Five Canadian entrepreneurs receive funding to advance brain health innovations from discovery to commercialization

TORONTO, Sept. 24, 2026 /CNW/ -- The Ontario Brain Institute (OBI) is investing $500,000 in five Canadian neurotechnology entrepreneurs through the Neurotech Entrepreneurship to Validate Emerging Innovations (NERVE) program, helping promising early-stage innovations move from concept toward commercialization and real-world impact.

Each entrepreneur will receive $100,000 in non-dilutive funding, along with 12 months of mentorship, training, and commercialization support. As Canada's single largest award for early-stage neurotechnology, NERVE helps entrepreneurs turn scientific discoveries and emerging technologies into innovative products and solutions for people living with brain disorders.

Through programs such as NERVE, OBI is helping build Ontario's neurotechnology ecosystem by strengthening the province's innovation economy, attracting local and global investment, creating high-value job opportunities and growing Ontario's life sciences and technology sectors. The NERVE program supports entrepreneurs validating technologies, building businesses, and pursuing commercialization; turning research into products for commercial and clinical use.

"The 2026 NERVE cohort reflects the extraordinary potential of Canadian innovation to address some of the most important challenges in brain health," said Dr. Tom Mikkelsen, President and Scientific Director, Ontario Brain Institute. "Our role is to ensure promising discoveries do not remain in the lab. By connecting entrepreneurs with the expertise, networks, and resources they need to advance their technologies, we are helping turn scientific innovation into practical solutions that can improve lives and create economic value for Ontario."

Selected through a competitive pitch process, the 2026 NERVE recipients are:

• James Elson of Attune Kids is developing a pediatric digital health platform for everyday wearables that can detect signs of emotional overload, so neurodivergent children and their families can respond early.
• Ahmed Ibrahim is the founder of Better Bionics, building 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 of Prescia Health is improving psychiatric triage and assessment with a digital health platform translating patient performance on gamified cognitive tasks into objective clinical insights.
• Shinjni Sharma of Mellow Labs is designing non-invasive, home-based interventions for mental health, such as their combined mobile app and neuromodulation wearable for mental health conditions.
• Sam Turgeon-Brabazon of Crossbridge is closing gaps to access with their smartphone-based digital platform, which can guide patients through the concussion recovery process from outside the clinic.

Together, the five ventures are tackling critical challenges in brain health and demonstrating the breadth of opportunity within Canada's growing neurotechnology sector.

"Now more than ever, it is critical that Ontario benefits first and foremost from the research done in our own backyard," said Nolan Quinn, Minister of Colleges, Universities, Research Excellence and Security. "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."

OBI connects Ontario's brain health community — including researchers, clinicians, innovators, government, community and industry partners — through collaboration and data to accelerate discovery, innovation and better outcomes for people living with brain disorders.

The NERVE program is one program that OBI operates that is helping fuel the growth of Canada's neurotechnology sector. To date, the program has supported 95 entrepreneurs and generated $180 million in follow-on investment, representing a 29X return on investment. These results demonstrate the value of investing strategically in brain health innovation: strengthening Ontario's research and commercialization ecosystem, helping homegrown companies grow, attracting investment, and accelerating the development of technologies that can deliver meaningful benefits for patients, families and communities.

About the Ontario Brain Institute

The Ontario Brain Institute is a provincially funded, 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.

SOURCE Ontario Brain Institute