At BML Technology we have the privilege of working backstage with some of the most exciting digital health organizations in Montreal. From this vantage point we are seeing the explosion in creativity and innovation taking place across the Montreal digital health ecosystem. Recently we profiled some leading Montreal digital health startups and described the ecosystem participants – Talent, Universities, Investors, Hospitals, Industry, Government – working together to make this possible.
Investments in digital health and medical technology companies have increased massively
The integration of artificial intelligence in healthcare has led to an explosion in creativity and innovation. Add to this advances in Engineering, Software, Communications, Software as a Medical Device (SaMD), Optics, Miniaturization and all complementary fields and we can see that the revolution in healthcare is only just beginning and investors at all levels are actively seeking ways to participate.
It goes without saying that investment is one of the, if not the most important factors allowing a medical technology startup to go from a vision to a reality. The path from the napkin concept or research insight of a budding engineer or entrepreneur to a clinically proven, certified medical solution deployed in the healthcare system leading to improved patient outcomes and generating revenue for the company is a long, difficult and costly path. The runway is short, the cash burn is high, the challenges are everywhere.
Investment makes creativity, innovation and entrepreneurship possible
Without the necessary investment most of the life changing innovations being developed would not get off the ground. Investors play a critical role not only enabling but also facilitating the path for medical technology startups from concept to reality. The best investors bring more than funding to the table. They may be experienced operators that understand culture, have strong and valuable networks, help the company raise additional funding when necessary and generally contribute to the success of the venture, in cases where the venture succeeds.
Montreal has one of the most active early stage investment ecosystems in North America
Montreal digital health and medical technology companies are fortunate to have direct access to one of the most diverse and active early stage investment ecosystems in North America, including many firms focused on medical technology. The Montreal ecosystem is comprised of seasoned investors at all stages of company development from angel and seed through to public listing, M&A and other exits. This diversity of investor size and focus represents an advantage to early stage firms as they can access the capital required to advance their technology, achieve benchmarks and scale over time.
The Montreal digital health investment ecosystem list
Below we list many of the key participants in the Montreal digital health investment ecosystem. The list is designed for entrepreneurs seeking funding to have easy access to some of the best resources available. It is up to the company to review these sources, enter into a dialogue and see which may be the best fit for their needs.
The majority of investors on the list are not uniquely focused on digital health but due to the once in a lifetime digital revolution taking place in the field technology is playing an expanding role in all aspects of healthcare delivery. As such savvy technology investors are actively investing in digital health due to the numerous opportunities to address a wide array of unmet clinical needs, and to generate outsized returns for investors. From their portfolios we can see that the majority have invested in digital health companies and it is a sector they are active in.
As a company evolves its financing needs also evolve, for this reason we see many medtech firms that have received investments from multiple organizations on the list. It’s not uncommon for a company to receive an early angel investment from a private angel or angel network, to then join an incubator that may include some funding, ramp up to an accelerator that may also include funding to eventually land a larger investment from a venture capital investor, that may lead to additional follow-on rounds and so on. Montreal digital health startups have many excellent opportunities for financing at all stages of their development.
It is also important for entrepreneurs to understand that the demarcations between the various types of investor are not hard set, meaning that many investors participate at multiple stages of the process and belong to more than one group. For example, many incubators are also accelerators. Large venture capital investors may also participate in smaller rounds and may be angels privately. An industry hub may also invest. A venture capital fund may operate an accelerator. This is the definition of a dynamic ecosystem. Many players participating and creating value in multiple ways. It is up to the company seeking funding to interact with the ecosystem and see what is the best fit for them.
The government plays an important role in supporting investment and has myriad programs aimed at helping companies with financing and credit over and above investment, this list is not focused on those resources. We will provide a list focused on government financing resources at a future date.
See our list of Montreal digital health and medical technology angel investors, incubators, accelerators, venture capital investors and other financing resources for startups and growing medtech companies below. If you would like to see your Montreal based medical technology investment firm featured in this list please contact us.
(Organizations are listed in Alphabetical order within their category. No hierarchy is intended).
Economic and Industry Development
Investissement Québec
Investissement Québec’s mission is to contribute to Québec’s economic development, and is at the service of local businesses. A leader in venture capital in Québec, Investissement Québec invests in innovative, visionary and forward-looking projects. This contribution of funds, which is vital for companies, can be made directly or indirectly through specialized funds.
