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The FemTech Breakfast Club is a pitch competition focused on bringing together and learning about the tremendous industry that surrounds women’s health.

FemTech
Breakfast Club

The mission

What Sets Us Apart

The FemTech Breakfast Club brings together incubators, accelerators, entrepreneurs, and investors to support FemTech founders looking to raise a Pre-Seed or Seed round, ultimately bridging the current Funding Gap.

The pitch competition is designed with founders in mind. The FemTech Breakfast Club will travel across Canada to find one winning FemTech company per city.

National Pitch Competition

Montreal

Centech

January 25, 2024

Calgary

Osler's offices

May 28, 2024

Toronto

Osler's offices

June 21, 2024

Vancouver

BDO's offices

October 9, 2024

Coaching from FemTech Canada

Femtech Canada exists to inspire and support entrepreneurs in women's health innovation by connecting companies with the resources they need.

Legal retainer from Osler

Osler is a leading business law firm practicing internationally from offices across Canada. Winners will receive $5,000 of in-kind legal services provided by the firm.

Culture audit from Cap Inclusive

Cap Inclusive is a consulting firm that helps venture-backed companies align their purpose with their processes and practices. The culture audit is a $10,000 in-kind service that helps startups communicate their Purpose as a vector for strong employer branding.

A spot in the M51 Founder's Lab

Movement51 offers an intensive 9-week hybrid program that supports founders as they look to raise their first pre-seed and seed rounds.
Calgary winner only

Fast track to Spring's upcoming impact challenges

Spring's Impact Investor Challenges are 9 to 11-week-long programs with a chance to be selected to receive a $100k+ investment. Winners get their applications fast-tracked for the Health or Women-Led Impact Investor Challenge.

MaRS Promotion & Advisory

Fast-track acceptance to MaRS Venture Services Program*, including access to advisors, connections to talent, partners, investors, market research and more. Possibility to be featured in the digital MaRS Magazine and MaRS Ecosystem event.

BDO Canada Retainer

Professional services from experienced BDO executives to support the growth
and strategy planning of early-stage FemTech founders (maximum value of
$5,000).

Boast support to access non-dilutive funding options

Boast will provide a one-on-one meeting to map non-dilutive and dilutive capital strategies for the top 3 founders. Pre-Seed and Seed companies that maximize all government incentives can access $200K+ in non-dilutive funding.
Toronto only

The Forum Mentorship Program

The Forum offers a mentorship program for women founders. The prize winners will get access to their 12-month 1:1 mentorship program (a $300 value).

1-year OBIO Membership

A one-year OBIO Membership ($1300 value) which provides access to OBIO’s HEALTHMINT program, networking opportunities through industry events and workshops, training on investor targeting, databases, data room setup, and market research, preferred rates to select international investment conferences, workforce programs and job board. 

Toronto only

$10,000 in grant

A $10,000 grant offered by Cap Inclusive and the Ministère de l'Économie, de l'Innovation et de l'Énergie of Quebec. The grant will be awarded during a ceremony hosted at the end of the series of events. 

The Prizes

Each city winner will receive over $30,000 in prizes.

Ecosystem Partner

Next AI is a world-class founder and venture development acceleration network for AI-enabled startups. Leveraging a renowned ecosystem of AI and business experts, Next AI provides support on both AI product development and market commercialization. Each year, Next AI identifies the top early-stage teams developing ambitious AI-powered solutions and provides them with the mentorship, education and network to have a global impact.

Ecosystem Partner

Centech is an ecosystem that propels technological innovation and entrepreneurship projects from science and engineering. Thanks to its Acceleration and Propulsion programs, Centech acts as a real instrument of growth, thus creating one of the largest concentrations of technology entrepreneurs in the start-up phase in Quebec and Canada.

Ecosystem Partner

Creative Destruction Lab (CDL) is a nonprofit organization that delivers an objectives-based mentorship program for massively scalable, seed-stage, science- and technology-based companies. CDL-Montreal is geared towards founders innovating in the sectors of AI, Supply Chain and Blockchain/Web3.

Ecosystem Partner

Located in the heart of Quebec’s AI ecosystem, Mila is a community of more than 1,000 researchers specializing in machine learning and dedicated to scientific excellence and innovation.

Ecosystem Partner

Spring is where founders and investors come together for impact. Our community is a global incubator, accelerator and advisory firm - and a place where you can find inspiration, support and true belonging. From personalized mentorship and funding opportunities to lively discussions and thought-provoking events, we're here to help you scale solutions for a better future.

