Based in Fredericton, New Brunswick, ResearchNB is the province's research funding agency. Think of the federal tri-councils CIHR, NSERC, and SSHRC combined into one and operating at a provincial level.

In this episode, Jim Wilson speaks with CEO Candice Pollack about an organization that has moved well beyond the traditional role of a passive funder. Candice explains how ResearchNB now actively connects researchers with industry, government, and community to make sure good research does not simply end up as a paper on a shelf, but moves toward real impact whether through commercialization, policy change, or better patient care.

Candice also makes a heartfelt case for New Brunswick as one of Canada's most underrated places for research and innovation, and why she believes the province's small, nimble approach is a strength rather than a limitation.

Node AI is a software as a medical device company based in Hamilton, Ontario using artificial intelligence to guide surgeons through endobronchial ultrasound, a critical procedure used to determine whether lung cancer has spread to the lymph nodes. Until now, surgeons performing it have essentially been navigating blind.
In this episode, Jim Wilson speaks with co-founder and CEO Mackensey Bacon about a company that grew out of a surgeon's simple observation: if a phone can recognize a face, why can't AI identify a malignant lymph node? Mackensey explains how that idea became a company with four clinical trial sites across Canada and an FDA submission on track for the end of the year.
Mackensey also reflects on the strength of Hamilton's life sciences ecosystem and what it takes to lead a startup alongside two of the best in their fields.

NovaSonix Healthcare is a medtech startup based in London, Ontario developing a portable attachment that converts any standard ultrasound machine into a real-time 3D scanner for musculoskeletal imaging. The goal is to give clinicians MRI-like image quality at the point of care, without the wait.

In Canada, patients with musculoskeletal injuries and diseases currently wait an average of 89 days for a medically necessary MRI.

In this episode, Jim Wilson speaks with co-founder and CEO Randa Mudathir about a company that began as a master's thesis project at Western University and found its footing after winning a pitch competition for bone and joint innovations.

Randa walks through how a team of five co-founders came together, how clinical feedback pushed the company to broaden its focus beyond osteoarthritis detection, and why she believes the technology is ready for its next stage.

With clinical pilots already underway, a pre-seed raise open, and Health Canada and FDA submissions planned for later this year, NovaSonix is moving fast.