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Ontario Centre of Innovation programs

Government fund

Toronto · Pre-Seed–Seed · 4 people tracked

Also known as Ontario Centre of Innovation

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Investment thesis

OCI maximizes the commercial impact of research developed in Ontario's academic and research institutions, accelerating the commercialization of made-in-Ontario IP and technologies. It runs a suite of programs and co-investment funds — including the pre-seed Ready 4 Market Fund, the early-stage Life Sciences Innovation Fund, Collaborate 2 Commercialize, the Digital Competence Centre, and the Ontario Vehicle Innovation Network — that foster academic-industry collaboration, digital adoption, and follow-on private investment across sectors such as life sciences, healthcare technologies, automotive/mobility, and digital transformation.

Source: firm website, verified Sep 27, 2026.

Stage
Pre-Seed–Seed
Check
$500K
HQ
Toronto, ON, CA
Instruments
Equity · Grants
Founded
2022
Tracked investments
26

Team · 4 people

from the firm's website & curated
Claudia Krywiak· President and CEO

President and CEO of the Ontario Centre of Innovation.

What they invest in

from 20 of 26 portfolio companies

AI & Machine Learning ×8Biotech ×7Deep Tech ×7Healthtech ×6Medical Devices ×6Digital Health ×4Enterprise Software ×4SaaS ×4

HQs:Canada×13United States×1

Who they back

founder profiles across 10 portfolio companies
40%
solo founders
4 of 10 mapped founding teams
25%
repeat founders
of 12 founders with career history

Founding team size:solo founder×42 founders×23 founders×4

Where their founders studiedfrom 10 founders with education data

University of Toronto ×3

What their founders studiedfrom 12 founders with field-of-study data

Business & Management ×5Life Sciences ×4Computer Science ×2Engineering ×2

Where their founders worked beforefrom 12 founders with career history

Enactus uOttawa ×2Hamilton Health Sciences ×2Jibe Ventures ×2McMaster University ×2St. Joseph's Healthcare Hamilton ×2

Investments · 26 tracked

founders shown can be your intro path
Bizzabobizzabo.comin𝕏

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)inBoaz Katz(Founder & CDO)

Co-investorsKaedan CapitalLionBirdMaor InvestmentsNext47NFXPilot Growth Equity+3 more

Crewscopecrewscope.comin

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

Ctvnewsctvnews.cain𝕏

CTV News Stox is a video footage licensing library offering news, sports, and documentary stock content from news bureaus across Canada, the United States, and Europe.

B2B MarketplacesMedia & EntertainmentToronto, CA

Esphera SynBio Inc.espherasynbio.cain

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-investorsFACIT (Fight Against Cancer Innovation Trust)Ontario Centre of Innovation

Firefox,mozilla.orgin

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

Antoine Lamielle(Founder)

Co-investorsBattery VenturesBridgewater AssociatesFirst Round CapitalMello RDCRheingau FoundersVeritus Holdings+2 more

Growcerthegrowcer.cain

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

Im Miningim-mining.comin𝕏

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 Technologieskarechem.comin

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

LoopXloopx.aiin

LoadSight is an AI-powered productivity monitoring system that uses 3D LiDAR, night-vision cameras, and on-board edge AI to automatically measure load volumes, convert them to tonnage, and record load-haul-dump cycle times for dump trucks and LHDs.

AI & Machine LearningDeep TechIoTRoboticsSudbury, CA

Chao Yu, PhD(Founder)inChao Yu(Founder & CEO)Lucas Cui(Co-founder & CTO)

Co-investorsOntario Centre of InnovationWaterloo Accelerator Centre

Marlowwearemarlow.com

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 FundsAngels of Many

mDETECT Inc.mdetect-inc.comin

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

MyStoria Inc.mystoria.comin

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-investorsArchangel Network of FundsGraphite VenturesOntario Centre of Innovation

NodeAI Diagnostics Corp.nodeai.cain

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-investorsFACIT (Fight Against Cancer Innovation Trust)Ontario Centre of Innovation

Ontario Centre of Innovationoc-innovation.cain𝕏

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

Paradoximmunoparadoximmuno.comin𝕏

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

Yulong Sun, PhD(Founder)in

Co-investorsBeresford VenturesOntario Centre of Innovation

PhenoTipsphenotips.comin𝕏

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

ScriptRunner Innovations Inc.scriptrunner.aiin

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 ChainSaaSToronto, CA

Co-investorsHustle FundOntario Centre of Innovation

Stoked Biostokedbio.com

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-investorsAltitude AngelsOntario Centre of Innovation

Synakis Corp.synakis.cain

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

Synmedixinnovationfactory.ca

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

Other

Tracked investments with no reachable website or further public details — typically companies that wound down, renamed, or were absorbed.

Brooklyn HealthCbcCntrl+Moonrise MedicalMyomar Molecular Inc.RxFood

Portfolio news

latest coverage across their companies

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 stages.
What is Ontario Centre of Innovation programs's typical check size?
Ontario Centre of Innovation programs typically writes checks of $500K.
What sectors does Ontario Centre of Innovation programs focus on?
Ontario Centre of Innovation programs focuses on Advanced Manufacturing, AI & Machine Learning, Biotech, Cleantech, Deep Tech, Digital Health, Healthtech, Medical Devices, Mobility & Transportation.
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, Archangel Network of Funds, FACIT (Fight Against Cancer Innovation Trust), among 38 tracked co-investors.

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