TORONTO–(BUSINESS WIRE)–Today, INOVAIT, Canada’s image-guided therapy and artificial intelligence network, is announcing a call for applications for the Winter 2026 Pilot Fund. 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 Fund round will provide up to 150,000 CAD to advance promising technologies through 9- to 12-month R&D projects.
The Pilot Fund supports industrial research—from discovering new knowledge to developing technology-driven products and services—and large-scale demonstrations that advance innovations into market-ready applications.
“Our Pilot Fund has invested 10.4 million CAD through 83 projects that are transforming the medical technology sector and healthcare across Canada—creating jobs, training the next generation of innovators, and positioning our medtech sector for global leadership,” said Raphael 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 by enabling more precise diagnoses, safer procedures, and better treatment outcomes,” said the Honourable Melanie Joly, Minister of Industry. “The government’s investment in INOVAIT’s Pilot Fund will boost the development of new technologies to help clinicians deliver faster, higher quality care, which will improve patient outcomes for all Canadians.”
“AI is a powerful driver of innovation, accelerating discovery and turning bold ideas into practical solutions,” said the Honourable Evan Solomon, Minister of AI and Digital Innovation. “By supporting AI-enabled research in image-guided therapy and medical technologies, initiatives like INOVAIT’s Pilot Fund help Canadian innovators move faster from concept to production, strengthening our technology ecosystem and ensuring Canada remains competitive in a rapidly evolving global economy.”
This funding program is open to Canadian corporations, academic institutions, hospitals, and not-for-profit organizations.
Pilot Fund projects are selected based on their ability to demonstrate exceptional scientific, clinical, and technical merit, and their potential for strong commercialization and economic impact.
Key Dates:
- Applications open: January 26, 2026, 9:00 am Pacific Standard Time
- Applications close: March 11, 2026, 11:59 pm Pacific Standard Time
Interested applicants can review the complete Guide for Applicants at www.inovait.ca/funding. All applications must be submitted online through the dedicated application portal at https://inovait.smartsimple.ca/s_Login.jsp.
A virtual information session is scheduled for February 12, 2026, at 12:30 pm Eastern Standard Time. Visit https://luma.com/w27977ra to register for the information webinar. The virtual information session will be hosted in English only. Following the webinar, the recording will be posted to the INOVAIT YouTube page: https://www.youtube.com/@INOVAITCanada, with both English and French captioning.
About INOVAIT
INOVAIT is Canada’s image-guided therapy (IGT) and artificial intelligence (AI) network. INOVAIT supports Canadian IGT companies and academic institutions to develop and commercialize cutting-edge IGT technologies enhanced by AI. Through funding, networking, and training, the network builds upon Canada’s strength in digital innovation, biomedical engineering, and clinical research to collaboratively assemble a critical mass of world-leading Canadian IGT companies and technologies. INOVAIT was established in 2020 by Sunnybrook Research Institute. INOVAIT is supported by the Government of Canada’s Strategic Response Fund.
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