March 25, 2025 – The winning pitch at FACIT’s sold-out annual Falcons’ Fortunes pitch competition and recipient of the $100,000 Ernsting Entrepreneurship award was delivered by Dr. Waël Hanna, co-founder and Chief Medical Officer of NodeAI Diagnostics (“NodeAI”). The Hamilton, Ontario based start-up is leveraging the power of artificial intelligence to improve the speed and accuracy in evaluating and staging non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) patients. The innovation is poised to address a long standing gap in lung cancer diagnostics that can better inform treatment decisions and ultimately improved patient outcomes.
Category: Announcement
FACIT and OBIO® announce inaugural WeSEED cohort of women-led start-ups in joint seed capital and commercialization program
March 6, 2025 – The Women’s Synergistic Entrepreneurship and Economic Development (WeSEED) program leverages the combined, complementary capital, expertise and resources of OBIO® and FACIT. The resulting synergies provide a continuum of seamless support and lower barriers faced by women STEM leaders in accessing business training, advisory resources, networks and venture funding.
Idea to Investment Podcast: How FACIT’s support propels early cancer innovations
January 17, 2025 – FACIT’s David Koehler, Director of Fund Operations, appeared on TechAlliance’s Idea to Investment podcast along with Saumik Biswas, President, CEO and Founder of Tenomix Inc. based in London, Ontario. Tenomix’s advancements exemplifies how FACIT’s continuum of commercialization programs can strategically capitalize on homegrown talent and innovations to spur promising start-ups to grow roots in Ontario and bring cancer solutions to benefit patients sooner.
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Pitch Your Cancer Innovation at Falcons’ Fortunes 2025
December 12, 2024 – Call for entrepreneurs and scientists to pitch your Ontario-made cancer innovation for a chance to win the $100,000 award. Falcons’ Fortunes is FACIT’s premier event to celebrate and grow the entrepreneurial spirit within the cancer research community. Apply by January 17, 2025.
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Cutting-edge radiosurgery tech for brain tumours wins 2024 Falcons’ Fortunes
May 6, 2024 – At the sold-out Falcons’ Fortunes pitch competition hosted by FACIT, Dr. Hatim Fakir delivered the winning pitch as selected by the panel of judges for the $100,000 Ernsting Entrepreneurship Award. Developed at London Health Sciences Centre, Dr. Fakir’s RadioSphere is a patient-centred technology to revolutionize existing gamma knife radiotherapy procedures by providing the most precise tumour localization capabilities.
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Registration is now open for the 2024 Falcons’ Fortunes Pitch Finals – LIVE!
March 12, 2024 – You are invited to attend Falcons’ Fortunes, FACIT’s premier event to celebrate and grow the entrepreneurial spirit within the cancer research and innovation communities. Now in its 11th year, the Falcons’ Fortunes event features six Ontario rising stars pitching their breakthrough cancer innovation as they compete for the $100,000 Ernsting Entrepreneurship Award.
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Falcons’ Fortunes 2024 – Pitch Your Cancer Innovation
January 31, 2024 – Apply Now! FACIT invites entrepreneurs and scientists to pitch their Ontario-made cancer innovation to a panel of judges and in front of a live audience for a chance to win the $100,000 award. Falcons’ Fortunes is FACIT’s premier event to celebrate and grow the entrepreneurial spirit within the cancer research community to drive a culture of commercialization where Ontario-based cancer research discoveries becomes Ontario-made solutions to benefit patients worldwide.
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Looking ahead to 2024
January 9, 2024 – The FACIT team is delighted to welcome the new year! For 2024, we maintain our focus on commercializing cancer research and attracting high tech jobs to Ontario. We look forward to working together with our stakeholders and partners to create good-paying jobs, accelerate commercialization and encourage the adoption of Ontario’s innovations to improve health care and grow the economy.
Happy Holidays from FACIT
December 7, 2023 – Season’s Greetings!
From the Ontario life science ecosystem, your friends at FACIT wish you and your family a safe and relaxing holiday season. We look forward to working with you in the new year.
FACIT applauds quizartinib approval: a success for leukemia patients and Canadian cancer research translation
July 24, 2023 – The U.S. FDA announced the approval of quizartinib, an important new therapy for patients with leukemia. This global effort to impact patients in need is to be celebrated while recognizing the contributions from across the Canadian health R&D ecosystem to reach this significant milestone that will now make a difference for patients.