Ontario Centre of Innovation programs team — schools, employers, funds. One of them is your warm intro.
Investment thesis
OCI operates provincially funded programs that support Ontario companies in commercializing innovation, fostering academic-industry collaboration, and driving follow-on private-sector investment. It backs initiatives across areas such as life sciences and health innovation, digital adoption and AI-enabled modernization for small businesses, and programs like Ready 4 Market and Collaborate 2 Commercialize. Its mandate emphasizes creating jobs, supporting made-in-Ontario innovations, and strengthening the province's innovation ecosystem through co-investment with industry and partners.
Source: firm website, verified Aug 2, 2026.
Team · 17 people
from the firm's website & curated
What they invest in
from 19 of 26 portfolio companiesAI & Machine Learning ×7Biotech ×7Deep Tech ×6Healthtech ×6Medical Devices ×6Digital Health ×4Enterprise Software ×4SaaS ×4
HQs:Canada×11United States×1
Who they back
founder profiles across 7 portfolio companiesWhere their founders worked beforefrom 10 founders with career history
Enactus uOttawa ×2Jibe Ventures ×2
Investments · 26 tracked
founders shown can be your intro path
Bizzabo provides event management software for conferences, including registration, check-in, onsite support, sponsor/exhibitor tools, and CRM data integration for B2B event teams.
Enterprise SoftwareMarketing TechSaaS
Eran Ben-Shushan(Founder)inAlon Alroy(Founder)in
Co-investorsKaedan CapitalLionBirdMaor InvestmentsNext47NFXViola Ventures+2 more
Raised $6.5M to improve mental health assessment in clinical trials.
Co-investorsBackbone Angels
Medical device company helping women with stress urinary incontinence, founded by Karen Brunet.
Co-investorsOntario Centre of Innovation
Crewscope provides AI-powered field intelligence for construction site management, enabling real-time visibility of crew operations through SMS-based communication without requiring apps or login.
AI & Machine LearningConstruction TechEnterprise SoftwareSaaS
Calvin Benchimol(Co-founder CEO)inEhsan Foroughi(Co-founder CTO)in
Co-investorsArchangel Network of FundsDMZ VenturesFuturesightGroundBreak VenturesOntario Centre of Innovation
Esphera designs transgenes that enable budding exosomes to carry multimeric proteins for therapeutic applications, with initial focus on modifying tumor-derived exosomes to create immunostimulatory cancer vaccines.
BiotechDeep TechMedical DevicesToronto, CA
Brian Lichty(Founder, CEO)inCarolina Ilkow(Founder, CSO)inJohn Bell(Founder, President)in
Co-investorsOntario Centre of Innovation
Mozilla is a global community organization that develops and maintains open-source internet infrastructure, including the Firefox web browser and Thunderbird email client, while advocating for internet openness, privacy, and user control.
ConsumerCybersecurityDeveloper ToolsSector AgnosticSan Francisco, US
Co-investorsBattery VenturesBridgewater AssociatesFirst Round CapitalMello RDCRheingau FoundersVeritus Holdings
Growcer provides modular growing infrastructure and ecosystem support to enable communities to produce fresh food year-round locally.
AgTechFoodTechHardwareImpact & Social Good
Corey Ellis(Co-founder)inAlida Burke(Co-founder)in
Co-investorsMaRS Investment Accelerator Fund (IAF)Ontario Centre of InnovationSheBoot
International Mining (IM) is a publication providing technical, in-depth articles and news covering mining equipment, technologies, and operations such as explosives and blasting, ground support, mine hoists, slope stability, and coal mining.
Advanced ManufacturingMedia & Entertainment
Kare Chemical Technologies is a pharmaceutical technology company using a patented catalytic process to convert limonene, a citrus by-product, into high-purity CB1 and CB2 receptor ligands for drug development.
BiotechCleantechDeep TechMedical DevicesNew MaterialsMississauga, CA
Co-investorsOntario Centre of Innovation
Mining/automation company collaborating with Cementation Americas on BoomGuard testing.
Co-investorsOntario Centre of Innovation
Marlow makes organic, toxin-free and sustainable period care products designed for menstruating consumers.
ConsumerDirect to ConsumerFemTechCanada, CA
Nadia Ladak(Founder)in
Co-investorsConnecticut InnovationsOntario Centre of InnovationUCeed Funds
mDETECT develops methylation- and NGS-based liquid biopsy tests to monitor metastatic cancer, aimed at clinical validation and commercial diagnostic use.
