OBIO visited Kitchener-Waterloo last week to meet and network with health science companies, and industry stakeholders. The day was capped off with OBIO’s Health Sciences Network Event, supported by Bereskin & Parr and Communitech.

At the event, OBIO announced the launch of the OBIO Technology Early Adoption (TEA™) program, which partners companies developing technologies that are ready for adoption with end-user healthcare organizations. The event also featured presentations from two physicians who are actively involved in the health science start-up community and who discussed the importance of innovation adoption in the healthcare system, and what they look for in early-stage health science companies.

OBIO also had the opportunity to tour the Medical Innovation Xchange (MIX) with Intellijoint Surgical’s CEO Armen Bakirtzian. MIX is ideal for rapidly growing companies such as Vena Medical who recently moved there. As an industry-led medtech hub, MIX provides the necessary space needed to grow along with shared facilities, resources, and mentorship.

The OBIO team found that all stakeholders – from healthcare organization, to accelerators, incubators and institutes, academically affiliated and otherwise – displayed an attitude of co-operation and innovation and emphasized the importance of supporting growth and innovation.

Check out the photo gallery below!