Ontario Genomics
Ontario Genomics is a not-for-profit Toronto-based regional Genome Centre that channels federal and provincial funding into genomics and engineering biology research, accelerator programs, and commercialization projects across Canadian human health, agriculture, and bioproducts sectors.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded2000
- HeadquartersToronto, Canada
- Headcount11–50
- GTM typeB2B
- OfferingServices
What Ontario Genomics does
Ontario Genomics is a not-for-profit regional Genome Centre, incorporated and headquartered in Toronto, that serves as Ontario's principal intermediary for genomics and engineering biology research funding. Established in 2000 as the Ontario Genomics Institute (OGI) and later rebranded, the organization operates under the national Genome Canada framework alongside peer centres in Alberta, Prairie, and Atlantic Canada. Its functional role is to channel federal, provincial, and public-private partnership funding into applied genomics research and commercialization projects spanning three sectors: human health, agriculture and food, and bioproducts and environment. Over 25 years it has catalyzed CAD $1.58B+ in investments, supported 386+ projects, established 630+ partnerships, and contributed to 595+ patents. (Note: the firmographics field lists 'for_profit', but all other source data — legal status, governance, funding model, and ownership commentary — consistently indicates non-profit/charitable structure.)
The organization's product surface comprises three funding programs and a set of technology outputs. The Genomic Applications Partnership Program (GAPP) is a national competitive program funding for-profit companies partnered with academic researchers, with total project budgets of CAD $900,000–$6,000,000 and Genome Canada contributions up to one-third (CAD $300,000–$2,000,000). BioCreate is an Ontario biotech startup accelerator providing CAD $150,000 plus 18 months of mentorship per company, funded by FedDev Ontario. HARVEST is a national agri-tech accelerator launched in 2026 with CAD $7 million from Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada, offering up to CAD $750,000 per project across PACT and wasteCANcreate streams. Technology outputs from funded projects include SmartRequisition (an AI-assisted clinical genomic test requisition platform using LLMs with RAG), the Dualase two-site genome editing platform (with ML-enabled prediction tooling, partnered with Specific Biologics and Western University), and the CIPHER clinical genomics network spanning five Canadian health institutions.
Ontario Genomics does not generate commercial revenue. Its business model is institutional grant administration: it receives restricted government funding from Genome Canada, AAFC, FedDev Ontario, and the Ontario Ministry of Colleges, Universities, Research Excellence and Security, and deploys these funds through competitive programs and accelerators to researchers and biotech startups. Pricing is structured as grant tiers (e.g., CAD $150K for BioCreate, CAD $350K–$750K for HARVEST, CAD $300K–$2M from Genome Canada via GAPP) rather than as commercial contracts. Customer segments are academic researchers, Canadian for-profit biotech enterprises (startup through enterprise, e.g., Specific Biologics), healthcare institutions, and government/public sector partners. The organization employs 11–50 staff and is led by President & CEO Dr. Bettina Hamelin.
Ontario Genomics firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Ontario Genomics
- Legal name
- Ontario Genomics
- Website
- https://ontariogenomics.ca
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 2000
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 11–50 employees
- Short description
- Ontario Genomics is a not-for-profit Toronto-based regional Genome Centre that channels federal and provincial funding into genomics and engineering biology research, accelerator programs, and commercialization projects across Canadian human health, agriculture, and bioproducts sectors.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Ontario Genomics industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Genomics Research Funding and Commercialization Services
- NAICS
- Research and Development in Biotechnology (except Nanobiotechnology) (541714), Grantmaking and Giving Services (81321)
- SIC
- Services-Commercial Physical & Biological Research (8731)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Public Health Genomics & Sequencing (WGS/Metagenomics) Networks (HLAJAIAK)
- akta.pro secondary industries
- Genomics & Next-Generation Sequencing (NGS) Services (HLAGANAA), Genetic & Genomic Testing (germline, somatic, carrier, pharmacogenomics) (HLAAALAD), Digital Breeding & Bioinformatics Software (Breeding informatics, decision tools) (AFABALAL)
Keywords
Where Ontario Genomics is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Toronto
- HQ country
- Canada
- HQ region
- North America
Offices1 record
Markets served
Ontario Genomics business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Others
Revenue model
- Funding Facilitation Services: Ontario Genomics facilitates funding from Genome Canada and other government sources to support genomics research. They do not generate commercial revenue but rather coordinate and deploy public funding to researchers and companies.
