Grant
Private
Between Intakes
OBIO WiHI Seed Program
Ontario Bioscience Innovation Organization (OBIO®)
Maximum Funding
Up to $10K non-dilutive
Between intakes — applications are now closed for the 2026-2027 cohort.
Difficulty
Easy
Payment
Varies
Trend
Stable
First-Timers
Friendly ✓
Co-Funding
Varies
OBIO WiHI Seed Program provides up to $10K non-dilutive. The OBIO WiHI Seed Program is a six-month program for early-stage Ontario health-science companies, offering up to $10,000 in non-dilutive grant funding, coaching, learning modules, networking and Investment Summit participation. Between intakes — applications are now closed for the 2026-2027 cohort.
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Eligibility & Details
What this program funds and who can apply
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Program Description
The OBIO WiHI Seed Program is a six-month program for early-stage Ontario health-science companies, offering up to $10,000 in non-dilutive grant funding, coaching, learning modules, networking and Investment Summit participation.
Eligibility Requirements
- Must be a private, high-potential health science company based in Ontario.
- Must focus on developing human health science products, including but not limited to medical devices, diagnostics, digital health and therapeutics.
- Must have at least 51% woman-identified ownership; OR have a woman-identified C-suite executive (for example CEO, CTO, CSO, COO or CFO) with senior-level strategic decision-making authority who owns at least 20% equity in the company.
- Must have raised less than $3M CAD in dilutive capital.
- To graduate, companies must actively engage in the program, including regular meeting updates with OBIO and participation in specific workshops throughout the program's term.
- The program runs six months from October 1; applications for the 2026-2027 cohort close Friday, August 14, 2026.
Provinces
Industries
Business Stage
Quick Assessment
Difficulty
Easy
Competition
Moderate
First-Timer
Friendly
Funding Details
- Amount
- Up to $10K non-dilutiveUp to $10,000 CAD in non-dilutive grant funding per selected company
- Type
- Grant
- Level
- Private
- Deadline
- Between intakes — applications are now closed for the 2026-2027 cohort.
Program Scorecard
Competition, effort, and approval at a glance
Competition
Moderate
Deadline
Between Intakes
Approval
Varies
Accessibility
3/5
Moderate — standard application process
Competition
3/5
Moderate competition — prepare a strong application
Difficulty
2/5
Easy — minimal documentation
Processing Time
Budget Trend
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How to Win
Insider tips, common pitfalls, and what successful applicants look like
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Insider TipTwo things worth knowing before you apply.
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See what trips up most applicants for this program — and how to avoid it.
Rejection Pitfalls 5
- More than $3M CAD raised in dilutive capital — the ceiling is a hard eligibility line, not a preference
+4 more pitfalls
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Success Profile
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Evaluation Criteria
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All 5 pitfalls, the checklist and the reviewer notes are in the Playbook below. See what it includes ↓
What's in this Playbook
Everything you need to win OBIO WiHI Seed Program
Not a marketing summary. The actual checklist, intel, and stack strategy reviewers look for.
- 5 rejection pitfalls reviewers flag — so you catch them first
- Your Application Game Plan — the print-ready PDF the preview below describes
- 5-step application timeline with prep hours per step
- Insider tip from program officers on what separates winners
- Success profile + evaluation criteria — exactly what reviewers score on
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Application Playbook
Step-by-step process, required documents, and expenses
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5 steps
Application Steps
1
Check the two thresholds that actually gate this At least 51% woman-identified ownership, OR a woman-identified C-suite executive with senior strategic decision-making authority holding at least 20% equity. And under $3M CAD raised in dilutive capital to date.
Intake Periods
Deadline Notes
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The full guide for this program also covers:
- 4 more application steps
- Intake periods
- Deadline notes
Funding Stack Strategy
Compatible programs, clawback risk, and combined funding potential
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Stacking partner data not yet available.
Combined Funding Potential
See your total funding potential
Clawback Risk
Low Risk
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How OBIO WiHI Seed Program Compares
Side-by-side with similar programs
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| Program | Amount | Difficulty | Payment | Deadline |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| OBIO WiHI Seed Program | Up to $10,000 | Easy | Varies | Between intakes —... |
| Innovative Solutions Canada | up to $150,000 | Hard | Milestone-Based | Challenge-specific — new... |
| Ocean Supercluster | Up to $5 million | Hard | Reimbursement | Continuous intake (Core... |
| Digital Technology Supercluster | Up to $5 million | Hard | Reimbursement | Open — Call for... |
| Ontario Innovation Tax Credit | Up to 8% tax credit | Moderate | Tax Credit Offset | Ongoing |
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Frequently Asked Questions
Quick answers to the questions founders most often ask about OBIO WiHI Seed Program
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Do I need to own more than half the company to qualify?
No. OBIO accepts either at least 51% woman-identified ownership, or a woman-identified C-suite executive — CEO, CTO, CSO, COO or CFO — with senior-level strategic decision-making authority who owns at least 20% equity in the company.
We've already raised money. Are we still eligible?
Only if you have raised less than $3M CAD in dilutive capital. That is a stated eligibility criterion, so a larger prior equity round rules the company out rather than reducing the award.
When do applications close and when does the program start?
Applications for the 2026-2027 cohort close Friday, August 14, 2026, and the six-month program starts October 1.
What do participants get besides the $10,000 in grant funding?
Advisory, coaching, learning modules, access to tools and databases, networking, OBIO membership, participation in the OBIO Investment Summit, and an invitation to a pitch competition on International Women's Day with an opportunity for equity investment.
Does the WiHI Seed grant dilute my ownership stake?
No. OBIO describes the funding as a non-dilutive grant. The separate pitch competition all participants are invited to does carry an opportunity for equity investment, but that is optional and distinct from the grant.
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Full Playbook: OBIO WiHI Seed Program
5 steps · reviewer insights