Orange County (OC) stands as one of America’s premier hubs for medical technology innovation in Sothern California. The region boasts 3000 med-tech establishments including some of the well-known MNEs (Allergan, Edwards Lifesciences, Masimo, J&J, Alcon, Basch & Lombe, and more).
With the powerhouse research capabilities of the University of California, Irvine (UCI) and an active, sophisticated investor community, OC has developed into one of Southern California’s most vibrant life sciences innovation ecosystems. This thriving environment attracts major industry events each year, drawing corporate venture teams, VC firms, private investors, and top global industry leaders seeking new opportunities for science, technology, and innovation (STI) partnerships, R&D collaborations, and strategic expansion.
Program Overview
The Consulate General of Canada in Los Angeles has partnered with Octane to offer 12 Canadian MedTech companies the opportunity to be a part of the 2026-2027 Octane LaunchPad—a top ranked OC-based virtual accelerator that provides accelerated market entry in the Southern California life sciences ecosystem through 1:1 mentorship,
workshops, capital/fundraising advisory, and signature events.
This virtual accelerator will run over the next 8 months, with the exact cadence to be set with each chosen company.
Companies applying to the LaunchPad will also be eligible to be invited to attend and/or pitch at selected Octane Events including:
- Octane’s Medical Innovation Forum, October 27-28, 2026
- Octane’s Aesthetics Tech Forum, January 7-8, 2027
Selected companies will be required to pay for any costs associated with travel to the events.
Applications are being received and reviewed on a rolling basis. Once your application is submitted, it will be reviewed by the Consulate and Octane, followed by a virtual interview where next steps will be discussed. For any questions about the application and/or program, please reach out to the Trade Commissioner at the Consulate General of Canada in Los Angeles – Isabella Schilpp at Isabella.Schilpp@international.gc.ca
Application Criteria
To be considered for this opportunity, your company needs to be:
- HQ domiciled in Canada,
- A company with a product or solution for the life sciences sector. This can include (but not limited to):
- Aesthetics
- BioTech
- Cardiology
- Diagnostics
- Digital Health
- Health Tech
- Medical Devices/Technology
- Neurology
- Ophthalmology
- Pharmaceuticals
- Revenue generating with a clear product and/or solution,
- Have clients in the Canadian life sciences sector and/or at least one international market,
- Be able to commit a founder/executive to participate in the LaunchPad program
If this program benefits your company and you qualify, we encourage you to apply below!
Applications will close on Tuesday, August 4, 2026.