HAMILTON & HALTON, ON – January 8, 2026 – Innovation Factory is pleased to announce the finalists for the 13th annual Synapse Life Science Pitch Competition. As Ontario’s premier life science pitch competition, the program assists innovators, scientists, and researchers in bringing their ideas to market, increasing revenues, leveraging intellectual property, attracting investment, and creating jobs.
The finalists selected for this year’s cohort include Better Bionics, DigiBiomics Inc, Digits Health, Epiloid Biotechnology, Fertilead Inc., Mandel Diagnostics, miRoncol Diagnostics Ltd., Neuro-Mod, NovaSonix Healthcare Inc., PalmFree, Sensible Vascular, Sielo Robotics, Synod Intellicare, VRiT Inc., and WeavInsight. Selected from a competitive pool of applicants across Ontario, these companies represent high-potential sectors such as medical devices, digital health, and biotechnology, each addressing significant challenges in modern healthcare.
“Every year, we see brilliant innovators with game-changing ideas who need a clear path to get their technology out of the lab,” said David Carter, CEO of Innovation Factory. “The Synapse Life Science Pitch Competition is designed to provide that path as it enables founders with the resources and mentorship they need to build a business that they can scale in order to improve lives.”
This focus on growth is reflected in the program’s legacy. Having supported over 130 companies to date, the Synapse Life Science Pitch Competition has helped innovators secure more than $100 million in follow-on funding and reach more than 10 global markets. This year’s finalists will build on that success by partnering with post-secondary student teams to develop comprehensive commercialization plans and investor-ready pitches. Additionally, throughout this three-month program, participants benefit from specialized workshops and expert training designed to refine and deliver these critical strategies.
The 2026 competition is made possible through the generous support of our partners, including Deloitte, and Smart & Biggar, which provide the finalists with the mentorship and resources necessary to navigate the complex path to market for innovative life science products and services.
The program culminates on March 25, 2026, with a final showcase in Hamilton, Ontario, where the top five finalists will take the stage to pitch their ventures to a panel of industry judges, vying for cash and in-kind prizes. By facilitating collaboration between emerging start-ups, industry experts, and post-secondary talent, the Synapse Life Science Pitch Competition continues to serve as a vital engine for health innovation in Ontario.
To learn more about the finalists or the final showcase, please visit: synapselifescience.com
About Innovation Factory
Innovation Factory is a not-for-profit business accelerator, serving as the catalyst for technology innovation in the Brant, Halton, Hamilton and Norfolk regions since 2010. Innovation Factory provides business services, training, mentorship, and strategic connections to drive market adoption, leverage intellectual property, and increase revenues, investment, and jobs. Innovators can also access sector-specific resources including exclusive smart transportation test environments and data; and a formal life science and health innovation ecosystem.
