Ontario Centre of Innovation programs
Government fundToronto · Pre-Seed–Growth · 1 people tracked
Also known as Ontario Centre of Innovation
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 · 1 people
from the firm's website
What they invest in
from 18 of 29 portfolio companiesHealthtech ×6Medical Devices ×6Biotech ×5Digital Health ×4Media & Entertainment ×4AI & Machine Learning ×3Deep Tech ×3SaaS ×3
HQs:Canada×11
Investments · 29 tracked
founders shown can be your intro pathBizzabo 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 InvestmentsNext47NFXInsight Partners+1 more
BetaKit is a Canadian technology news publication covering startups, venture capital, and the tech industry through articles and a podcast.
Media & Entertainment
Co-investors11.2 CapitalAdvance Venture PartnersBackbone AngelsBKR CapitalConexus Venture CapitalMaRS Investment Accelerator Fund (IAF)+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 an AI field intelligence tool for heavy-industry jobsites, letting frontline crews report site conditions via text (no app or login) while its AI structures, routes, and resolves issues and pushes schedules to workers.
AI & Machine LearningConstruction TechSaaS
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
Co-investorsBattery VenturesBridgewater AssociatesFirst Round CapitalMello RDCRheingau FoundersVeritus Holdings
Growcer designs and builds modular vertical container farms (branded Osiris®) that use deep water culture hydroponics to grow lettuce, leafy greens, herbs, and other crops year-round in climates ranging from -40°C to +40°C.
AgTechFoodTechHardware
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 is a menstrual care brand that offers period products and educational content on topics such as cycle syncing and the phases of the menstrual cycle.
ConsumerFemTechWellness & FitnessCanada, CA
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)Keira Frosst(Scientific Officer)
Co-investorsOntario Centre of Innovation
Co-investorsAngel Physicians Funde2vcGenerator VenturesHealthtech CapitalLightstone VenturesMediterranean Towers Ventures+3 more
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 Centre of Innovation (OCI) is a provincial innovation organization that funds and supports Ontario-based companies through programs promoting academic-industry collaboration, commercialization, and digital and AI adoption.
GovTechImpact & Social Good
Paradox develops a drug design platform to identify and create antibodies that selectively target misfolded, disease-causing proteins while leaving healthy proteins intact.
BiotechHealthtech
Co-investorsBeresford VenturesOntario Centre of Innovation
PhenoTips provides a genomic health record and EHR-integrated platform for managing patient pedigrees and genetic analysis.
Digital HealthHealthtechMedical Devices
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
Co-investorsOntario Centre of Innovation
Co-investorsAfrica Climate VenturesAmplify PartnersCredo Partners ASEleven VenturesExponential Zaisan PartnersigniteXL Venture+2 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)
Co-investorsOntario Centre of Innovation
Co-investorsOntario Centre of Innovation
The Globe and Mail is a Canadian news organization publishing journalism on national and international current affairs, business, sports, and culture, along with puzzles and podcasts.
Media & EntertainmentToronto, CA
Co-investorsDesignX
Frequently asked questions
- How many investments has Ontario Centre of Innovation programs made?
- Ontario Centre of Innovation programs has 29 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), Backbone Angels, among 49 tracked co-investors.
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