Local Sponsor

Organon is a global healthcare company with a focus on women’s health and a portfolio of therapies and products in women’s health, biosimilars, and established brands, across a wide array of conditions and diseases. In Women’s Health, we are building a pipeline and portfolio of products focused on addressing unmet health needs, including in contraception, fertility, maternal and peripartum conditions, and conditions unique to or predominant in women.

Prime Sponsor

Osler, Hoskin & Harcourt LLP’s Emerging and High Growth Companies Group and Venture Capital teams help clients recognize, develop and realize innovative venture capital opportunities. Osler acts for more than 1,500 early, growth and late-stage ventures and venture investors across Canada, the United States and around the world. Osler is a leading law firm with a singular focus – your business.

Prime Sponsor

The Ministère de l’Économie, de l’Innovation et de l’Énergie has a remit to support sustainable economic growth in Québec, contribute to the rapid development of research and innovation, and ensure responsible governance of energy resources.

Montreal Ecosystem Partners & Sponsors

We work with incubators, accelerators and ecosystem players to gather the best founders, subject matter experts and investors. 

Montreal Jury Members

Inara Lalani

FemTherapeutics

Co-founder & CEO of FemTherapeutics, the world’s first customizable gynecological prosthetic tailored to your unique anatomy.

Inara Lalani

Amadea Camozzi

CDL-Montreal

Director at Creative Destruction Lab (CDL), a nonprofit organization that delivers an objectives-based mentorship program for massively scalable, seed-stage, science- and technology-based companies.

Amadea Camozzi

Mélanie Heyberger

Nolk

Head of Apparel Fashion Department at Nolk, a company that focuses on building and scaling brands with a commitment to positive global impact, understanding the nuances of direct-to-consumer models and tailored business solutions. Led by veteran entrepreneurs, Nolk specializes in working with founders of design-conscious, sustainable brands, offering resources and expertise to help them grow, especially when facing challenges in scaling and capital requirements.

Mélanie Heyberger

Maud Razafindramboa

Next AI

Lead Ventures at Next AI, a world-class founder and venture development acceleration network for AI-enabled startups. Leveraging a renowned ecosystem of AI and business experts, Next AI provides support on both AI product development and market commercialization. Each year, Next AI identifies the top early-stage teams developing ambitious AI-powered solutions and provides them with the mentorship, education and network to have a global impact.

Maud Razafindramboa

Sophie Amyot

Osler

Partner at Osler, a legal firm that helps clients recognize, develop and realize innovative venture capital opportunities. Osler acts for more than 1,500 early, growth and late-stage ventures and venture investors across Canada, the United States and around the world.

Sophie Amyot

Matthew Harrison

BDO Canada

Partner at BDO Canada, a partner-led teams offer a comprehensive array of assurance, tax, and advisory services to entrepreneurial businesses. Their bilingual and multicultural team takes a hands-on collaborative approach to work closely with clients, and to tailor their service offerings to meet individual needs. With resources across Canada and U.S., and around the world, they are well-structured to help their clients grow and expand to new markets.

Matthew Harrison

Michael Casia

Organon Canada

President & Managing Director at Organon Canada, a global healthcare company with a focus on women’s health and a portfolio of therapies and products in women’s health, biosimilars, and established brands, across a wide array of conditions and diseases. In Women’s Health, we are building a pipeline and portfolio of products focused on addressing unmet health needs, including in contraception, fertility, maternal and peripartum conditions, and conditions unique to or predominant in women.

Michael Casia

Lyne Landry

AgeTech Capital

Partner at AgeTech Capital, a Canadian firm with a global mandate. We are a purpose-driven private market investment firm accelerating innovative & affordable technology solutions for the future of a healthier, wealthier & fulfilling aging.

Lyne Landry

Parambir Bhangu

Organon Canada

Executive Director, External Innovation & Emerging Science at Organon Canada, a global healthcare company with a focus on women’s health and a portfolio of therapies and products in women’s health, biosimilars, and established brands, across a wide array of conditions and diseases. In Women’s Health, we are building a pipeline and portfolio of products focused on addressing unmet health needs, including in contraception, fertility, maternal and peripartum conditions, and conditions unique to or predominant in women.

