Apply to the Synapse Life Science Competition
Designed to help move your innovative life science products and services out of the lab and into the market, the Synapse Life Science Competition pairs innovators with business and entrepreneurship students and provides the training, mentorship, and resources to be successful.
Whether you are an innovator, scientist, or researcher, learn more about Ontario’s premier life science pitch competition.
Competition Roles
The Synapse Competition combines the ideas and research of life science innovators with the intellect and strategy of students. Which one are you?
Why participate?
- Receive a $2,000 grant to support the growth of your business
- Develop your commercialization plan and pitch
- Participate in business training workshops to help you bring your idea to market
- Work with Masters/Ph.D. students with expertise in biomedical, business and engineering
- Establish valuable connections within the life science community
- PLUS! Compete for a chance to win BIG cash and in-kind prizes
Who should apply?
- Early-stage companies, innovators, scientists or researchers with a life science product, service or idea
- A driven, coachable and collaborative leadership founder/team
- Located in Southern Ontario
- Companies who are incorporated in Canada, or will have completed incorporation by December 31, 2025
- Has not placed in the top 10 at a previous LiONS LAIR, or placed in the top 5 at a previous Synapse Competition
Why participate?
- Receive a $250 honorarium for participating
- Gain business experience working with an innovative life science start-up company
- Work hands-on to create a commercialization plan, poster and prepare a pitch
- Attend business training workshops and grow your resume
- Establish valuable connections within the life science community
Who should apply?
- Upper-year college and university students
- Master’s-level or Ph.D. students
- Recent graduates
- Experience in business, engineering, science or commercialization
- Interest in partnering with an innovator to help commercialize their idea
Applications are open for the 2025 Synapse Pitch Competition
Innovator finalists receive training, mentorship, a $2,000 grant and a chance to pitch and compete for BIG in cash and prizes.
Student finalists gain first-hand entrepreneurship experience and a $250 honorarium.
Applications for the 2025 Synapse Pitch Competition are closed.
Thank you for your interest in the competition. Applications are now closed and will reopen in October.
Competition Schedule
September 27, 2024: Applications Open
November 10, 2024: Applications Close
December 2024: Finalists Notified
January 8, 2025: Networking & Team Formation
January 15, 2025: Commercialization Plan Training
January 22, 2025: Regulatory Training
Jan – Feb 2025: Business Advisory Meetings
February 12, 2025: Commercialization Plan Due
February 19, 2025: Investor Pitch Training
March 5, 2025: Elevator Pitch & Poster Due
March 26, 2025: Synapse Pitch Competition Showcase
* Dates subject to change
Some fine print.
Participants shall:
- Complete and submit an online application by 11:59 pm Eastern Standard Time (EST) on November 10, 2024;
- Certify that any documentation shared in the application process is their own work;
- Certify that they abide by all guidelines of the Forum;
- Be limited to submitting only one application per participant.
Any submissions received by the Organizers, which are illegible or have not been received through legitimate channels are automatically void.
Participants must be residents and business owners in Ontario, Canada. Innovation Factory clients are eligible to participate in the Competition. Any corporation or enterprise with revenues in excess of $1 million are not eligible for the Competition. Applicants who have previously participated in both, LiONS LAIR and the Synapse Competition, or either competition more than once; and/or who placed in the top ten at a previous LiONS LAIR, and/or placed in the top three at a previous Synapse Competition shall be precluded from participating in this Competition.
The Organizer assumes no responsibility for any problems or technical malfunction of any telephone network, telephone lines, computer online systems, servers, access providers, computer equipment, software, or the failure of any application to be received by the Organizer on account of technical problems or traffic congestion on the internet or at any website, or any combination thereof.
Participants selected to participate in the Forum will be notified by telephone or email. Up to three (3) attempts will be made to contact the selected participants within three days following their selection. The Organizers accept no liability for incorrect, incomplete or illegible contact information provided. If a selected participant cannot be contacted in the manner described above or fails to respond in a timely manner, its application will receive no further consideration by the evaluation panel.
Impartial third-party judges will evaluate and score all applications, from which up to 15 (fifteen) finalists will be selected.
The participants chosen are required to:
- Participate in training sessions from January to March;
- Submit a commercialization plan;
- Deliver a verbal pitch that will be recorded and made available online;
- Participate in sponsor-related engagements;
- Participate in the in-person or virtual production of the Competition
Interested? Sign up for notifications
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Hear from past competitors
Watch past innovators and students speak about their experience at the Synapse Life Science Pitch Competition.
Previous Innovator & Student Testimonials
Applications are open for the 2025 Synapse Pitch Competition
Innovator finalists receive training, mentorship, a $2,000 grant and a chance to pitch and compete for BIG in cash and prizes.
Student finalists gain first-hand entrepreneurship experience and a $250 honorarium.