Mar 31, 2023

Inverse3, Haply’s portable haptic device, in a medical setting. Plus: Noze gets $1M grant for malaria breathalyzer from Gates Foundation Share on: The Healthtech Times is a weekly newsletter covering healthtech news from Canada and around the globe. Subscribe to H|T using the form at the bottom of this page to ensure you don’t miss out on the most important healthtech news every week! Montréal-based Haply Robotics has secured $4.8 million CAD ( $3.5 million USD) to further develop haptic technology for medical training and gamificaiton in a seed round of funding led by BDC Capital’s Deep Tech Venture Fund. Haptic technology is used to transmit touch feedback through vibrations, sensations, and motion. When used in robotic or virtual surgical training, for example, users can feel what it’s like to “cut tissue, drill into the bone, or excise fat.” Artera, which uses artificial intelligence for cancer testing and personalized care, raised a $90 million round to support the distribution of its flagship test in prostate cancer. The San Francisco-based startup’s prostate cancer test — ArteraAI Prostate Test — predicts therapy benefits in localized prostate cancer. The cash infusion will help distribute the test in the U.S. and internationally, and also be used in the development of tests to support therapy personalization in other cancers. According to a new report from briefed.in, startups in BC raised a total of $1.3 billion in 2022 down by 67.5 percent from 2021 , but up by 34 percent from 2020 . Of all the Canadian tech regions tracked by briefed.in, BC saw the most significant year-over-year decline in funding. Maven Clinic, a New York City-based virtual women’s health provider, announced that it acquired London-based Naytal, also a virtual clinic for women. By acquiring Naytal, Maven's senior vice president of employer growth Chris Hicks said the company aims to improve access to women’s and family health in the U.K. Montréal-based Noze has received a $1 million grant from the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation to build a breathalyzer that detects infectious diseases, more specifically tuberculosis and malaria. Noze's portable breathalyzer is powered by the company's AI-based digital odour perception platform, and detects unique biomarkers in exhaled breath to recognize infectious diseases. In addition, it can deliver instant diagnostics. (MOBIHEALTHNEWS) Cognito Therapeutics, a startup using visual and auditory stimulation to treat neurodegenerative disorders, scored $73 million in a Series B funding round led by FoundersX Ventures, bringing its total raise to $93 million. The company will use the funds to advance the study of its neuromodulation device intended to treat Alzheimer's disease. Québec Finance Minister Eric Girard released the 2023-2024 budget, making clear that the provincial government is betting on economic growth. The plan earmarks $900 million towards new initiatives intended to stimulate economic productivity and innovation, and $615 million to address the labour shortage. Mental health provider SonderMind bought struggling startup Mindstrong's technology and will bring on board some of its tech team, the company announced Wednesday. Financial terms of the deal were not disclosed. Through the deal, SonderMind also gains Mindstrong's tech capabilities—such as specialized care journeys and intelligent notes functions—to help treat those with serious mental illness, the company said. Value-based healthcare is a delivery model that allows providers to be paid based on patient health outcomes. In the traditional method, providers are paid based on the amount of healthcare services they deliver. PointClickCare’s acquisition of Patient Pattern will help the former in facilitating providers’ transition to value-based care by unifying it and their existing care delivery models in one platform. With $30 million in funding from the federal government, CAN Health operates through a regional model that allows the organization to work across regional boundaries to identify shared problems and priorities, and connect health operators across the country interested in similar tech solutions. Subscribe to The Healthtech Times Don’t forget to subscribe to The Healthtech Times using the form below to make sure it hits your email inbox every week! Subscribe to H|T: The Healthtech Times * indicates required