Hyivy Health, a FemTech startup developing a first-of-its-kind pelvic rehabilitation system with remote patients, in partnership with McMaster University has been accepted into the Southern Ontario Pharmaceutical & Health Innovation Ecosystem (SOPHIE) program. The Forge client is developing a data-driven pelvic rehabilitation device for women who experience pelvic health complications. The innovative device provides a quantifiable data set on the pelvic floor using their novel device which conducts three different therapies from multiple sensors and mechanical functions to help measure progress, adapt treatment plans, and provide more effective, comfortable rehab experiences.
The program was established by the Federal Economic Development Agency of Southern Ontario (FedDev), Innovation Factory and the Synapse Consortium with the primary mission to catalyze the commercialization and scale-up of innovative technologies being produced by life science firms across Ontario.
Southern Ontario Pharmaceutical & Health Innovation Ecosystem (SOPHIE) Program brings together Innovation Factory’s commercialization services with the Synapse Life Science Consortium’s strategic network to leverage access to Hamilton’s unique life sciences capabilities and research expertise. This funding will support collaborative projects for Ontario-based life science firms in the later stages of commercialization and in need of financing to secure technology validation and first sale.
Startups accepted to SOPHIE can access up to $100,000 in non-dilutive grant funding to support their commercialization project with an academic or clinical partner.
“The SOPHIE Program comes at a critical point in our development where we will be conducting our first in-human clinical studies with our device on Endometriosis patients,” explained Rachel Bartholomew, the founder and CEO of Hyivy Health. “The support of Innovation Factory, Synapse, McMaster and the SOPHIE funding has created a unique ecosystem that can support any health and Medtech founder through the tough hurdles of getting a new, noel product into a clinical setting, which is critical for regulatory strategy and further development. We are thankful for the work being done within the SOPHIE program and the ecosystem which supports it.”