OBIO’s Fifth Annual Investment Summit Attracts Record Number of Global Investors

TORONTO--(BUSINESS WIRE)--More than 120 global investors with an impressive book of US$58 billion to spend converged virtually from February 9-11 at the Ontario Bioscience Innovation Organization’s (OBIO^®) Investment Summit and Early Technology Showcase to hear from 50 of Canada’s most promising health science companies and 10 of Canada’s leading research institutions.

“Over the three days of the summit we showcased Canadian science and innovations to the world,” said Dr. Maura Campbell, OBIO^® CEO. “Thank you to all participants, keynotes and panellists for your expertise, thought leadership and support for investment in the Canadian health science ecosystem. We look forward to building on this year’s success and seeing everybody back next year.”

“Ontario is home to a thriving health science sector and plays a vital role in the global industry,” said the Honourable Helena Jaczek, Minister responsible for the Federal Economic Development Agency for Southern Ontario (FedDev Ontario). “Supporting this key sector is a priority for the Government of Canada, as it grows the competitive domestic life sciences sector in Canada, leading to innovative healthcare discoveries and creating good jobs and resilient economic growth in southern Ontario.”

“Ontario is home to the largest life sciences sector in Canada, and one of the leading life sciences sectors in North America,” said Vic Fedeli, Minister of Economic Development, Job Creation and Trade. “Supporting the growth of this sector will help our economic recovery, strengthen our pandemic resilience, and, most importantly, build a stronger and healthier Ontario.”

“Nurturing the ecosystem that supports Canada’s best health science innovators is key to success,” said Dr. Sir Michael Houghton, Nobel Prize Winner & Director of the Li Ka Shing Applied Virology Institute, University of Alberta, who spoke on the first day of the three-day Summit. “Events like this go a long way towards supporting the growth of a strong and competitive domestic life science sector securing Canada’s ability to deliver healthcare solutions to Canadians and the world. The OBIO Investment Summit will greatly help the emergence of a world-class private biotech industry in Canada.”

Investment in Canada’s biotech, medtech, life sciences and healthtech industry is supported by an ecosystem of partners many of whom have participated in the annual OBIO Investment Summit and Early Technology Showcase since 2018. Included amongst these partners are Canada’s research institutions, universities, technology incubators, start-ups, scientists, and multinationals all of whom are collaborating on the development of world-class healthcare technologies. OBIO^® looks forward to bringing our partners together at future summits as we welcome the world to invest in Canadian healthcare innovations.

About OBIO^®

The Ontario Bioscience Innovation Organization (OBIO^®) founded in 2009, is a not-for-profit, membership-based organization engaged in strategy, programming, policy development and advocacy to further the commercialization of human health technologies positioning Canada as a leader in the international marketplace. OBIO^® advances this goal through collaborative partnerships with industry, the investment community, academia, the health system and government.

For more information, please visit www.obio.ca and follow OBIO^® on Twitter @OBIOscience.

About FedDev Ontario

For more than 12 years, the Government of Canada, through FedDev Ontario, has worked to advance and diversify the southern Ontario economy through funding opportunities and business services that support innovation and growth in Canada’s most populous region. The Agency has delivered impressive results, which can be seen in southern Ontario businesses that are creating innovative technologies, improving their productivity, growing their revenues, and in the economic advancement of communities across the region. Learn more about the impacts the Agency is having in southern Ontario by exploring our pivotal projects.