- Accelerator Programs: Manages accelerator programs (HARVEST, BioCreate) that provide funding and mentorship to biotech startups, with funding from Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada and Federal Economic Development Agency for Southern Ontario.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Other | Multi-year contract | HARVEST Accelerator funding: $350,000 - $750,000 per project |
| Other | Multi-year contract | BioCreate Program: $150,000 per startup |
| Other | Multi-year contract | GAPP Funding: $300,000 - $2,000,000 from Genome Canada |
Go-to-market motion1 record
Distribution channels4 records
Marketing channels5 records
Ontario Genomics product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Ontario Genomics is a not-for-profit regional Genome Centre that facilitates genomics and engineering biology research funding and commercialization in Ontario. It operates competitive funding programs (GAPP, HARVEST, BioCreate) that distribute grants from Genome Canada, Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada, and FedDev Ontario to researchers and biotech startups, while also convening the ecosystem through the annual Canada SynBio conference and supporting technology platforms such as SmartRequisition and Dualase genome editing.
Product overview
Ontario Genomics operates as a research funding and commercialization organization, not a traditional product company. Its portfolio consists of funding and accelerator programs, technology platforms developed through funded research projects, and event convening services. Key offerings include: the BioCreate accelerator providing $150,000 equity-free funding plus mentorship to Ontario biotech startups; the HARVEST Business Accelerator with two streams (PACT for primary agriculture clean technologies and wasteCANcreate for waste valorization) offering up to $750,000 per company; and the GAPP funding program connecting academic researchers with industry receptors. Technology outputs from funded projects include SmartRequisition (AI-assisted genomic test ordering platform), Dualase genome editing technology (with ML-enabled prediction tools), and various genomics-based solutions across health, agriculture, and environment sectors. Ontario Genomics also convenes the annual Canada SynBio conference series for the engineering biology community.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Brands
- BioCreate: A biotech startup accelerator program run by Ontario Genomics providing $150,000 and 18 months of mentorship to Ontario biotech companies.
- HARVEST Business Accelerator
- GAPP (Genomic Applications Partnership Program)
Products and services
- Genomic Applications Partnership Program (GAPP) A national competitive funding program that supports Canadian for-profit enterprises partnered with academic researchers to commercialize genomic innovations. Total project budgets range from $900,000 to $6,000,000 with Genome Canada contributing between $300,000 and $2 million, and private sector contributions required to match or exceed the Genome Canada contribution. The program runs through a multi-stage intake and review process: intake form, Ontario Genomics panel review, full application, practice pitch, and final pitch to Genome Canada.
- HARVEST Business Accelerator A nationwide business accelerator investing in Canadian cleantech and agriculture companies with up to $750,000 per project plus mentorship. The program has two streams: PACT (Primary Agriculture Clean Technologies) and wasteCANcreate. Nine startups receive funding and mentorship, funded by Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada through the ACT Accelerator and delivered in collaboration with Genome Alberta and Genome Prairie.
- BioCreate Program An equity-free funding and mentorship accelerator for Ontario biotech startups. Each cohort of eight companies receives $150,000 and 18 months of mentorship. The program is funded by the Federal Economic Development Agency for Southern Ontario (FedDev Ontario).
- SmartRequisition Platform An AI-assisted software platform that automates Human Phenotype Ontology (HPO) capture at ordering and generates HL7 FHIR, LIS, or PDF requisitions for genomic testing. Uses large language models with retrieval-augmented generation to extract phenotype terms from free-text clinical notes and structured inputs. Validated across five Canadian health institutions through the CIPHER network.
Quantifiable outcome
- $1.58B+ in total investments catalyzed
- +4 more outcomes
Companies that use Ontario Genomics
Customer profileNamed customers10 records
Segments4 records
Ideal customer profiles4 records
Ontario Genomics technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed Yes
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
AI capability9 records
Feature3 records
Ontario Genomics partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Twelve partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.
- Genome AlbertacoreCollaboration partner in HARVEST accelerator initiative, combining collective expertise in genomics, agriculture, and food biotechnology to support Canadian companies driving commercialization in clean technology.
- Genome PrairiecoreCollaboration partner in HARVEST accelerator initiative alongside Genome Alberta and Ontario Genomics, focused on commercializing clean technologies for Canada's agricultural sector.
- Genome AtlanticcoreCo-leader with Ontario Genomics on SmartRequisition initiative, supporting the $5.4 million national AI initiative for genomic test ordering modernization.
- IWK HealthcoreLeading the SmartRequisition national initiative with co-lead PhenoTips, coordinating five Canadian health institutions across four provinces.
- PhenoTipscoreCo-leader of SmartRequisition initiative with IWK Health, providing genomic workflow software platform that automates clinical note conversion to structured lab requisitions.
- Western UniversitycoreResearch partner with Dr. David Edgell's lab leading ML platform development for Dualase genome editors, integrating large-scale genomic datasets and structural modeling.
- Specific Biologics Inc.coreToronto-based biotech company receiving grant to develop ML-enabled prediction platform for Dualase genome editing technology targeting C9ORF72 ALS and Huntington's Disease.