Parambir Bhangu

Annick-Isabelle Marcoux

LangLeven

Founder and Managing Partner at LangLeven, a private investment firm specializing in Seed and Series A Sports & Wellness Technologies, and Longevity companies. Some of LangLeven’s portfolio companies like PelviPower and Rya Health cater to Women and promote Women's health.

Annick-Isabelle Marcoux

Ziyi Shi

Real Ventures

VP Legal and D&I Lead at Real Ventures, an early-stage VC firm based in Montreal and Toronto. Since 2007, Real has played in influential role in shaping the Canadian startup ecosystem. Real has been a long-time proponent of women in tech and leadership positions. Its most recent FemTech investment was Eli Health, which came through the Real Ventures-Techstars AI partnership in 2019.

Ziyi Shi

Charlotte Borgognoni

Inovia

Associate at Inovia, a venture capital firm that partners with founders to build impactful and enduring global companies. The team leverages an operator-led mindset to provide founders with multi-stage support, mentorship, and access to a worldwide network. Inovia manages over US$2.2B with operations in Montreal, Toronto, Calgary, Bay Area, and London.

Charlotte Borgognoni

Sumana Basu

Mila

PhD student - Reinforcement Learning for Healthcare at Mila, a community of more than 1,000 researchers specializing in machine learning and dedicated to scientific excellence and innovation.

Sumana Basu

Rachel Bartholomew

Hyivy

CEO & Founder of Hyivy, a partner for pelvic health journeys that offers holistic, patient-created, pelvic health rehabilitation for patients and clinicians.

Rachel Bartholomew

Althea Wishloff

Raven Indigenous Capital Partners

General Partner at Raven Indigenous Capital Partners, Canada's first Indigenous-led and -owned social finance intermediary.

Althea Wishloff

Rossana Alfaro Roman

Centech

Conseillère - Propulsion Program at Centech, one of the largest concentrations of technology entrepreneurs in the start-up phase in Quebec and Canada.

Rossana Alfaro Roman

Sara Couture

Osler

Associate at Osler, a legal firm that helps clients recognize, develop and realize innovative venture capital opportunities. Osler acts for more than 1,500 early, growth and late-stage ventures and venture investors across Canada, the United States and around the world.

Sara Couture

Scott Loong

Panache Ventures

Partner at Panache Ventures, Canada's most active pre-seed and seed stage venture capital firm, currently investing out of our new $100M fund. Panache invests in Canada's most ambitious founders across all sectors.

Scott Loong

Katheleen Eva

StandUp Ventures

Associate at StandUp Ventures, a $55M seed-stage venture capital fund focused on investing in high-growth ventures with at least one female founder in a key leadership role.

Katheleen Eva

Marina Pavlovic-Rivas

Eli Health

Co-founder and CEO of Eli Health, the women's health company on a mission to improve lifelong health through continuous hormone monitoring.

Marina Pavlovic-Rivas

Annick Charbonneau

Accelia

Partner at Accelia, a $60M Fund investing in seed and early-stage innovative businesses and female-led technology startups.

Annick Charbonneau

Submit your application today

Interested in pitching at your city's FemTech Breakfast Club event?

Apply before May 10th, 2024 for the Toronto event

Apply before September 1st, 2024 for the Vancouver event

Applications are closed for the Montreal and Calgary events.

Ecosystem Partner

The M51 Founder's Lab is for women and gender-diverse people who are leading or co-founding companies headquartered in Canada, ideally, those planning to raise a pre-seed ($25k - $1.5M CAD) round within 6-8 months of applying.

Ecosystem Partner

Spring is where founders and investors come together for impact. Our community is a global incubator, accelerator and advisory firm - and a place where you can find inspiration, support and true belonging. From personalized mentorship and funding opportunities to lively discussions and thought-provoking events, we're here to help you scale solutions for a better future.

Ecosystem Partner

The Forum is a Canadian charity which has supported over 14,000+ entrepreneurs since 2002 and is committed to making sure all self-identifying women, non-binary, and trans-femme entrepreneurs can build and sustain the success they envision. Their programming, mentorship, and deeply collaborative community work in tandem to meet entrepreneurs where they’re at and help them achieve their next milestones.

Local Sponsor

Amazon Web Services Canada is the world's most comprehensive and broadly adopted cloud, offering over 200 fully featured services from data centers globally.

