Clinexus offers support to health-tech entrepreneurs

Posted June 9, 2010

Elizabeth Cannon, PhD, President-elect, University of Calgary speaks at the news conference. Photo by Bruce PerraultAlberta entrepreneurs developing technologies for the health care sector now have access to a central hub of resources, services and programs through the provincially funded Clinexus initiative.

“Helping companies bring new products to market is more important now than ever before,” said Doug Horner, Minister of Advanced Education and Technology. “Through the Clinexus initiative we will be able to speed up development of new health technologies and help small companies to grow and compete in international markets."

Clinexus offers business support mainly to early-stage small companies developing information and communications technologies for application across the full spectrum of health care including wellness and prevention, primary and acute care, and palliative care.

"Our launch today, marks the beginning of an initiative that exists solely to help small health technology businesses grow," said Rob Beamish, Executive Director of Clinexus."Clinexus is here for our clients; we are their bridge to get the resources and assistance needed to take their health technologies to market."

Clinexus funding is now managed by Alberta Innovates—Technology Futures, one of five provincial agencies established in 2010 to strategically lead the province’s research and innovation system in priority areas. The provincial corporation manages action plan initiatives and helps technology companies and industries to find solutions, develop products and move them to market, building on platform technologies like nanotechnology, information communications technologies and genomics.

Gary Albach, Alberta Innovates Technology Futures CEO explains, “As part of Alberta Innovates Technology Futures, Clinexus is perfectly positioned to get health technology in front of practitioners, funding partners and industry.”

The Alberta government has invested almost $3 million in Clinexus under the Action Plan, Bringing Technology to Market. Through initiatives such as innovation vouchers, youth technopreneurship program, Alberta Scientific Research and Experimental Development tax credit, and product commercialization initiatives like Clinexus, the Action Plan aims to help diversify Alberta’s economy through growth in advanced technology sectors.