Grant
Provincial
Between Intakes
Ontario Brain Institute NERVE Program
Ontario Brain Institute
Maximum Funding
$100,000 non-dilutive grant per recipient; up to 5...
Applications for the 2026 NERVE Program closed April 27, 2026
Difficulty
Moderate
Payment
Milestone-Based
Trend
Stable
First-Timers
Friendly ✓
Co-Funding
Varies
Ontario Brain Institute NERVE Program provides up to $100,000 non-dilutive grant per recipient; up to 5 entrepreneurs awarded annually. The Ontario Brain Institute NERVE Program awards up to five early-stage Canadian neurotechnology entrepreneurs a $100,000 non-dilutive grant plus 12 months of training, mentorship and commercialization support. Applications for the 2026 NERVE Program closed April 27, 2026.
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Eligibility & Details
What this program funds and who can apply
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Program Description
The Ontario Brain Institute NERVE Program awards up to five early-stage Canadian neurotechnology entrepreneurs a $100,000 non-dilutive grant plus 12 months of training, mentorship and commercialization support.
Eligibility Requirements
- Program is aimed at early-stage entrepreneurs based in Canada — it awards up to 5 Canada-based entrepreneurs per year, not Ontario-only applicants.
- Applicant must commit to being a full-time entrepreneur for the duration of the 12-month program.
- Applicant must have an incorporated company, or have plans to incorporate a neurotech company based in Canada.
- The company must be developing and commercializing a technology based on scientific research that has a fundamental impact on how people understand, diagnose, improve or treat brain and brain-related disorders — neurological, neuropsychiatric and/or sensory diseases.
- Programs and services are not eligible — the funded work must be a technology.
- Awarded funds must be used to commercialize a neurotechnology such as a device, therapeutic, AI-based technology or software/ICT; OBI reviews and approves the use of funds.
- Successful applicants must sign a milestone-based agreement with OBI, and funding is released in three tranches contingent on achieving those milestones.
- Attendance at OBI's training and support programs is mandatory for all awardees while enrolled.
- In-person attendance at the pitch session is mandatory for applicants residing in the Greater Toronto Area; applicants elsewhere may pitch virtually.
- Funding is non-dilutive — OBI does not take equity or IP.
- The 2026 intake closed April 27, 2026; no 2027 dates are published yet.
Provinces
Industries
Business Stage
Quick Assessment
Difficulty
Moderate
Competition
High
First-Timer
Friendly
Funding Details
- Amount
- $100,000 non-dilutive grant per recipient; up to 5 entrepreneurs awarded annually
- Type
- Grant
- Level
- Provincial
- Deadline
- Applications for the 2026 NERVE Program closed April 27, 2026
Program Scorecard
Competition, effort, and approval at a glance
Competition
High
Deadline
Between Intakes
Approval
Varies
Accessibility
3/5
Moderate — standard application process
Competition
4/5
High competition — many applicants
Difficulty
3/5
Moderate — standard requirements
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 decide this one.
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Rejection Pitfalls 6
- The venture is a program or a service rather than a technology — explicitly ineligible
+5 more pitfalls
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Success Profile
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Evaluation Criteria
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All 6 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 Ontario Brain Institute NERVE Program
Not a marketing summary. The actual checklist, intel, and stack strategy reviewers look for.
- 6 rejection pitfalls reviewers flag — so you catch them first
- 4-document checklist with what each reviewer is actually checking
- 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
4 docs
Application Steps
1
Confirm you meet the published eligibility You must be an early-stage entrepreneur based in Canada, ready to work on the venture full-time, with an incorporated Canadian neurotech company or firm plans to incorporate one, commercializing a brain-related technology rather than a program or service.
Required Documents 4
✓ Pitch deck
✓ Business/commercialization plan
Eligible Expenses 3
Ineligible Expenses 3
Intake Periods
Deadline Notes
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Funding Stack Strategy
Compatible programs, clawback risk, and combined funding potential
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Combined Funding Potential
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Clawback Risk
Low Risk
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How Ontario Brain Institute NERVE Program Compares
Side-by-side with similar programs
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| Program | Amount | Difficulty | Payment | Deadline |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ontario Brain Institute NERVE Program | $100,000 non-dilutive grant per recipient | Moderate | Milestone-Based | Applications for the... |
| 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 Ontario Brain Institute NERVE Program
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Do I have to be based in Ontario to apply?
No. OBI's published eligibility says the program is aimed at early-stage entrepreneurs based in Canada and awards up to 5 Canada-based entrepreneurs. Only applicants living in the Greater Toronto Area must attend the pitch session in person; everyone else may pitch virtually.
Does the Ontario Brain Institute take equity or intellectual property?
No. OBI states the $100,000 is a non-dilutive grant and that it does not take equity or IP. Awardees sign a milestone-based agreement, not an investment agreement.
Do I need to be incorporated before I apply?
Not necessarily. The eligibility says the applicant must have an incorporated company or have plans to incorporate a neurotech company based in Canada, so a credible incorporation plan is acceptable at application.
How and when is the $100,000 actually paid out?
In three tranches over the 12-month program. Each release is contingent on achieving the milestones in the agreement signed with OBI, and OBI reviews and approves how the funds are allocated against the project plan.
When does the next NERVE intake open for applications?
The 2026 intake closed April 27, 2026 and OBI has not published 2027 dates. NERVE runs annually, so watch the program page from early in the year — the 2026 cycle opened well before its late-April deadline.
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Full Playbook: Ontario Brain Institute NERVE Program
5 steps · 4 docs · reviewer insights