The Coordinated Accessible National (CAN) Health Network is a federally funded organization that works with Canadian health care operators (called Edges), to identify their biggest challenges and match them with Canadian-made technology solutions.
The CAN Health Network creates an Integrated Marketplace that enables Canadian companies and their solutions to be rapidly validated, procured, and scaled across the Network and beyond. This model supports the commercialization of Canadian companies by de-risking the procurement process and making it easier for health care providers to adopt innovative technological solutions that solve real-world problems in the Canadian health care system.
The CAN Health Network does not distribute grants under CIHR and does not fund clinical trials.
Edges are public or private health care organizations, such as hospitals, home care organizations, health authorities, and private clinics. CAN Health works directly with the Edges to identify their biggest challenges and match them with Canadian-made technology solutions. Together, the Edges make up the purchasing arm of the CAN Health Network’s Integrated Marketplace.
We use the term Edge as CAN Health works directly with the most innovative parts of the health care providers in our Network—who are typically on the leading “edge” of the health care innovation landscape in Canada. Edges are committed to being early adopters of innovative Canadian health care solutions. The ultimate goal is to allow Canadian companies to be rapidly validated, procured and scaled across the country and beyond.
No. The CAN Health Network does not fund Canadian companies.
The CAN Health Network funds commercialization projects. Once a company is selected to work with an Edge on a project, CAN Health provides funding directly to the Edge to cover costs associated with validating and further developing the company’s solution/product.
As a result of working with the CAN Health Network, companies gain exposure to multiple health care organizations across Canada and insights that may be leveraged to optimize their product’s offering and enhance its market-fit, providing increased scaling and procurement opportunities.
A CAN Health Network commercialization project embeds a Canadian company within a CAN Health Edge, providing them access to a real-world environment to apply their solution.
Commercialization projects typically run from three months to one year. During that time, the company receives mentorship from coaches and subject matter experts, marketing and communications opportunities, and guidance on navigating the health care marketplace to increase the chance of a successful procurement.
- Edges identify problem statements and pressing issues within their organizations that they are actively pursuing a solution for and are looking to procure.
- L’équipe du Réseau de santé CAN collabore avec l’Edge pour formaliser l’énoncé du problème, en soulignant les détails du défi du marché que l’Edge cherche à résoudre et pour lequel il est prêt à acheter une solution, ainsi que les résultats souhaités pour la solution.
- This problem statement becomes the “Call for Innovation” (CFI), posted to the CAN Health website for a selected period of time, during which Canadian companies who believe their product addresses the needs of the posted challenge are welcomed to apply.
- Applicant companies are then graded on their solution by the Edge and the CAN Health team, and one final company is selected to proceed with the project and work together with the host Edge – this initiates a CAN Health commercialization project.
One of CAN Health’s key differentiators is that all projects are expected to end in a procurement process, led by the Edge, with budgets pre-allocated prior to project launch. Additionally, at project close, other CAN Health Edges have the ability to purchase what is now a proven solution, tested by a trusted partner in the Network.
To qualify for a CAN Health project, the company must meet ALL the following criteria:
- Siège social au Canada (des critères supplémentaires s'appliquent pour les entreprises dont le siège social n'est pas au Canada)
- Propriété majoritaire de l'entreprise et de la solution par des Canadiens
- Solution à un niveau de maturité technologique (TRL) >7, indiquant une technologie réelle complétée et qualifiée par des tests et des démonstrations
- Toutes les données et les modèles d'IA (le cas échéant) doivent être hébergés au Canada et se conformer à toutes les réglementations canadiennes en matière de confidentialité
- Posséder toutes les approbations réglementaires nécessaires pour la commercialisation, incluant l'approbation de Santé Canada, si nécessaire
Achèvement de toutes les études de validité/utilité clinique requises - Pas besoin de changements de politique pour adopter et implémenter la solution
- Fortes références dans le système de santé canadien
Si l'entreprise n'a pas son siège social au Canada ou si la solution n'est pas majoritairement détenue par des Canadiens, des critères supplémentaires s'appliquent :
- Autonomie indépendante sur les opérations commerciales et le développement de produits (pour les filiales, les affiliés ou les distributeurs)
- Potentiel élevé de création d'emplois au Canada, en particulier dans les postes exécutifs et de haute direction
- Engagement de plus de 70 % de la valeur du contrat au Canada.
Lors du processus de sélection des entreprises, la préférence est donnée aux entreprises/solutions entièrement détenues par des Canadiens, suivies par celles majoritairement détenues par des Canadiens, et enfin les entreprises internationales ayant une présence significative et un impact économique au Canada.
Please fill out the intake form on the following page: https://canhealthnetwork.ca/contact-us/
