OBI invests $500K to accelerate Canada’s next generation of neurotechnology innovators
24 septembre 2026
Five Canadian entrepreneurs receive funding to advance brain health innovations toward commercialization
The Ontario Brain Institute (OBI) is investing $500,000 in five Canadian neurotechnology ventures through its Neurotech Entrepreneurship to Validate Emerging Innovations (NERVE) program.
Now in its 2026 cohort, NERVE provides each entrepreneur with $100,000 in non-dilutive funding, alongside 12 months of mentorship, training and commercialization support to help advance emerging technologies toward real-world applications.
The five 2026 NERVE recipients are:
- James Elson, Attune Kids — Developing a pediatric digital health platform that uses everyday wearables to detect signs of emotional overload, helping neurodivergent children and their families respond earlier.
- Ahmed Ibrahim, Better Bionics — Developing an upper-limb prosthetic with 20 degrees of dexterous control and restored sense of touch, at a fraction of the cost of current bionic hands.
- Diya Shah, Prescia Health — Improving psychiatric triage and assessment by translating performance on gamified cognitive tasks into objective clinical insights.
- Shinjni Sharma, Mellow Labs — Designing non-invasive, home-based mental health interventions, including a mobile app paired with a neuromodulation wearable.
- Sam Turgeon-Brabazon, Crossbridge — Expanding access to concussion care through a smartphone-based platform that guides patients through the recovery process outside the clinic.
Together, these ventures are addressing challenges across pediatric health, mental health, rehabilitation, concussion care and assistive technology, reflecting the breadth of innovation emerging within Canada’s neurotechnology sector.
“Now more than ever, it is critical that Ontario benefits first and foremost from the research done in our own backyard. Our government is proud to support the Ontario Brain Institute, and we commend their NERVE program which will ensure that Ontario’s top researchers have the tools they need to commercialize ground-breaking innovations that keeps our families healthy and further position Ontario as a global leader in brain health.”
— Nolan Quinn, Minister of Colleges, Universities, Research Excellence and Security
Since its launch, NERVE has supported 95 entrepreneurs and generated $180 million in follow-on investment, representing a 29X return on investment. Through NERVE and other programs, OBI supports the growth of Ontario’s neurotechnology ecosystem by helping promising innovations move from research toward products, services and solutions that can benefit patients, families and communities.
Read the full official press release for more information about the 2026 NERVE cohort and their innovations.