Synakis Announced as 1 of 10 Companies to Receive Investment Through OCI’s Life Sciences Innovation Fund
May 11, 2026
The Ontario Centre of Innovation (OCI) has announced that Synakis has received a $500,000 investment through the Life Sciences Innovation Fund (LSIF) to accelerate the commercialization of made-in-Ontario life sciences innovations.
The LSIF investment includes $5 million from the province, leveraging an additional $14.3 million in private-sector co-investment to support 10 high-potential companies across Ontario. Together, these investments will help transform breakthrough discoveries into real-world health solutions, strengthening Ontario’s global leadership in life sciences.
Synakis welcomed Claudia Krywiak, President & CEO of OCI, Vic Fedeli, Ontario Minister of Economic Development, Job Creation and Trade, and MPP Michelle Cooper to the Terrence Donnelly Centre for Cellular and Biomolecular Research at the University of Toronto for the announcement.
“Ontario has the research strength, talent, and entrepreneurial drive to lead in life sciences and LSIF is helping turn that advantage into real-world impact,” said Krywiak. “By connecting capital with breakthrough innovation, we are accelerating commercialization, strengthening our domestic supply chains, and ensuring that Ontario-made solutions reach patients and markets around the world.”
“Through strategic investments like the Life Sciences Innovation Fund, our government is advancing Ontario’s leadership in this vital sector by accelerating the path to market for made-in-Ontario technologies,” said Fedeli. “This latest round of recipients demonstrates the strength of the province’s innovation pipeline and sends a clear signal that the breakthroughs of the future will be developed, commercialized and scaled right here, in Ontario, by Ontario workers.”
“It takes a village to turn ideas to inventions to innovations,” said Molly Shoichet, CSO & Co-Founder of Synakis. “At Synakis, we are thrilled to be part of the LSIF community where we can bring our expertise in science and engineering together with those of our colleagues in translation and commercialization to build a great Canadian biotechnology company here in Toronto.”
Synakis CSO & Co-Founder Molly Shoichet at the OCI LSIF announcement.
Claudia Krywiak, President & CEO of OCI, Vic Fedeli, Ontario Minister of Economic Development, Job Creation and Trade, and MPP Michelle Cooper joined Synakis and other LSIF recipients for the announcement.
Director of R&D Adam Forman demonstrates Synakis’ innovative technology at the LSIF announcement.