Innovation in Action
2026 Call for Mental Health Innovation
The Call for Innovation is a founder's first step into CORE Innovation's venture-building pathway. Health technology founders face a distinct set of hurdles: proving market need, navigating healthcare systems, and preparing for adoption, investment and growth. This call exists to help early-stage ventures tackle them with more confidence and less guesswork.
ApplyKey dates and program details
Applications
Open now
Application deadline
October 11, 2026
Program timeline
November 18 – December 16, 2026
Program fee
$950
A two-stage pathway
The program meets founders where they are, with a route into deeper support for ventures that are moving quickly.
Stage one · 4 weeks
The Bootcamp
A fast-paced introduction focused on getting the fundamentals of your venture right: refining the business model, communicating the unique value proposition, identifying your highest-risk assumptions, and applying tailored 1:1 feedback. It runs as four live sessions, complemented by venture-building exercises and one-to-one office hours with a member of the CORE Innovation team.
Stage two · 4–6 months
Additional Support
A deeper venture-building program for companies that show strong momentum through the Bootcamp and alignment with CORE Innovation. Companies apply for it through a competitive selection process after the Bootcamp.
2026 focus area
Mental health innovation
This cohort, CORE Innovation is prioritizing solutions that address mental health challenges across the healthcare system, with a special interest in solutions designed for children, youth and their families. Founders working on solutions that promote mental well-being, prevent or identify mental health challenges, improve access to mental health support, or strengthen mental health care are all a good fit.
Launched in partnership with the Precision Child and Youth Mental Health Collaboratory (PCYMH) at the CHEO Research Institute, which uses comprehensive information about individual patients to more precisely identify and treat children and youth with mental health problems. Learn more about PCYMH →
Who should apply?
Open to researchers, clinicians, founders and innovators building an early-stage health technology venture, from proof of concept to commercially viable:
- Digital health and MedTech companies
- Class I or Class II medical devices
- Technology Readiness Level (TRL) 2 to 8
- Pre-revenue or early-stage ventures
- Open to Canadian and international companies
- Full-time founders, clinician founders building alongside clinical practice, and repeat founders
Not eligible
- Pharmaceutical companies
- Class III medical devices
- Ventures that do not align with CORE Innovation's mission
What you'll leave with
By the end of the program, founders can expect to have made real progress on the foundation underpinning their business model:
- A clear understanding of your customers and their needs
- A refined unique value proposition and business model
- A clearer commercialization roadmap
- Identified technical, regulatory and market risks
- Prioritized next steps for growth, partnerships and fundraising
Program partner
Hôpital Montfort
CORE Innovation is partnering with Hôpital Montfort to support French-speaking and bilingual founders through the program.
Learn more
Full program information, eligibility and key dates:
Applications are open
Apply to the 2026 Call for Mental Health Innovation before the October 11 deadline.