Compass Rose Oncology Fund
FACIT’s Compass Rose Fund helps Ontario’s cancer research innovators, arising from both public and private sectors, realize the commercial possibilities of their inventions by supporting early stage development projects. The Compass Rose Fund anchors and scales biotechs and attracts investment to Ontario, supporting the province’s competitive position as a destination for biotechnology.
FACIT’s Compass Rose Fund is designed to address the funding gap between traditional public granting agencies and private investors, supporting cancer-related, early stage commercialization activities. These include: proof-of-concept (POC), validation, standard operating procedures, market analyses, IP protection and acquisition, expert guidance and management. Investments typically range between $1M and $5M, dispersed in tranches based on achieving pre-established milestones during the planned development
“In addition to receiving this critical investment at a pivotal moment in our company’s development, we are fortunate to benefit from continued exposure to FACIT’s extensive network of industry experts and investors.”
Dr. Marc Fiume, CEO, DNAstack (2019)
Compass Rose Fund Profile
| Investment per start-up* | $1M to $5M, dispersed in tranches based on achieving pre-established milestones |
| Funding Stage | Seed & follow-on |
| Development Stage | Discovery to early clinical |
| Type of Investment | FACIT will receive consideration in the form of a royalty on commercialization revenues and/or equity in start-up companies, often in the form of a convertible debenture. |
| Eligibility | Ontario-based academic researchers and start-ups in the oncology space |
| Preferred Investment Qualifications | Cutting edge technology – transformative not incremental; Significant business opportunity – differentiated, competitive technology;Defined market/technology vertical;Strong IP position – breadth, defensible, blocking ability, freedom to operate;Ability of funding to advance the technology to a value inflection point;Addresses an unmet need for cancer patients and/or cancer clinicians; Economic benefit to Ontario; Suitability of the team executing the work plan Regulatory strategy – clarity of the path, territories, time and capital required; |
| Main Goal of Investment | Achieve a value inflection point, positioning investees to attract additional funding from a wider investor network |
Projects Recently Funded By The Compass Rose Fund
We are investing in Ontario’s innovation economy through these breakthrough start-ups.
SEARCH FILTERS:
Innovation Type
Cancer Type
Current Funding Stage
FACIT Fund
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Cellular Analytics
Innovation Type:
Diagnostics
Cancer Type:
Multiple
Funding Stage:
Seed
Fund:
Compass Rose
Microfluidic platform and lung cancer biomarker chip used to match patients with the most effective therapy for improved treatment outcomes.
Radiant Biotherapeutics
Innovation Type:
Therapeutics
Cancer Type:
Multiple
Funding Stage:
Proof of Concept
Fund:
Compass Rose
Multivalent, multi-specific antibody nanoparticle platform for therapeutic development
Novera Therapeutics Inc.
Innovation Type:
Therapeutics
Cancer Type:
Heme
Funding Stage:
Seed
Fund:
Compass Rose
Development of BCL6 Inhibitors for Treatment of Hematological Cancers
Air Microfluidic Systems Inc.
Innovation Type:
Medical Technologies
Cancer Type:
Breast
Funding Stage:
Proof of Concept
Fund:
Falcons’ Fortunes
Air microfluidics-enabled active compression sleeve for treating breast cancer-related lymphedema
Western University (Tenomix)
Innovation Type:
Diagnostics
Cancer Type:
Other
Funding Stage:
Proof of Concept
Fund:
Prospects
A bench-top ultrasound-based device that can automate the detection of lymph nodes in resected colorectal cancer tissue
Sunnybrook Research Institute
Innovation Type:
Diagnostics
Cancer Type:
Prostate
Funding Stage:
Proof of Concept
Fund:
Prospects
At-home prostate cancer screening kit
Bridge7 Oncology
Innovation Type:
Informatics & AI
Cancer Type:
Multiple
Funding Stage:
Proof of Concept
Fund:
Falcons’ Fortunes, Prospects
Scaling clinical expertise with AI to automate and improve the delivery of cancer care.
Replica Analytics
Innovation Type:
Informatics & AI
Cancer Type:
Multiple
Funding Stage:
Proof of Concept
Fund:
Prospects
Modeling software to create synthetic data based on real clinical datasets
Multimagnetics Inc.
