Temerty Medicine expands ECHO program to accelerate health innovation

The Temerty Faculty of Medicine at the University of Toronto will lead the newly expanded and rebranded Entrepreneurship for Commercialization of Health Opportunities (ECHO) program starting summer 2025 — a bold move to advance health innovation across disciplines.

Launched in 2018 under the University’s Translational Biology and Engineering Program (TBEP) at the Ted Rogers Centre for Heart Research, the initiative originally focused on cardiovascular health under the name Entrepreneurship for Cardiovascular Health Opportunities.

To date, ECHO has supported 178 participants and 69 ventures, awarding $1.45 million to help transform cutting-edge cardiovascular research into real-world solutions.

Now, under the leadership of Temerty Medicine’s commercialization and partnerships unit, ECHO will expand to include all areas of health research and care. A new general health stream will complement the existing cardiovascular track, opening the door to broader innovation and patient impact.

“Expanding ECHO beyond its initial scope is more than growth,” said Soror Sharifpoor, ECHO founder and director of commercialization and partnerships at Temerty Medicine. “It’s a gateway to faster adoption of life-saving ideas and a stronger bridge between research and care.”

Temerty Medicine, a global leader in health research, is committed to turning discovery into impact. Adding ECHO to its commercialization portfolio strengthens its role in shaping the future of health care.

ECHO will continue to collaborate with TBEP and receive support from the Health Innovation Hub (H2i), Temerty Medicine’s health accelerator.

“We’re excited to join forces with Temerty Medicine to take ECHO to the next level,” said Craig Simmons, TBEP scientific director. “This partnership broadens our reach and deepens our impact — unlocking new possibilities for health innovation across disciplines.”

Health innovation is a key driver of Canada’s life sciences economy, fueling job creation, economic growth and better outcomes for patients. Yet, the journey from lab to market can be complex.

“ECHO takes what can be an overwhelming process and breaks it into manageable steps,” said Sharifpoor. “We offer the tools, mentorship and community to help innovators bring their ideas to life.”

As the program enters this new phase, its mission remains clear: to empower health innovators to build scalable solutions that improve lives.

“ECHO is more than a program — it’s a launchpad for the next generation of health breakthroughs,” said Sharifpoor. “We’re building a future where Canadian discoveries don’t just stay in the lab — they reach the people who need them most.”