TORONTO –(BUSINESS WIRE) – Today, INOVAIT, a Canadian image-guided therapy and artificial intelligence network, announces its Winter 2026 Pilot Fund call. The Pilot Fund is a non-dilutive funding program that supports cutting-edge research and development (R&D) projects in image-guided therapy (IGT) and artificial intelligence (AI) technologies.
This pilot funding round provides up to CAD 150,000 to advance promising technologies through 9-12 month research and development projects.
The Pilot Fund supports industrial research and large-scale demonstrations that advance innovation into market-ready applications, from the discovery of new knowledge to the development of technology-driven products and services.
“Our pilot fund invests C$10.4 million through 83 projects that are transforming the medical technology sector and health care across Canada, creating jobs, training the next generation of innovators, and positioning the medical technology sector as a global leader,” said Rafael Ronen, Co-Executive Director of INOVAIT. “This Winter 2026 round represents our continued commitment to turning groundbreaking research into real-world solutions that improve and save lives.”
Funding for INOVAIT is provided through the Government of Canada’s Strategic Response Fund.
“Innovations in AI are reshaping patient care, enabling more accurate diagnoses, safer treatments and better treatment outcomes,” said Honorable Professor Mélanie Joly, Minister of Industry. “The government’s investment in the INOVAIT pilot fund will accelerate the development of new technologies that will enable clinicians to provide faster, higher-quality care, improving patient outcomes for all Canadians.”
“AI is a powerful driver of innovation, accelerating discovery and turning bold ideas into practical solutions,” said Minister Evan Solomon, Minister of AI and Digital Innovation. “By supporting AI-powered research in image-guided therapy and medical technology, initiatives like INOVAIT’s Pilot Fund help Canadian innovators move from concept to commercialization more quickly, strengthening our technology ecosystem and ensuring Canada remains competitive in a rapidly evolving global economy.”
This funding program is open to Canadian businesses, academic institutions, hospitals and non-profit organizations.
Pilot Fund projects are selected based on their ability to demonstrate superior scientific, clinical, and technical merit and the potential for strong commercialization and economic impact.
Important dates:
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Application start date: January 26, 2026, 9:00 AM PST
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Application Deadline: March 11, 2026, 11:59 PM PST
Interested applicants should refer to the complete applicant guide at www.inovait.ca/funding. All applications must be submitted online through the dedicated application portal at https://inovait.smartsimple.ca/s_Login.jsp.
The virtual information session is scheduled for February 12, 2026 at 12:30 PM ET. Visit https://luma.com/w27977ra to register for our informational webinar. The virtual information session will be held in English only. Following the webinar, the recording will be posted on the INOVAIT YouTube page https://www.youtube.com/@INOVAITCanada with captions in both English and French.
About Innovate
INOVAIT is Canada’s image-guided therapy (IGT) and artificial intelligence (AI) network. INOVAIT supports Canadian IGT companies and academic institutions in developing and commercializing cutting-edge AI-powered IGT technology. The network builds on Canada’s strengths in digital innovation, biomedical engineering and clinical research through funding, networking and training, collaboratively bringing together a significant group of world-leading Canadian IGT companies and technologies. INOVAIT was founded by Sunnybrook Institute in 2020. INOVAIT is supported by the Government of Canada’s Strategic Response Fund.
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