Innovation Type:
Medical Technologies
Cancer Type:
Breast
Funding Stage:
Proof of Concept
Fund:
Prospects
Hand-held photoacoustic device to detect tumour margins and residual disease in the surgical
cavity during breast-conserving surgery
University of Toronto
Innovation Type:
Therapeutics
Cancer Type:
Multiple
Funding Stage:
Proof of Concept
Fund:
Prospects
Development of small-molecule inhibitors of mitochondrial RNA polymerase (POLRMT) as an anticancer strategy
Xpan Inc
Innovation Type:
Medical Technologies
Cancer Type:
Multiple
Funding Stage:
Seed
Fund:
Compass Rose, Falcons’ Fortunes, Prospects
Developing A Less Invasive Access Port To Maximize The Potential Of Laparoscopic Surgical Oncology
OICR
Innovation Type:
Therapeutics
Cancer Type:
Multiple
Funding Stage:
Proof of Concept
Fund:
Prospects
WD Repeat Platform
Sunnybrook Research Institute
Innovation Type:
Diagnostics
Cancer Type:
Multiple
Funding Stage:
Proof of Concept
Fund:
Prospects
Algorithm to predict breast cancer patient response to neoadjuvant chemotherapy
University of Toronto (Perturba)
Innovation Type:
Medical Technologies
Cancer Type:
Multiple
Funding Stage:
Proof of Concept
Fund:
Prospects
Split Intein-Mediated Protein Ligation (SIMPL): a unique and disruptive system for detecting PPIs in real time
Polumiros
Innovation Type:
Medical Technologies
Cancer Type:
Breast
Funding Stage:
Seed
Fund:
Falcons’ Fortunes
ReFilx, a Polymeric Soft Tissue Filler for the Permanent Restoration of Breast Tissue Defects following Lumpectomy
Talon Pharma
Innovation Type:
Therapeutics
Cancer Type:
Heme
Funding Stage:
Proof of Concept
Fund:
Prospects
Inhibition of Kv1.3: Inducing Apoptosis and Impeding Cancer Cell Proliferation
CCRM (Notch Therapeutics)
Innovation Type:
Therapeutics
Cancer Type:
Multiple
Funding Stage:
Proof of Concept
Fund:
Prospects
A Method for Generating Progenitor T-Cells from Stem and/or Progenitor Cells for Universal CAR-T Therapy
OICR
Innovation Type:
Therapeutics
Cancer Type:
Multiple
Funding Stage:
Proof of Concept
Fund:
Prospects
ADC-Linker Platform
Nanology
Innovation Type:
Medical Technologies
Cancer Type:
Multiple
Funding Stage:
Seed
Fund:
Compass Rose, Prospects
A novel nano-theranostic platform technology with capabilities to simultaneously enhance MRI contrast signal in the tumor and enhance the radiation therapy efficacy
16-Bit
Innovation Type:
Informatics & AI
Cancer Type:
Breast
Funding Stage:
Seed
Fund:
Prospects
Automatic Analysis of Screening Mammograms for Breast Cancer
DNAStack
Innovation Type:
Informatics & AI
Cancer Type:
Multiple
Funding Stage:
Seed
Fund:
Compass Rose, Prospects
Development of a Cloud Platform for Genomics Data Management, Analysis and Sharing
Dalriada Therapeutics
Innovation Type:
Therapeutics
Cancer Type:
Heme
Funding Stage:
Seed
Fund:
Prospects
Development of DT-1 Class of Small Molecules for the Treatment of Leukemia
KA Imaging
Innovation Type:
Medical Technologies
Cancer Type:
Other
Funding Stage:
Seed
Fund:
Prospects
Multi-spectral Digital X-ray Imager
Radialis Medical
Innovation Type:
Medical Technologies
Cancer Type:
Breast
Funding Stage:
Seed
Fund:
Prospects
Positron Emission Mammography (PEM) Imaging System to Detect Pre-Invasive Breast Cancers
University of Ottawa
Innovation Type:
Therapeutics
Cancer Type:
pancreas
Funding Stage:
Proof of Concept
Fund:
Falcons’ Fortunes
Development of a Multi-mechanistic Vaccinia Virus-based Platform for the Treatment of Pancreatic Cancer
OICR
Innovation Type:
Diagnostics
Cancer Type:
Breast
Funding Stage:
Proof of Concept
Fund:
Prospects
Molecular Profiling for Anthracycline Sensitivity in Patients receiving Chemo for Breast Cancer
Propellon Therapeutics Inc. (Triphase Accelerator)
Innovation Type:
Therapeutics
Cancer Type:
Heme
Funding Stage:
Exit
Fund:
Development of WDR5 Inhibitors for Leukemia and Solid Tumours
Realist Pharma
Innovation Type:
Therapeutics
Cancer Type:
Multiple
Funding Stage:
Seed
Fund:
Prospects
Evaluation of survival benefit and preclinical proof of concept of a novel ganglioside-based cancer vaccine.
