Johnson & Johnson Innovation, a subsidiary of healthcare group Johnson & Johnson, has opened a branch of its JLabs life sciences incubator in Toronto, Canada.
JLabs @ Toronto is a collaboration between Johnson & Johnson Innovation, J&J subsidiary Janssen, University of Toronto, Government of Ontario, non-profit commercialisation organisation Mars Innovation and its urban innovation hub, Mars Discovery District, where JLabs is situated.
The initiative is also backed by hospital partners Centre for Addiction and Mental Health, Hospital for Sick Children, Sinai Health System, St. Michael’s Hospital, Sunnybrook Health Sciences Centre and University Health Network.
Startups will work at a 40,000 square-foot Toronto facility capable of accommodating 50 startups. A total of 22 pharmaceutical, medical device and consumer health companies make up the initial cohort, seven of which took their place as winners of the JLABS @ Toronto Quick Fire Challenge.
Melinda Richter, head of JLabs, said: “We are thrilled to be part of the flourishing life sciences community in Toronto and to contribute to Ontario’s vision to help drive the province toward becoming a world leader in innovation for health and wellness.
“Canada’s startup scene is booming, and we look forward to working with the many enterprising innovators in the region that are working to turn science into tangible, commercial products.”
Johnson & Johnson had previously set up JLabs sites in San Diego, San Francisco, South San Francisco, Boston and Houston. They collectively host 120 portfolio companies at present.