Montreal InVivo
At the heart of the ecosystem of Life Sciences and Health Technologies (LSHT) of Greater Montréal Montréal InVivo is a network facilitating discussion, mobilization and collaboration for the LSHT ecosystem. It represents the Life sciences and Health Technologies (LSHT) cluster of Greater Montréal. They are a non-profit economic development organization that aims to create a business environment that fosters innovation, growth, and competitiveness of public and private organizations within the LSHT sector.
Angels , Incubators and Accelerators
ACET
ACET is a technology business accelerator that helps entrepreneurs build the world of tomorrow by propelling innovative technologies that have a positive impact on society. ACET was born from a desire to offer any entrepreneur or researcher who has developed a technological innovation the possibility to start their business by surrounding themselves with resources that meet their needs in order to maximize their chances of success.
Anges Québec
Anges Québec is the largest angel investor network in Canada. Anges Québec’s mission is to contribute to the growth of Québec’s companies of tomorrow by injecting value-added capital. Anges Québec has become a leader in the Québec early stage investment ecosystem. To date, their 230 members have invested more than $ 117M in the Québec economy, counting more than 157 companies in their portfolio including many in Life Sciences, Digital Health and Medical Technology.
Centech
Dedicated to deeptech & medTech companies with high growth potential, Centech is a world-class business incubator based in Montreal. Centech is a non-profit organization open to everyone and offers two support programs for startups: the Acceleration program (12 weeks), then the strongest potentials are selected to get into the Propulsion program (24 months).
In 2019, Centech was recognized by UBI Global as one of the most successful university incubators in the world.
Centre d’entreprises et d’innovation de Montréal (CEIM)
Centre d’entreprises et d’innovation de Montréal (CEIM) is an incubator and accelerator dedicated to young technology startups. It is a pioneer in Montreal’s startup ecosystem that has contributed to the successful launch and development of 425 companies. Their mission is to support entrepreneurs who present innovative projects by offering them a wide range of services that are tailored to their specific needs so as to provide them with the optimal conditions to grow and sustain their projects in the long term.
CLIP
A unique incubator in the heart of the Montreal General Hospital. Clinical Innovation Platform (CLIP) supports innovative solutions to unmet clinical needs and accelerates the adoption of technologies into the market and healthcare system. The CLIP is tailored to specifically aid the development, commercialization and growth of HealthTech companies. The CLIP also provides innovative HealthTech companies a dynamic environment offering modern co-creation spaces, collaborative working areas, meeting rooms and laboratory space.
CTS
The growth accelerator for healthcare technology. Specialized in innovative healthcare technology and digital health solutions, CTS is an à la carte growth accelerator who responds to the particular challenges and needs of each startup. With CTS behind you, you’ll get strategic coaching to secure financing, effective commercialization tools that will help you succeed across Canada and internationally, and an introduction to their dynamic ecosystem of key medical and business players.
Desjardins Accelerator Program – Startup in residence
The Desjardins Accelerator Startup in Residence Program invests in and provides support for startups that have a positive socio-economic impact within Canada. Startup in Residence is designed to guide early-stage, growth-driven companies to market success.
District 3
Headquartered in the heart of downtown Montreal at Concordia University, District 3 nurtures and develops multidisciplinary startup teams that harness emerging tech to create businesses with global impact. District 3 looks for the brightest of minds and offers the most rigorous training. They bridge the knowledge, skills and resource gap between building a product and building a company.
District 3 Healthcare Stream
District 3 supports early-stage medtech and healthtech startups by helping founders gain market insights, validate clinical and market needs, accelerate product development, access international networks, and navigate the journey of building a startup—all to optimize the commercial potential of your medical innovations.
FounderFuel
FounderFuel works to develop both the skillsets and mindsets of the founders shaping our future through game-changing technology. New founders learn and grow, hone their business models and stories and take their companies to the next level.
McGill Dobson Centre for Entrepreneurship
The Dobson Centre for Entrepreneurship at McGill University offers entrepreneurship programs, mentorship opportunities and access to a wide network of resources for startups at every juncture of their growth.
The Program has generated tremendous value over the years with more than 400 Active Startups, over $2.2 Billion in Pre-seed Funding, 63 patents, 8,000+ New Jobs Created and more. Overall, the McGill Dobson Cup is a valuable and exciting opportunity for young entrepreneurs to take their ideas to the next level and start building successful businesses.
MEDTEQ+
MEDTEQ+’s mission is, through collaborative, industry led projects, to accelerate innovation and position, on a global scale, products and services developed by the Canadian medical technologies industry, thereby generating major economic impacts while improving healthcare systems for the ultimate benefit of patients in Canada and around the world.
