Healthtech SME Program
Our Healthtech SME Program (CIHS) facilitates R&D projects between healthtech SMEs, researchers, and other collaborators to bring products to market faster.
Program CLOSED
Our Impact
A 2-year, $6.7M program applying SWAT to 39 companies.
906
HQP trained and upskilled
40
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40
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$31M+
Investment attracted to industry
60
Product brought to market
40
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40
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85
HQP jobs created
Project Highlights
CIHS applied a holistic, tailored co-creative approach to respond directly to the specific needs of Canadian healthtech SMEs.
Objective A
Creating multi-stakeholder teams focused on successful product development.
Objective B
Supporting and managing industry-led R&D collaborations.
Objective C
Reskilling employees with in-demand skills for the health tech market.
Objective D
Providing on-demand support to SMEs, reducing their upfront costs and barriers and mitigate risks to compete in the Healthtech economy.
Our Methodology
Our unique SWAT (SME Workforce And Technologies) approach helps ensure project success, while driving insights into the potential for further investment.
1
Qualifying
Initial discussion with industry to assess eligibility and learn about product development challenges.
2
Assessing Needs
Identify product needs, existing resources, and resource gaps.
3
Designing
Develop and design industry-led R&D projects to shorten product time to market.
4
Building Teams
Assemble stakeholder team to assist with R&D. This includes stakeholders and domain experts in academia, government, healthcare, and community groups.
5
Launching and Managing
Project management provides safe, high-quality training and reskilling opportunities with trainees, while ensuring that project deliverables are met.
6
Delivering
Timeline to market is shortened and commercial viability is enhanced with successful project completion and new stakeholder partnerships.
Case Studies
The Healthtech SME Program’s core offerings include funding, academic partnerships, product-market fit and advocacy across a range of projects.
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A Tuktu Care Case Study
Tuktu Care developed a mobile app that matches aging adults needing home-based care with local helpers in their own neighborhood.
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A Claris Healthcare Case Study
Claris Healthcare has developed a proven platform to deliver extended care directly into the homes of aging patients, addressing remote patient monitoring and social isolation.
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An AltumView Case Study
AltumView created a privacy-preserving smart activity sensor that employs AI technology to monitor the whereabouts of individuals within their homes.
Fall Announcement & Tech Showcase
This event featured SMEs who have benefited from a portion of the $4.7 million in funding contributed by PacifiCan.
Healthtech SME Program Report
Co-designed projects addressing barriers
Through ecosystem support, the CIHS Program enabled Circle Innovation to work closely with SMEs to identify critical barriers to commercial success and design the right project to overcome these barriers. CIHS addressed challenges by:
- creating multistakeholder teams focussed on successful product development
- supporting and managing industry-led R&D collaborations
- reskilling employees with in-demand skills for the healthtech market
Industry Partners
In partnership with our industry colleagues, we were able to position Circle as a province-wide respected and recognized innovation enterprise.
Our Training Initiatives
We are hosting workshops to identify technology co-creation challenges for Indigenous community members, researchers, industry leaders, government, and policy makers.
Learn MoreOur Funding Programs
Our programs use a holistic, tailored co-creative approach to respond directly to the specific needs of Canadian SMEs.
Learn More