Prime Sponsor

Osler, Hoskin & Harcourt LLP’s Emerging and High Growth Companies Group and Venture Capital teams help clients recognize, develop and realize innovative venture capital opportunities. Osler acts for more than 1,500 early, growth and late-stage ventures and venture investors across Canada, the United States and around the world. Osler is a leading law firm with a singular focus – your business.

Prime Sponsor

The Ministère de l’Économie, de l’Innovation et de l’Énergie has a remit to support sustainable economic growth in Québec, contribute to the rapid development of research and innovation, and ensure responsible governance of energy resources.

Calgary Ecosystem Partners & Sponsors

We work with incubators, accelerators and ecosystem players to gather the best founders, subject matter experts and investors. 

Calgary Jury Members

Helette Conradie

Alberta Innovates

Manager, Investments and Market Intelligence at Alberta Innovates, where they create positive collisions through research, innovation and entrepreneurship in Alberta. This unleashes potential to help solve global challenges in health, nature, energy, food and fibre systems. We work with partners to diversify and strengthen economic, social and environmental well-being by leveraging knowledge, talent and technology.

Helette Conradie

Tiffany Linke-Boyko

Flying Fish Partners

Principal at Flying Fish Partners, an early-stage venture firm based in Seattle investing in high-potential AI and ML technology companies across the U.S. and Canada. 

Tiffany Linke-Boyko

Amit Patel

HaloHealth

Director, Western Canada at HaloHealth, a Canadian physician angel investment group composed of entrepreneurial physician investor-advisors, VC funds, family office, and ecosystem health tech investors that are interested in healthtech companies that are building the future of healthcare. To date, HaloHealth has invested in 45 healthcare ventures with 4 exits.

Amit Patel

Karen Linseman

Innovation Factory

VP of Operations at Innovation Factory, a not-for-profit business accelerator, serving as the catalyst for technology innovation in the greater Hamilton area. Innovation Factory provides business services, training, mentorship, and strategic connections to drive market adoption, leverage intellectual property, and increase revenues, investment, and jobs.

Karen Linseman

Michael Hiley

BDO

Partner at BDO Canada LLP, a partner-led teams offer a comprehensive array of assurance, tax, and advisory services to entrepreneurial businesses. Their bilingual and multicultural team takes a hands-on collaborative approach to work closely with clients, and to tailor their service offerings to meet individual needs. With resources across Canada and U.S., and around the world, they are well-structured to help their clients grow and expand to new markets.

Michael Hiley

Shauna Frederick

The Finance Cafe

Fractional CFO & Financial Wellness Educator, serving as a mentor at The Forum, a Canadian-based charity that assists self-identified women entrepreneurs in accessing the resources and community they need to thrive in business.

Shauna Frederick

Erin Madro

Evok Innovations

Principal at Evok Innovations, a fund that focuses on early-stage companies in the areas of Clean Energy, CleanTech, ClimateTech and CarbonTech.

Erin Madro

Pamela Ovadje

Innovate Calgary

Senior Manager, Regulatory & Quality Assurance at Innovate Calgary, the innovation transfer and business incubator centre for the University of Calgary for over 30 years, fostering entrepreneurship and bringing new technological discoveries to the world.

Pamela Ovadje

Ha Nguyen

McRock Capital

Partner at McRock Capital, a VC fund focused on Digital Industrial and Industrial SaaS based in Toronto and Calgary.

Ha Nguyen

Sylvia Rowat

Osler

Associate at Osler, a legal firm that helps clients recognize, develop and realize innovative venture capital opportunities. Osler acts for more than 1,500 early, growth and late-stage ventures and venture investors across Canada, the United States and around the world.

Sylvia Rowat

Laura Webb

Osler

Partner at Osler, a legal firm that helps clients recognize, develop and realize innovative venture capital opportunities. Osler acts for more than 1,500 early, growth and late-stage ventures and venture investors across Canada, the United States and around the world.

Laura Webb

Sanaz Vafaei

AWS

Senior Solutions Architect at AWS Startups. Amazon Web Services Canada is the world's most comprehensive and broadly adopted cloud, offering over 200 fully featured services from data centers globally.

Sanaz Vafaei

Raissa Espiritu

Audaxa Ventures

General Partner at Audaxa Ventures based in Canada, accepting global accredited investors. Audaxa Ventures is committed to making a positive impact and believe they can address the most pressing climate and health challenges by investing in diverse women + non-binary founders. They prioritize investments that not only improve the world and their communities but also provide their portfolio companies with the market access needed to expand their ventures and foster growth.

