Newfoundland and Labrador Taking Health Innovation National with ProCURE 2025
Industry, Energy and Technology
Health and Community Services
June 17, 2025
A new national conference will help to highlight the health innovation efforts taking place in the province and set up future companies for success across Canadian health care systems. The Honourable Steve Crocker, Minister of Industry, Energy and Technology, today announced $75,000 to support the launch of techNL’s inaugural ProCURE 2025 conference.
techNL’s Bounce Health Innovation is partnering with Nucleus Ventures Inc. to establish an annual three-day conference to collectively develop a playbook of best practices in the procurement of innovative technologies in the healthcare sector.
The ProCURE 2025 conference will be a gathering place for healthcare procurement professionals along with finance, information technology and innovation teams from around the country. The three days will result in actionable strategies to address the challenges associated with procurement of innovative technologies from Canadian companies. Scheduled for the fall of 2025, this will be the first ever Canada-wide healthcare procurement conference focused on procurement professionals.
The ProCURE conference is intended to be an annual event allowing participants to foster ongoing collaborations enhancing the speed and quantity of homegrown solutions. This initiative will directly help stimulate the local economy as participants travel to the province from across the country with the goal of accelerating the growth of the provincial and Canadian healthtech sector.
The Provincial Government’s contribution to the project leverages contributions from other sources for a total project investment of $300,000. The Regional Development Program provides support by way of non-repayable contributions to organizations for the development and implementation of economic initiatives with respect to regional and sectoral development, diversification, innovation, and key emerging sectors.
This project supports the recommendations outlined in the Health Accord NL and the HealthTech and BioTech Ecosystem Action Plan as related to identifying and implementing new digital and virtual health options into the health care system, creating opportunities to support local procurement, and creating strategic procurement initiatives that encourage innovation.
The HealthTech and BioTech Ecosystem Action Plan was launched in October 2024. The plan presents a vision of a healthtech/biotech sector that supports innovative technologies, accelerates access, invests in research and development, enhances coordination and collaboration, and supports companies to develop locally and employ highly qualified people to grow and scale their opportunities globally.
Official release: https://www.gov.nl.ca/releases/2025/iet/0617n01/
Quotes
“We are pleased to support techNL in the launch of the ProCURE 2025 conference as it supports recommendations outlined in the HealthTech and BioTech Ecosystem Action Plan. It is hoped this initiative will have a long-term positive economic benefit to the province and create jobs and export opportunities while attracting investment in the local healthtech and biotech sector.”
Honourable Steve Crocker
Minister of Industry, Energy and Technology
“Advancements in health care technologies are crucial to improving the health care system and overall health outcomes and is a key recommendation of Health Accord NL. The ProCURE conference will bring together experts to address important topics around the procurement and implementation of innovative health care technologies that will help improve the overall system to ultimately benefit patients, staff and the wider health care community.”
Honourable Krista Lynn Howell
Minister of Health and Community Services
“Public procurement has the potential to be a powerful driver of economic growth by generating revenue, creating jobs, and providing market credibility that helps new companies scale globally — all while delivering better public services. We’ve heard from many tech companies in Newfoundland and Labrador that progress in this space is critical, and this support is a meaningful step forward.”
Florian Villaumé
CEO, techNL
“Procurement shouldn’t be a barrier to innovation, it should be the bridge. Newfoundland and Labrador and Canadian healthtech companies have innovative solutions to offer. With ProCURE 2025, we’re bringing together procurement leaders from across the country to share best practices, learn from what hasn’t worked in the past and to build practical, collaborative pathways that make it easier for new technologies to reach the people who need them. It’s time to improve our healthcare system and accelerate the growth of the healthtech sector for the sake of all Canadians.”
Andy Fisher
Director, Bounce Health Innovation
“Embracing innovative healthcare technologies is a vital part of building a healthier future for Canadians. The ProCURE workshop symposium offers a unique opportunity for healthcare procurement professionals from across the country to come together and explore how we can integrate cutting-edge Canadian innovations to enhance our health system and improve patient care.”
Stephen Ryan, MD
Nucleus Ventures Inc.
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