From concept to commercialization, they support innovators who are strengthening the healthcare of tomorrow. In collaboration with a variety of partners, MEDTEQ delivers a comprehensive suite of programs designed to help de-risking product development and commercialization.
Medxlab
Medxlab is a joint initiative set up by CQIB (Quebec Life Sciences Incubator) and CTS. It aims to support the commercialization of connected health companies in collaboration with public health network and biopharmaceutical groups Their program facilitates access to the healthcare ecosystem, to capital and investments, to coaching and other startups with innovative projects
PME MTL
PME MTL, Ville de Montréal support network for businesses, offers coaching, training and financing for entrepreneurs, to support them in launching and growing their businesses. PME MTL acts as a true catalyst in developing entrepreneurship, working hand-in-hand with a vast network of partners and bringing together entrepreneurs with different experts, stakeholders as well as financial assistance and program managers. It all makes PME MTL the largest network of experts serving Montréal entrepreneurs.
TandemLaunch
TandemLaunch is a startup foundry and seed fund with a unique model. Working in tandem with cutting-edge research from the world’s best universities, they help driven entrepreneurs build and launch exceptional technology companies. Their Entrepreneurship-in-Residence program offers pre-seed financing, equity, ongoing mentoring and coaching, not to mention a full-time salary and healthcare benefits so that entrepreneurs can focus on building their business.
Techstars Montreal AI
Techstars Montréal AI, is part of one of the leading global startup accelerators helping aspiring founders to early stage entrepreneurs scale their ideas and vision into world-changing businesses. Techstars is an operational investor supporting you on your entrepreneurial journey from idea to building the most successful business possible. Built and run by entrepreneurs themselves, they understand the complexities of putting your ideas into action and scaling them.
Venture Capital and Investments
Accelerated Ventures
Backing innovators to solve generation defining problems at scale. Their platform connects large institutional investors to leading early stage companies. They deploy institutional capital to empower entrepreneurs to ‘scalebig’ through patient venture. Enabling them to focus on building products that will transform industries. They partner with smart seed investors to increase impact through collaborative capital.
(Fund permanently closed)
Amplitude
Amplitude are savvy investors and proven company builders who, at the core, are driven to bring the best healthcare innovations to market to help improve the lives of patients one patient at a time. They have spent decades working with healthcare entrepreneurs to realize their vision of bringing life changing therapies to patients, while delivering superior value to investors.
AQC Capital
AQC Capital manages venture capital funds designed to support companies at various stages of development. They invest in teams from all sectors and regions of Quebec that rely on innovation to target global markets. AQC Capital has teamed up with Anges Québec, the largest network of private investors in the country, to offer not only capital, but also coaching from experienced entrepreneurs who have been successful and are actively involved by contributing their experience and networks.
BCF Ventures
BCF Ventures, a spin-off of BCF Business Law Firm, is a pioneer in the Canadian investment scene and one of the first corporate venture capital funds to be launched by a law firm. BCF Ventures invests at the seed and series A stage of technology-based startups, mostly in Canada. They have a passion for supporting emerging technologies led by talented teams.
BDC Venture Capital
BDC Venture Capital is Canada’s largest and most active venture capital investor. Their equity investment approach, expert advice and vast network help Canadian technology innovators build world-class companies. BDC Venture Capital has been building powerhouse Canadian technology companies for three decades. They’re a patient and stable investor unafraid of risk, here for firms in underserved sectors. As Canada’s most connected venture capital investor, they open doors and provide opportunities others can’t.
BoxOne Ventures
BoxOne Ventures is a privately held investment firm that focuses on early-stage companies across the most impactful, interesting and fast-changing sectors. They invest their own capital and support entrepreneurs across their entire journey from napkin to IPO. They like partnering in the earliest days and bring their experience as founders to support entrepreneurs while making sure to never get in their way.
Brightspark
Your early-stage VC for the long run. Brightspark is a veteran venture capital firm that invests in exceptional early-stage Canadian tech companies. They are a deeply Canadian-rooted venture capital firm built for founders advancing the forefront of their industries. They know what it takes to build a meaningful company – as ex-operators, they’ve done it ourselves. Brightspark invests early and they’re there for the long haul. They look for a strong team above all, and aim to work with you through your entire journey. Usually, they aim to lead or co-lead your first round, and reserve follow-on capital as you grow.
CTI Life Sciences
CTI Life Sciences Fund makes venture capital investments in high quality emerging life science companies at the pre-clinical and clinical development stages. Their main guiding principle is to catalyze, transform and invest in the future of life sciences across Canada, the U.S. and Europe. The Fund is driven by a complimentary management team providing deep scientific knowledge base, board management and governance experience, and business acumen.
