As part of Holland Bloorview’s largest research expansion in its history, a new commercialization zone opened in June 2023, which includes the open-concept incubator space meant to support external startups and entrepreneurs in navigating some of the challenges faced by early-stage businesses, including providing co-working space, networking and access to experts. In December 2023, the incubator space welcomed Bionic Power as its very first tenant.

Bionic Power is a Canadian-based company that designs and develops lower-body smart orthoses to enhance movement ability and improve quality of life. Excited for the collaborative opportunities at Holland Bloorview, Bionic Power is currently exploring a potential partnership with the hospital’s orthotic and prosthetic (O&P) department, as well as with physiotherapists, to explore how its orthotic device can be integrated into standard therapy for children.

“We wanted to be at Holland Bloorview because we want to help people with cerebral palsy (CP), and being situated here brings us closer to our target population, as well as access to the best experts in the field,” says Gualtiero Guadagni, CEO, Bionic Power. “This is an advantage for us that cannot be found in other shared spaces.”

The opportunity to support Bionic Power opens the door to many potential benefits. This includes bridging equitable access to advanced technology that could enhance care for children and youth with disabilities, while also empowering a thriving research community in a collaborative environment. For instance, in commercializing its own intellectual property (IP), Bionic Power can collaborate with researchers at Holland Bloorview to test and improve its products or utilize some of the hospital’s IP jointly. 

“Each startup is unique and has different needs,” says Sharon Wong, director, commercialization, Bloorview Research Institute. “Our incubator space serves to inspire the next wave of innovations. Our affiliation with the University of Toronto as a teaching institute can also provide startups with access to new, skilled talent.”

The incubator space enables the commercialization zone to unleash the potential for scientific research, clinical expertise and technology to positively impact and transform the lives of children and youth with disabilities across the globe. Holland Bloorview’s commercialization zone amplifies our culture of innovation, and helps establish new industry partnerships to advance new discoveries into the market and bring the most innovative and cutting-edge technology to those that need it most. 

As Holland Bloorview continues its support for external entrepreneurs and companies that create innovative solutions for our client populations, leveraging the use of the incubator space ultimately fuels one of the BRI’s strategic priorities to enable transformational impact and maximize the benefit of discoveries for all those that need them when they need them.

To learn more about Bionic Power, please visit the company’s website here, and to learn more about Holland Bloorview’s commercialization office, please visit the department page here.