Raissa Espiritu

Thomas Green

BDC

Principal at the Thrive Venture Fund at BDC Capital, a Seed and Series A/B fund investing in women-led Canadian technology companies.

Thomas Green

Kisha Mehak

Alberta Health Services

Biomedical Engineering Technologist at Alberta Health Services, Canada’s first and largest province wide, fully-integrated health system, responsible for delivering health services to the over four million people living in Alberta.

Kisha Mehak

Manpreet Deol

Inovia

Analyst at Inovia, a venture capital firm that partners with founders to build impactful and enduring global companies. The team leverages an operator-led mindset to provide founders with multi-stage support, mentorship, and access to a worldwide network. Inovia manages over US$2.2B with operations in Montreal, Toronto, Calgary, Bay Area, and London.

Manpreet Deol

Jordan Kruithof

Innovate Calgary

Associate at Innovate Calgary, the innovation company of the University of Calgary. From ideation to commercialization, we offer the resources, facilities, and expert guidance you need to bring your innovation to Calgary, Alberta, and beyond.

Jordan Kruithof

Crystal Phillips

Thin Air Labs Fund

Vice President at Thin Air Labs Fund I, a venture capital firm and growth studio creating human value by helping early-stage startups scale globally.

Crystal Phillips

Rachel Bartholomew

Hyivy

CEO & Founder of Hyivy, a partner for pelvic health journeys that offers holistic, patient-created, pelvic health rehabilitation for patients and clinicians.

Rachel Bartholomew

Mari Mathews

Spring Activator

Director of Business Development at Spring, a global incubator, accelerator and advisory firm - and a place where founders can find inspiration, support and true belonging.

Mari Mathews

Arielle Land

Movement51

Program Director at Movement51, an education platform for founders and investors looking to acquire tools, develop skills, and build their financial frameworks for investing and raising capital.

Arielle Land

Shelley Kuipers

The51

Partner at The51, Shelley is co-CEO of the venture firm and financial feminist platform that aims to build mutual wealth and social impact.

Shelley Kuipers

Ecosystem Partner

Next AI is a world-class founder and venture development acceleration network for AI-enabled startups. Leveraging a renowned ecosystem of AI and business experts, Next AI provides support on both AI product development and market commercialization. Each year, Next AI identifies the top early-stage teams developing ambitious AI-powered solutions and provides them with the mentorship, education and network to have a global impact.

Ecosystem Partner

Spring is where founders and investors come together for impact. Our community is a global incubator, accelerator and advisory firm - and a place where you can find inspiration, support and true belonging. From personalized mentorship and funding opportunities to lively discussions and thought-provoking events, we're here to help you scale solutions for a better future.

Ecosystem Partner

The Forum is a Canadian charity which has supported over 14,000+ entrepreneurs since 2002 and is committed to making sure all self-identifying women, non-binary, and trans-femme entrepreneurs can build and sustain the success they envision. Their programming, mentorship, and deeply collaborative community work in tandem to meet entrepreneurs where they’re at and help them achieve their next milestones.

Ecosystem Partner

MaRS Discovery District in Toronto is one of the world’s largest urban innovation hubs.

MaRS supports promising high-growth companies to scale their businesses globally, while tackling key societal challenges in areas such as Health, Cleantech, Finance, Transportation, AI, and others. In addition to helping start-ups launch, grow and scale, the MaRS community is dedicated to cross-disciplinary collaboration, commercialization of discoveries, and driving ideas to impact.

Local Sponsor

Boast helps companies easily capture more of their eligible R&D tax credits with its scalable, intelligent software and expert services. Governments give away $20 billion in R&D tax credits each year but applying has been difficult and slow. Not with Boast. Thousands of innovative companies leverage Boast to get more money, faster, and with less risk.

Local Sponsor

Amazon Web Services Canada is the world's most comprehensive and broadly adopted cloud, offering over 200 fully featured services from data centers globally.

Prime Sponsor

Osler, Hoskin & Harcourt LLP’s Emerging and High Growth Companies Group and Venture Capital teams help clients recognize, develop and realize innovative venture capital opportunities. Osler acts for more than 1,500 early, growth and late-stage ventures and venture investors across Canada, the United States and around the world. Osler is a leading law firm with a singular focus – your business.

