CENTECH, a Montreal-based technology incubator, announced earlier that it has selected a company founded by Dr. Etienne de Villers-Sidani for its Propulsion Program, which helps the most innovative start-ups move from the initial development phase to commercializing their products and services on the international market. Dr. de Villers-Sidani is a researcher and neurologist at Montreal Neurological Institute and Hospital (The Neuro) and member of the Center for Research on Brain, Language and Music (CRBLM).
Dr. de Villers-Sidani’s company, Innodem Neurosciences, has developed a patent-pending mobile application that will improve the effectiveness and quality of life and care of patients with neurological problems. Innodem’s eye-tracking technology for mobile devices allows patients that cannot speak because of paralysis (ALS, stroke, etc.) or intubation (intensive care) to communicate by simply gazing at various images on a tablet or smartphone linked to the patient’s pre-recorded or synthetic text-to-speech voice messages. This innovation is meant to improve the less efficient message boards and standard of care that rely on third-parties rather than being patient-centric.
CENTECH’s Propulsion Program will come with a $10,000 award and access to leading edge infrastructure, equipment and software, mentorship and networking opportunities.
“With Innodem and the arrival of Dr. Villers-Sidani’s team, CENTECH will concretize its vision of bringing together a concentration of the best Med Tech start-ups under one roof,” explained Richard Chénier, CENTECH’s Director General. “We are developing a true community of expertise in this field, here in Montréal, thanks to best of class institution such as The Neuro.”
About CENTECH
Created in 1996 by the École de Technologie Supérieure, and located in the heart of Montréal’s Quartier de l’innovation, CENTECH is a start-up company launcher dedicated to technological tools and other advanced technologies with high growth potential. Recognized by UBI (University Business Network) as one of the world’s most effective accelerators, CENTECH acts as a veritable growth machine. It has created one of the greatest densities of high-level tech entrepreneurs in Canada.
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