SickKids (Toronto): How Businesses Can Partner to Access Hospital Expertise and IP

SickKids (Toronto): How Businesses Can Partner to Access Hospital Expertise and IP

Many Canadian companies find it hard to test or co-develop health innovations without clinical expertise. SickKids (Toronto) offers a formal way for businesses to work with one of the world’s leading paediatric hospitals. Companies can collaborate with SickKids without building their own labs or hiring clinical teams. The focus is applied research, product validation, and new intellectual property (IP)—not direct cash grants.

How SickKids Business Partnerships Work

SickKids operates differently from traditional grant programs. It acts as a research and innovation partner for businesses that need hospital-level expertise, facilities, and clinical insight.

The SickKids industry partnership model lets your business:

• Work with clinicians, researchers, and scientists at SickKids
• Access specialized hospital facilities and data environments
• Co-develop new technologies, methods, or IP
• Validate products in real-world paediatric healthcare settings
• Build proofs of concept to support commercialization

This model often complements grant-funded R&D projects, especially when public funding requires an academic or hospital partner.

Is This a Grant?

No. SickKids partnerships are non-financial.

There is:

• No direct cash funding
• In-kind value through expertise, infrastructure, and research capacity

Many businesses combine a SickKids partnership with programs like NSERC Alliance, Mitacs, or provincial innovation grants to cover project costs. GrantHub’s eligibility matcher helps you find programs by province and industry quickly.

Who Is Eligible to Partner with SickKids?

Eligibility depends on project fit, not company size.

Typical partners include:

• Canadian startups developing health or medtech products
• Small and medium-sized enterprises working on diagnostics, devices, digital health, or therapeutics
• Established companies expanding into paediatric or hospital-based use cases

Most partnerships are structured through:

• A university or college collaborator
• A formal research agreement with SickKids as a health institution

There is no minimum revenue or employee requirement. What matters is whether your project matches SickKids’ clinical and research priorities.

Types of Projects SickKids Supports

SickKids partnerships are best for applied, problem-driven work.

Common project types include:

• Proof-of-concept development
• Clinical or operational validation of new products
• Process improvement in hospital or care delivery settings
• Technology development leading to new IP
• Data-driven research using hospital expertise

Projects must have a clear use case in paediatric health or hospital environments. Early-stage companies are welcome if the concept is well-defined and technically credible.

Intellectual Property (IP): What Businesses Should Know

IP is a key reason companies work with SickKids.

Important points:

• IP ownership is defined in the research agreement
• Models may include:
  • Shared IP
  • Company-owned IP with hospital licensing rights
  • Hospital-owned IP licensed to the company
• Commercialization pathways are discussed before the project starts

Expect formal legal review and technology transfer involvement. This protects both your business and the hospital while making commercialization possible.

How Long Does a SickKids Partnership Take?

Timelines depend on the project’s complexity.

Typical stages include:

1. Initial scoping and alignment discussions
2. Research and ethics approvals (if needed)
3. Contract and IP negotiations
4. Project execution

Simple validation projects may move faster. Research-intensive collaborations can take several months to launch.

See also: How Long Do Research Partnerships Take? Timelines for Grants, Contracts, and Results

Common Mistakes to Avoid

• Assuming SickKids provides cash funding. This is a collaboration, not a cheque. Plan your budget separately.
• Waiting too long to discuss IP. IP terms should be addressed early to avoid delays.
• Pitching ideas without a clear use case. Projects must solve a real clinical or operational problem.
• Ignoring grant stacking. Many businesses miss out by not combining hospital partnerships with external grants.

Frequently Asked Questions

Q: What is the SickKids industry partnership program?
It is a collaboration model that gives businesses access to hospital expertise, facilities, and IP. It supports applied research and innovation, not direct funding.

Q: Can startups partner with SickKids?
Yes. Early-stage companies can work with SickKids to validate products or develop proofs of concept, as long as the project is credible and aligned.

Q: Do I need a university partner?
Often, yes. Many projects are structured through universities or colleges, but direct agreements with SickKids are possible depending on scope.

Q: Who owns the IP developed?
IP ownership depends on the agreement. It may be shared or licensed, with commercialization pathways defined upfront.

Q: Is this only for paediatric-focused companies?
Primarily, yes. Projects should have relevance to paediatric care, hospital operations, or child health outcomes.

Additional Tips for Success

• Prepare a clear project plan before approaching SickKids.
• Research SickKids’ clinical priorities to ensure alignment.
• Use GrantHub to explore compatible grants for your project.
• Engage with university partners early if required.

Next Steps

A SickKids partnership can add clinical credibility, technical depth, and IP value to your innovation. Combining this collaboration with grant funding can strengthen your project. GrantHub tracks active hospital partnerships and R&D-friendly grants across Canada, helping you see which programs fit your business and collaboration goals.