Talon Pharma
Innovation Type:
Therapeutics
Cancer Type:
Heme
Funding Stage:
Proof of Concept
Fund:
Prospects
Cell Permeable KV1.3 Antagonists: Novel Targeting of Apoptosis in Cancer Treatment
Queens University
Innovation Type:
Therapeutics
Cancer Type:
Heme
Funding Stage:
Proof of Concept
Fund:
Prospects
Development of Novel CYP26 Inhibitors for the treatment of AML
Fusion Pharmaceuticals Inc.
Innovation Type:
Therapeutics
Cancer Type:
Multiple
Funding Stage:
Exit
Fund:
Compass Rose
Next-generation radiopharmaceuticals for precision medicine (antibody Conjugate for Lung Cancer), prividing a safer approach to targeted radiotherapy by helping the drug clear from normal, healthy tissues and reducing toxicity.
FocusOnCare
Innovation Type:
Informatics & AI
Cancer Type:
Multiple
Funding Stage:
Proof of Concept
Fund:
Falcons’ Fortunes
ChemoTracker App Development
Capnostics
Innovation Type:
Medical Technologies
Cancer Type:
Other
Funding Stage:
Proof of Concept
Fund:
Prospects
Resurrection of the FDA File and Manufaturing of CellMate Product for Esophageal Cell Sampling
Sunnybrook Research Institute
Innovation Type:
Medical Technologies
Cancer Type:
Breast
Funding Stage:
Proof of Concept
Fund:
Prospects
External Clinical Validation Study of a Quantitative Ultrasound Spectral Analysis Platform For Monitoring Tumor Response In Women Receiving Neoadjuvent Chemotherapy for Locally Advanced Breast Cancer
OICR
Innovation Type:
Diagnostics
Cancer Type:
Breast
Funding Stage:
Proof of Concept
Fund:
Prospects
Ring Study to Evaluate the PRedicTive brEast Cancer Test (PRoTECT)
Sunnybrook Research Institute
Innovation Type:
Therapeutics
Cancer Type:
Breast
Funding Stage:
Proof of Concept
Fund:
Prospects
Evaluation of immune responses engendered in CEA transgenic mice by a vaccine formulation composed of a recombinant CEA N domain antigen and GSK AS15 adjuvant
Ziliomics
Innovation Type:
Informatics & AI
Cancer Type:
Multiple
Funding Stage:
Proof of Concept
Fund:
Compass Rose, Prospects
Development of Heliotrope Bioinformatics Software Platform
Sunnybrook Research Institute
Innovation Type:
Medical Technologies
Cancer Type:
Multiple
Funding Stage:
Proof of Concept
Fund:
Falcons’ Fortunes
Ultra-Low Dose Microbubbles for Cancer
OICR
Innovation Type:
Therapeutics
Cancer Type:
Multiple
Funding Stage:
Proof of Concept
Fund:
Prospects
Fully synthetic, self-adjuvanting vaccines incorporating tumor-associated antigenic epitopes for cancer immunotherapy
Turnstone Biologics Inc.
Innovation Type:
Therapeutics
Cancer Type:
Multiple
Funding Stage:
Series A,B,C
Fund:
Compass Rose
Transforming patient care with a new class of targeted viral immunotherapies to fight cancer (Marabavirus-based oncolytic viral vector)
Fluorinov Pharma (Trillium)
Innovation Type:
Therapeutics
Cancer Type:
Heme
Funding Stage:
Exit
Fund:
Compass Rose
FV162 Oral Proteasome Inhibitor
OICR (Cellax)
Innovation Type:
Therapeutics
Cancer Type:
pancreas
Funding Stage:
Proof of Concept
Fund:
Compass Rose
Cellax Nanoparticles for Enhanced Cancer Treatment
XLV Diagnostics
Innovation Type:
Medical Technologies
Cancer Type:
Breast
Funding Stage:
Series A,B,C
Fund:
Compass Rose
X-ray light valve (XLV) for low-cost digital mammography
Privacy Analytics
Innovation Type:
Informatics & AI
Cancer Type:
Multiple
Funding Stage:
Exit
Fund:
Compass Rose
Software unlocking the vast potential of medical data without compromising individual privacy or causing unacceptable distortion of the data
Harmonic Medical
Innovation Type:
Medical Technologies
Cancer Type:
Liver
Funding Stage:
Series A,B,C
Fund:
Compass Rose
A system using ultrasound to both detect and treat tumours in bone and liver for the relief of pain without surgery and without expensive imaging equipment.