- Genome CanadacoreNational genomics funding organization that Ontario Genomics partners with as Ontario's regional genome centre, supporting research across health, agriculture, and environment sectors.
- Alberta Health ServicesminorPartner institution in CIPHER network validating SmartRequisition technology across Canadian healthcare institutions.
- CHU Sainte-JustineminorPartner institution in CIPHER network validating SmartRequisition technology, representing Quebec in the multi-province initiative.
- CHEOminorPartner institution in CIPHER network validating SmartRequisition technology for pediatric genomic testing workflows.
- SickKidsminorPartner institution in CIPHER network validating SmartRequisition technology, one of Canada's leading children's hospitals.
Scale indicators10 records
Recent moves6 records
Expansion highlights6 records
Ontario Genomics competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- Genome Atlantic: Atlantic Canada regional Genome Centre; co-leads the SmartRequisition initiative with OG. Same funding-catalyst model targeting Atlantic Canadian researchers and companies.
- CQDM: Quebec Consortium for Drug Discovery, a non-profit biopharmaceutical research consortium funding collaborative R&D between academia and industry. Highly comparable business model of public-private research funding with industry partnerships.
- Genome Prairie: Sister regional Genome Centre serving the Prairie provinces and a co-collaborator with OG on the HARVEST/PACT program. Same mandate, same model, same funding sources.
- Genome Alberta: Sister regional Genome Centre that co-leads the HARVEST initiative with Ontario Genomics and Genome Prairie. Operates the same model of public-funding catalysis for genomics research and commercialization in Alberta.
- Genome British Columbia: Another Canadian regional Genome Centre with parallel mandate to fund genomics research, industry partnerships, and commercialization in BC. Same structure, funder base (Genome Canada), and program types as OG.
- Genome Quebec: Quebec's regional Genome Centre, providing genomics research funding and large-scale sequencing services. Most comparable peer in scale and scope to OG within the Genome Canada network.
Broad incumbents
- Genome Canada: National umbrella organization that funds and coordinates Canada's regional Genome Centres, including Ontario Genomics. Directly comparable as the apex of the same Canadian genomics funding ecosystem OG operates within.
- California Institute for Regenerative Medicine (CIRM): Large California state agency funding stem cell and genomics research through grants to academic and industry researchers. Comparable mission and funding-intermediary model at substantially larger scale.
- Alberta Innovates: Alberta's provincial innovation agency funding research and commercialization across health, agriculture, energy, and environment. Comparable as a public-sector innovation funder, though at a broader portfolio level than OG's genomics focus.
- NRC IRAP (Industrial Research Assistance Program): Federal Canadian program providing advisory services and funding to SMEs for technology innovation. Overlapping mandate with OG on supporting R&D commercialization, though IRAP is broader (all tech) and government-run.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat6 records
Key risks5 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
Ontario Genomics social profiles
Digital presenceOntario Genomics financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Ontario Genomics leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles10 records
Ontario Genomics funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds1 record
Investors1 record
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Ontario Genomics M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments11 records
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about Ontario Genomics
What does Ontario Genomics do?
Ontario Genomics is a not-for-profit regional Genome Centre that facilitates genomics and engineering biology research funding and commercialization in Ontario. It operates competitive funding programs (GAPP, HARVEST, BioCreate) that distribute grants from Genome Canada, Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada, and FedDev Ontario to researchers and biotech startups, while also convening the ecosystem through the annual Canada SynBio conference and supporting technology platforms such as SmartRequisition and Dualase genome editing.
Is Ontario Genomics a public or private company?
Ontario Genomics is a private company. It is classified as nonprofit foundation owned and is currently operating.
When was Ontario Genomics founded?
Ontario Genomics was founded in 2000. It employs 11 to 50 people.
Where is Ontario Genomics based?
Ontario Genomics is headquartered in Toronto, Canada, in the North America region.
How does Ontario Genomics make money?
Two revenue lines are on record. Funding Facilitation Services are the primary driver. The others are accelerator Programs.
Who are Ontario Genomics's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are Genome Atlantic, CQDM, Genome Prairie, Genome Alberta, Genome British Columbia and Genome Quebec. Broad incumbents are Genome Canada, California Institute for Regenerative Medicine (CIRM), Alberta Innovates and NRC IRAP (Industrial Research Assistance Program).
Does Ontario Genomics have an API?
No public API is recorded for Ontario Genomics.
What industry is Ontario Genomics in?
Ontario Genomics's product category is Genomics Research Funding and Commercialization Services. Its primary akta.pro industry code is HLAJAIAK, Public Health Genomics & Sequencing (WGS/Metagenomics) Networks, with a secondary code of HLAGANAA, Genomics & Next-Generation Sequencing (NGS) Services. Its NAICS code is 541714 and its SIC code is 8731.