AI & Machine LearningBiotechDeep TechDigital HealthMedical DevicesKingston, CA
Christopher Mueller(President and CEO)Irsa Wiginton(Business Development Officer)inKeira Frosst(Scientific Officer)in
Co-investorsOntario Centre of Innovation
Transforming vascular ultrasonography with AI-driven automation software.
Co-investorsOntario Centre of Innovation
Co-investorsMaRS Investment Accelerator Fund (IAF)Ontario Centre of Innovation
myStoria builds tools that help reproductive health patients organize their medical history and arrive at appointments better informed and prepared.
Digital HealthFemTechHealthtech
Jessica(Founder)
Co-investorsGraphite VenturesOntario Centre of Innovation
NodeAI is a healthcare-focused company that builds algorithms and runs clinical trials with the aim of raising the standard of medical care.
AI & Machine LearningDigital HealthHealthtechMedical DevicesToronto, CA
Waël Hanna(Co-Founder / President & Chief Medical Officer)inAnthony Gatti(Co-Founder / Chief Technology Officer)inMackensey Bacon(Co-Founder / Chief Executive Officer)in
Co-investorsOntario Centre of Innovation
Ontario Centres of Innovation (OCI) is an ecosystem connector that supports the commercialization of academic intellectual property and facilitates industry-academic collaborations to drive economic growth in Ontario.
AI & Machine LearningDeep TechEnterprise SoftwareGovTechImpact & Social GoodSector AgnosticOntario, CA
Paradox Immuno develops a platform for discovering therapies targeting protein misfolding diseases, leveraging proprietary research and lead identification technology to address rare conditions with no existing treatments.
AI & Machine LearningBiotechDeep TechHealthtech
Co-investorsBeresford VenturesOntario Centre of Innovation
PhenoTips develops software tools for genomic care that enable patients, doctors, and researchers to collaborate on diagnosis and treatment of genetic conditions.
AI & Machine LearningBiotechDigital HealthHealthtechMedical DevicesSaaSToronto, CA
Pawel Buczkowicz(Chief Operating Officer)in
Co-investorsOntario Centre of InnovationThin Air LabsToronto Innovation Acceleration PartnersGreenSky Ventures
Script Runner provides AI-powered prescription logistics software for pharmacies and hospitals, automating delivery workflows and last-mile fulfillment while ensuring compliance with healthcare regulations.
HealthtechLogistics & Supply ChainSaaS
Co-investorsOntario Centre of Innovation
Stoked Bio is a drug discovery company developing new medicines against drug-resistant diseases, using AI-guided methods to identify novel molecules.
AI & Machine LearningBiotechDeep Tech
Co-investorsOntario Centre of Innovation
Co-investorsAfrica Climate VenturesAmplify PartnersCredo Partners ASEleven VenturesExponential Zaisan PartnersFifth Wall+4 more
Synakis develops ocular biomaterials, including its lead candidate SNK-125, through pre-clinical research and a pipeline of eye-related products.
BiotechHealthtechMedical DevicesToronto, CA
Thierry Nivaggioli(CEO)in
Co-investorsOntario Centre of Innovation
Innovation Factory (iF) is a not-for-profit business accelerator in Ontario, Canada that provides technology startups and scaling companies with mentorship, workshops, funding and investment guidance, IP programming, pitch competitions, and networking, all at no cost and without taking equity.
Enterprise SoftwareHamilton, CA
Co-investorsOntario Centre of Innovation
Portfolio news
latest coverage across their companies
Firefox, · startbase.com · Sep 1, 2026
Synakis Corp. · finsmes.com · May 25, 2026
Kare Chemical Technologies · leadsontrees.com · Oct 27, 2025
Frequently asked questions
- How many investments has Ontario Centre of Innovation programs made?
- Ontario Centre of Innovation programs has 26 tracked investments.
- What stage does Ontario Centre of Innovation programs invest at?
- Ontario Centre of Innovation programs invests at the Pre-Seed, Seed, Series A, Series B, Series C, Growth stages.
- What sectors does Ontario Centre of Innovation programs focus on?
- Ontario Centre of Innovation programs focuses on AI & Machine Learning, Biotech, Digital Health, Healthtech, Medical Devices.
- Where is Ontario Centre of Innovation programs located?
- Ontario Centre of Innovation programs is headquartered in Toronto, CA.
- Who does Ontario Centre of Innovation programs co-invest with?
- Ontario Centre of Innovation programs most often shares deals with Ontario Centre of Innovation, MaRS Investment Accelerator Fund (IAF), Battery Ventures, among 36 tracked co-investors.
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