Grand River Hospital partners with innovators

WATERLOO, Ont. – The Accelerator Centre (AC) and Grand River Hospital (GRH) are pleased to announce the launch of a new, collaborative program aimed at improving patient care, and helping Canadian innovators test and enhance their technologies in partnership with the healthcare sector.

The new initiative, called the Synapse Program, will support companies who are ready to scale. It addresses innovators with solutions that have been successfully adopted in a medical environment, as well as those who are near-scale and require additional support of the innovation community in their final push to expand their reach.

This partnership will also help to ensure that new technologies and solutions to enhance patient care are supported to benefit local patients sooner.

“Grand River Hospital is thrilled to partner with the Accelerator Centre for the Synapse Program and its innovative approach to med tech procurement,” said Ron Gagnon (pictured), GRH President and CEO. “The AC is a world class start-up accelerator and GRH is a steadfast test site for products and projects that can greatly transform healthcare delivery for our patients, today and tomorrow.”

The program will combine the expertise of the hospital’s Office of Innovation and Research with the AC’s start-up support system to provide researchers and clinicians the opportunity to work with entrepreneurs on ground-breaking studies that advance exceptional care. The ultimate goal is to connect high-potential start-ups with the federally funded CAN Health Network’s innovative procurement program.

Entrepreneurs will work with the AC and GRH on a customized, short-term roadmap to build their teams, navigate regulatory requirements, and prepare for consideration as a CAN Health Network project. If they are accepted into the CAN Health Network, they will obtain additional access to staff, data, clinicians, and other resources through three to 12 month pilot projects.

“Med tech and health tech companies face a number of unique barriers to success, many of which are tied to connections and access to the talent and data from the industry itself,” says AC CEO, Jay Krishnan.

“In neuroscience, a synapse is the space between neurons that carries electrical impulses from one area of the brain to another. In a post pandemic new normal, we, at the AC are excited in taking a similar role in helping founders navigate challenges and bridging that space to get connected with a marquee healthcare provider like GRH. We’re excited to launch Synapse with Grand River Hospital. Together we hope to deliver top-notch Canadian innovation to our health system.”

About the Accelerator Centre
The Accelerator Centre (AC) is an award-winning startup accelerator dedicated to building and scaling globally competitive companies. The AC is ranked the #1 private business accelerator in Canada and is among the top 5 such organizations in the world due to their reputation for meaningful, one-to-one mentorship and helping entrepreneurs go from the idea stage to high-growth enterprises. The AC has worked with over 650 startups, including Ontario’s most successful medtech and healthtech companies such as Intellijoint, Nicoya Lifesciences, NERv Technology, Cloud Dx, Curiato, and Kenota Health.

About Grand River Hospital
Grand River Hospital (GRH) is one of Ontario’s largest community hospitals and provides innovative, quality care to more than 840,000 residents of Waterloo Region and Guelph Wellington. GRH is a leading healthcare organization, offering cancer and renal (kidney) services; care for the most seriously ill and injured adults; services for mothers, newborns and children; emergency care; mental health and addictions; and care for older adults including rehabilitation. The Hospital is privileged to be a key partner in health sciences learning and has a rapidly growing role in teaching, innovation and research through the Office of Innovation & Research which has partnered with over 50 organizations on more than 150 innovation and research activities since 2011.