Government of Canada Supports British Columbia Firm Through Build in Canada Innovation Program

VANCOUVER, BRITISH COLUMBIA--(Marketwired - April 22, 2016) - Public Services and Procurement Canada

The Honourable Judy M. Foote, Minister of Public Services and Procurement, today announced that the Government of Canada is investing in a made-in-Canada innovation that uses smartphones to help detect skin cancer.

MetaOptima Technology Inc. of British Columbia received a $169,038 contract for its DermEngine device, which will be used voluntarily by Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP) officers and employees in Surrey, British Columbia, to screen for skin cancer. With the help of this innovation, participating Surrey RCMP officers and employees, who often work outdoors, will be able to have suspicious moles and lesions rapidly assessed using a mini-microscope, a smartphone app and a cloud-based platform.

This investment was made through the Build in Canada Innovation Program, which helps companies bridge the pre-commercialization gap by buying and testing late-stage innovative goods and services within the federal government before taking them to market. Through the program, companies can translate successful sales into jobs, which lead to prosperity for hard-working Canadians and their families. This program is just one of the many ways the Government of Canada supports innovation and small and medium-sized businesses across Canada.

Canadian innovators can submit their proposals at Buyandsell.gc.ca/innovation.

Quick Facts

• DermEngine captures images of the user's skin that are sent to medical professionals for skin cancer screening and to help patients manage skin disease.
• DermEngine is part of a premier inaugural product, the MoleScope™, unveiled at the World Congress of Dermatology conference in Vancouver in June 2015.
• MetaOptima started out of Simon Fraser University's Innovation Office. The company has since grown to nine full-time employees.
• As of April 22, 2016, 179 contracts have been awarded under the Build in Canada Innovation Program, bringing Canadian companies one step closer to selling to domestic and international markets.

Quotes

"Across Canada, companies such as MetaOptima Technology are finding new, innovative products that improve the lives and well-being of Canadians. Our Government has made a commitment to grow our economy, strengthen the middle class, and help those working hard to join it. By matching innovative products like DermEngine with business needs, the Build in Canada Innovation Program helps Canadian companies move their products from the lab to the marketplace."

The Honourable Judy M. Foote, Minister of Public Services and Procurement

"We are very excited at Surrey RCMP to be a part of piloting this emerging technology, as we continue to be committed to employee health and wellness. When this opportunity was presented to offer the chance to our officers to participate in this voluntary program with early screening for skin cancer, we knew we wanted to be involved."

Superintendent Carol Bradley, Operations Support Officer, Surrey RCMP Detachment

"The Government of Canada has provided numerous opportunities for us as we have built our company and developed our business. Starting with support for research and development, through to pre-commercialization with the Build in Canada Innovation Program, the support we have received has been essential to our success thus far to build innovative advanced solutions for skin cancer screening and export our Canadian innovations to 27 countries."

MetaOptima Technology

Associated Links

Build in Canada Innovation Program

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