McMaster University
Innovation Type:
Therapeutics
Cancer Type:
Multiple
Funding Stage:
Proof of Concept
Fund:
Compass Rose
Development of Radiolabeled Insulin Probe
Triphase Accelerator Corporation
Innovation Type:
Therapeutics
Cancer Type:
Multiple
Funding Stage:
Series A,B,C
Fund:
Compass Rose
Formation of an Accelerator enterprise designed to take drug candidates from IND through to clinical proof-of-concept. Later decided to accept pre-IND assets as well.
Univeristy of Toronto (Kapplex)
Innovation Type:
Medical Technologies
Cancer Type:
Multiple
Funding Stage:
Exit
Fund:
Compass Rose
A Digital Microfluidics Platform for High-Throughput Apoptosis Screening
Xagenic
Innovation Type:
Medical Technologies
Cancer Type:
Multiple
Funding Stage:
Series A,B,C
Fund:
Compass Rose
Validation of the GenEplex platform for clinically accepted leukemia biomarkers
DLVR Therapeutics
Innovation Type:
Therapeutics
Cancer Type:
Liver
Funding Stage:
Proof of Concept
Fund:
Compass Rose
Novel nanoparticle delivery technology.
University of Toronto (Receptor-OncoTek)
Innovation Type:
Therapeutics
Cancer Type:
Other
Funding Stage:
Proof of Concept
Fund:
Compass Rose
Preclinical development of PoLi-PTX, Intraperitoneal Ovarian Cancer Therapy
DVS Sciences (Fluidigm)
Innovation Type:
Medical Technologies
Cancer Type:
Multiple
Funding Stage:
Exit
Fund:
Compass Rose
Flow cytometer-mass spectrometer for multi-parametric cell and bead analysis
UHN (TorCell Therapeutics)
Innovation Type:
Therapeutics
Cancer Type:
Heme
Funding Stage:
Proof of Concept
Fund:
Compass Rose
Novel T-cell Immunotherapy (autologous cellular therapy)
UHN
Innovation Type:
Therapeutics
Cancer Type:
Heme
Funding Stage:
Proof of Concept
Fund:
Compass Rose
Development of novel chemical proteosome inhibitors
Sunnybrook Research Institute
Innovation Type:
Diagnostics
Cancer Type:
Liver
Funding Stage:
Proof of Concept
Fund:
Compass Rose
Glypican-3: a novel marker for the early diagnosis of hepatocellular carcinoma
UHN
Innovation Type:
Medical Technologies
Cancer Type:
Liver
Funding Stage:
Proof of Concept
Fund:
Compass Rose
Novel Radio Frequency Ablation Technology for Treatment of Solid Tumours
ArcticDx
Innovation Type:
Diagnostics
Cancer Type:
Other
Funding Stage:
Proof of Concept
Fund:
Compass Rose
Development of a colon cancer risk prediction diagnostic tool
Robarts Research Institute
Innovation Type:
Medical Technologies
Cancer Type:
Prostate
Funding Stage:
Proof of Concept
Fund:
Compass Rose
3D ultrasound-guided intraoperative and dynamic minimally invasive trans-perineal prostate therapy and biopsy platform
Sunnybrook Research Institute (Profound Medical)
Innovation Type:
Medical Technologies
Cancer Type:
Prostate
Funding Stage:
Exit
Fund:
Compass Rose
MRI-guided transurethral ultrasound therapy for localized prostate cancer
“FACIT’s leadership in financing is helping us de-risk our technology and progress discussions with venture partners for an anticipated Series A financing.”
Dr. Mohammad Ali Amini, Co-Founder and CEO of Nanology Labs. (2021)