Media Release

OBIO and Communitech partner to facilitate adoption of made-in-Canada healthcare solutions

KITCHENER, ONT., April 06, 2023 — OBIO® and Communitech have partnered together to further their shared commitment of advancing Canadian healthcare technologies.

Committed to supporting Canadian healthcare technology from validation to commercialization, OBIO® is supporting this partnership through its Early Adopter Health Network (EAHN™), which matches companies with healthcare organizations to evaluate solutions and facilitate broader adoption across healthcare systems. OBIO’s national network has more than 50 healthcare organizations and health systems that are ready to adopt Canadian-made innovative technologies to advance patient care.

“We welcome the opportunity to partner with Communitech,” said Dr. Maura Campbell, OBIO® President and CEO. “We share a common purpose in advancing Canadian-made healthcare technology solutions. The EAHN™ and Future of Health programs complement each other and provide Canadian tech companies with an ideal opportunity to leverage the networks and expertise of both organizations.”

This partnership is supported at Communitech through its Future of Health Program, a collaborative focused on building connections across the healthcare ecosystem while identifying innovative solutions to shared healthcare delivery challenges. Communitech®, in collaboration with OBIO®, will continue to identify Canadian tech firms with scalable innovations to help overcome the biggest hurdles facing today’s healthcare systems.

“Communitech is committed to helping our healthcare systems– from hospitals to primary and long-term care facilities– access the much-needed support of made-in-Canada innovation,” said Chris Albinson, CEO and President of Communitech. “This partnership complements our mission and values while giving five startups engaged in our Future of Health program crucial assistance in taking their solutions from validation to commercialization.”

Through this partnership, up to five Canadian technology startups selected in partnership with Communitech’s Future of Health Program team will receive up to $100,000 through the EAHN™ program to facilitate a technology evaluation in a clinical setting. NextUp CareFluidAI and Voyce are the first three companies to benefit from the partnership by being paired with members of EAHN™.

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About OBIO®

OBIO®, a not-for-profit, membership-based organization dedicated to advancing health technology innovation and commercialization, is prioritizing the evaluation of new technologies through their Early Adopter Health Network (EAHN™) to provide solutions. OBIO® is engaged in strategy, programming, policy development and advocacy to further the commercialization of human health technologies, positioning Canada as a leader in the international marketplace. Visit OBIO.ca for more information.

About Communitech

Established in 1997 in Waterloo Region, Communitech was built by tech founders who saw the need for a community of support to help ensure the future prosperity of Canada. Today, Communitech is Canada’s leading innovation hub, supporting a community of more than 1,200 founders by providing accelerated opportunities to access talent, capital and sales.

As Canada’s tech supercharger, Communitech helps founders start, grow and succeed by:

  • Hiring and retaining the smartest, brightest and most experienced people
  • Accessing growth financing at every stage
  • Selling to the biggest customers at home and around the world
  • Connecting the right people at the right time – peers who have been there before, coaches who can guide them through the difficult spots and partners from all over Canada

For more information, please contact:

Bibaswan Ghoshal, Director, Market Acceleration, OBIO®

Danielle Braun Carlin, Program Manager, Ecosystem Collaboration, Future of Health, Communitech