CABHI and OBI Partner to Accelerate Ontario Innovations that Solve Global Challenges in Neurotech, Aging, and Brain Health

March 23, 2021

New partnership to take centre stage at upcoming CABHI Summit on Thursday, March 24 in the longevity sector’s largest conjoined pitch competition

The Centre for Aging + Brain Health Innovation (CABHI), powered by Baycrest, and the Ontario Brain Institute (OBI) are embarking on a new partnership that will accelerate the translation of healthtech innovations in Ontario to address challenges around healthy aging and cognitive health, including dementia and other brain-related disorders.

Historically, CABHI and OBI have complemented each other’s work in the delivery and dissemination of excellence in brain health, as supported by innovation and research. OBI promotes brain health through research, commercialization, and care across the age spectrum, while CABHI, a digital solutions accelerator, concentrates more on commercializing, scaling, and growing healthtech innovations for older adults’ brain health, with a targeted focus on dementia.

The new partnership formally begins at the upcoming CABHI Summit, a global virtual event happening on Wednesday, March 24 and Thursday, March 25. CABHI and OBI will share the stage in the longevity sector’s largest conjoined pitch competition. The Summit’s events will offer more than $1.5M in combined funding for the best Canadian agetech, healthtech, and neurotech companies.

By joining forces, these new partners demonstrate the value of deepening alliances in Ontario and more broadly, across Canada. “At CABHI, we recognize the tremendous value OBI has had for the innovation community, and how much more we can both do working together and by engaging other aligned agencies and institutions in the future,” stated Dr. Allison Sekuler, Managing Director, CABHI, and Sandra A. Rotman Chair in Cognitive Neuroscience and Vice-President of Research, Baycrest. “We look forward to partnering more closely to expand our collaboration and shared areas of expertise into the development of a broader innovation network.”

“OBI’s model is built around collaboration, and with this new partnership the two organizations can help shape and enhance the health tech ecosystem provincially and nationally,” said Tom Mikkelsen, President and Scientific Director, OBI. “While OBI champions early-stage companies focused on neurotechnology development, validation, and commercialization, CABHI will play a crucial role in supporting entrepreneurs and companies that are ready to access capital, commercialize, scale, and grow – efficiently moving ideas from the lab to life.”

At the CABHI Summit, OBI will present their companies, which are pitching early-stage neurotech solutions for the ONtrepreneurs Program. CABHI’s early-stage healthtech companies will be pitching to scale and grow with MC2 Capital, part of the Mentorship, Capital, and Continuation program, presented in partnership with National Bank. The Summit will conclude with an announcement of both programs’ finalists and the People’s Choice Award Winners for each pitch competition.

By working together across the innovation pipeline, CABHI and OBI will demonstrate Ontario’s contributions to the global longevity sector and expand its reach. They can build innovation for Ontario, as well as Canada and beyond. The solutions that both partners advance will have much-needed real-world impacts that address some of today’s most pressing challenges, and can aid in the impending transition to a post-COVID-19 landscape.

CABHI gratefully acknowledges the support of its funders, the Government of Ontario through the Ministry of Colleges and Universities, the Government of Canada through the Public Health Agency of Canada, the Baycrest Foundation, and donors such as National Bank.

OBI is grateful for its funding provided, in part, by the Government of Ontario.

About CABHI (The Centre for Aging + Brain Health Innovation) A solution accelerator for the aging and brain health sector, CABHI provides funding and support to innovators for the development, testing, and dissemination of new ideas and technologies that address unmet brain health and seniors’ care needs. Established in 2015, it is the result of the largest investment in brain health and aging in Canadian history. CABHI is a unique collaboration of health care, science, industry, not-for-profit and government partners whose aim is to help improve quality of life for the world’s aging population, allowing older adults to age safely in the setting of their choice while maintaining their cognitive, emotional, and physical well-being.

About OBI (Ontario Brain Institute) The Ontario Brain Institute is a not-for-profit organization that accelerates discovery and innovation, benefiting both patients and the economy. Our collaborative ‘team science’ approach promotes brain research, commercialization and care by connecting researchers, clinicians, industry, patients, and their advocates to improve the lives of those living with brain disorders. Welcome to Brain Central. Funding provided, in part, by the Government of Ontario.