Diagram Ventures
Connecting ideas, founders, and capital to build companies. Diagram is backed by a unique combination of entrepreneurs and industry leaders. Together they provide market insights and create opportunities to accelerate the success of their companies.
Diagram creates from scratch technology companies in financial services, insurance, and healthcare. They do this by partnering with world-class founders, providing capital investment, hands-on support, and access to a deep ecosystem of partners.
Esplanade Ventures
Canada’s leading digital healthcare Venture Capital firm, offering local depth with global reach. They are healthcare practitioners, operators and founders with over 100 years’ experience and a deep network. Esplanade Ventures focuses on early stage and high-growth companies shaping the future of healthcare delivery and empowering them to scale and grow.
Front Row Ventures
Built by students, for students. Canada’s leading student run university focused venture capital fund. They back Canada’s most promising university founders – those leveraging cutting-edge technologies to create and redefine industries. They bring together the most talented, innovative, and passionate students from every background and university campus in Canada. Their investment team is run by student leaders, entrepreneurs, researchers and innovators from across Canada.
Inovia Capital
Supporting ambitious founders from seed through IPO, and beyond. Inovia Capital is a venture capital firm that partners up with audacious founders ready to build enduring global technology companies. Inovia Capital is known to roll up their sleeves and serve founders with dedicated long-term mentorship, a talent network, and strategic support for scale. They focus on building companies for the long-term; and create a supportive and robust ecosystem with the capital, the talent, and the management experience to bring startups and scale-ups to the next level.
Lumira Ventures
Over more than two decades, Lumira Ventures has invested over $1B via multiple investment funds. The 40+ products brought from discovery to market by their portfolio companies have generated over $60B of cumulative revenue. Lumira Ventures leverages the lessons learned from helping create, finance and build over 100 innovative healthcare companies. Their portfolio companies take advantage of one of the most experienced and stable teams of venture capital partners in North America. Lumira executes a consistent, proven investment strategy as a lead investor and active partner with their portfolio companies.
Panache Ventures
Investing at the start. With you on the way up. You have a company and potential. Panache Ventures can help you grow both. Panache Ventures invests in Canada’s most ambitious entrepreneurs to generate outsized returns and support founders throughout their careers. They invest in the most promising founders — those who are automating, decentralizing, democratizing, and expanding human capabilities – and want to be the first to invest in their potential, and support their leadership.
Real Ventures
Real Ventures supports game-changing Canadian founders from day one, helping them scale themselves as they scale their businesses. They back visionary founders harnessing technology to make large-scale positive impacts on society. Real Ventures is Canada’s leading early-stage VC firm dedicated to serving entrepreneurs and nurturing the communities in which they thrive. They believe that people, not money, build game-changing companies. Their investment and operations teams deeply understand the business of startups and are there to help founders take their companies to the next level.
Sectoral Asset Management
Sectoral Asset Management is exclusively focused on managing global healthcare portfolios. They help shape the healthcare ecosystem of tomorrow through smart allocation of capital across all company stages, geographies, and healthcare sub-sectors. In 2023, they launched the Fonds Medtech Ventures (FMV), which focuses on Canadian medtech companies. Sectoral uses funds and the operational expertise of their entire team to help their companies bring novel therapeutics and medical devices to patients around the world.
Research Institutes
TransMedTech Institute
The TransMedTech Institute aims to support innovation in medical technologies that meet the needs of users and the health care community, in order to facilitate and catalyze their development and implementation in the health care system.
Ideas and R&D projects will be accompanied and supported by their experienced, seasoned and passionate professionals to facilitate the development of innovative solutions in the healthcare environment. Together, they are driving innovation in medtech to meet the many challenges of the healthcare sector.
Montreal has become a dynamic hub for innovative medical technology and digital health solutions. The Montreal digital health ecosystem is one of the most vibrant in North America and increasingly the world. The financial backbone of this ecosystem, particularly at the earliest stages of company development, represented by the organizations in this list is one of the primary drivers of this innovation and success, and represents a key competitive advantage for digital health startups in the city. We look forward to their continued growth, innovation and investments as Montreal solidifies its position as one of the key ecosystems creating the future of healthcare.
If you would like to see your Montreal based digital health and medical technology investment firm featured in the list please contact us.
About BML Technology
BML Technology understands digital health. At the intersection of medical technology, clinical research and patient-centric healthcare BML drives the mainstream adoption of digital technology in healthcare. Offering a full range of services to the digital health ecosystem BML manages the complex stakeholder interactions necessary to get digital health solutions to market and gain adoption.
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