Prime Sponsor

The Ministère de l’Économie, de l’Innovation et de l’Énergie has a remit to support sustainable economic growth in Québec, contribute to the rapid development of research and innovation, and ensure responsible governance of energy resources.

Ecosystem Partner

Founded in 2009, OBIO® is a not-for-profit, membership-based organization engaged in strategy, programming, policy development and advocacy to further the commercialization of human health technologies that position Canada as a leader in the international marketplace. OBIO® advances this goal through collaborative partnerships with industry, the investment community, academia, the healthcare system
and government.

Toronto Ecosystem Partners & Sponsors

We work with incubators, accelerators and ecosystem players to gather the best founders, subject matter experts and investors. 

Toronto Jury Members

Jennifer Humphrey

Osler

Associate at Osler, a legal firm that helps clients recognize, develop and realize innovative venture capital opportunities. Osler acts for more than 1,500 early, growth and late-stage ventures and venture investors across Canada, the United States and around the world.

Jennifer Humphrey

Naomi Menzes

The Forum

Community and Impact Manager at The Forum, a Canadian-based charity that helps self-identified women entrepreneurs access the resources and community they need to thrive in business.

Naomi Menzes

Raissa Espiritu

Audaxa Ventures

General Partner at Audaxa Ventures based in Canada, accepting global accredited investors. Audaxa Ventures is committed to making a positive impact and believe they can address the most pressing climate and health challenges by investing in diverse women + non-binary founders. They prioritize investments that not only improve the world and their communities but also provide their portfolio companies with the market access needed to expand their ventures and foster growth.

Raissa Espiritu

Gordon Wehner

QualMed

With 38 years of experience, Gordon's primary focus has been developing quality management systems in start-up or early-stage organizations. Gordon possesses extensive knowledge of Canadian Medical Device Regulations, FDA QSR, EU Medical device directive, the upcoming EU MDR, and other international regulatory agencies.

Gordon Wehner

Melissa Belbeck

Whitecap Venture Partners

Principal at Whitecap Venture Partners, a VC fund focused on B2B software and Med Tech, honing in on verticals where we can make it our mission to help founders make a profound difference.

Melissa Belbeck

Sheryl Thingvold

MaRS

Senior Advisor, Health Venture Services at MaRS Discovery Districtone of the world’s largest urban innovation hubs. MaRS supports promising high-growth companies to scale their businesses globally, while tackling key societal challenges in areas such as Health, Cleantech, Finance, Transportation, AI, and others. In addition to helping start-ups launch, grow and scale, the MaRS community is dedicated to cross-disciplinary collaboration, commercialization of discoveries, and driving ideas to impact.

Sheryl Thingvold

Ella Seitz

Esplanade Ventures

Partner at Esplanade HealthTech Ventures, Canada’s leading digital healthcare venture capital firm, investing in the US, Canada, Europe and Israel. Esplanade focuses on early-stage and high-growth companies shaping the future of healthcare delivery and actively empowering them to scale and grow.Esplanade has a strong focus on investment in women's health including several investments in the menopause and osteoporosis space.

Ella Seitz

Daneal Charney

MaRS

EIR at MaRS Discovery District, one of the world’s largest urban innovation hubs. MaRS supports promising high-growth companies to scale their businesses globally, while tackling key societal challenges in areas such as Health, Cleantech, Finance, Transportation, AI, and others. In addition to helping start-ups launch, grow and scale, the MaRS community is dedicated to cross-disciplinary collaboration, commercialization of discoveries, and driving ideas to impact.

Daneal Charney

Stephania Stefanakou

Next AI

Venture Manager at Next AIa world-class founder and venture development acceleration network for AI-enabled startups. Leveraging a renowned ecosystem of AI and business experts, Next AI provides support on both AI product development and market commercialization. Each year, Next AI identifies the top early-stage teams developing ambitious AI-powered solutions and provides them with the mentorship, education and network to have a global impact.

Stephania Stefanakou

Ing Gopin

IngVentions

Principal at IngVentions, a firm provides timely consultation in the areas of product development, regulatory affairs, M&A strategy and due diligence. Ing is also an expert advisor in Life Sciences for Innovation Factory Hamilton and a business mentor at The Forge, McMaster University.

Ing Gopin

Megan Dover

Cross-Border Impact Ventures

Co-founder and Principal at Cross-Border Impact Ventures, an impact venture capital firm on a mission to revolutionize venture capital investing in health technology. They invest in world-class companies that create better health technologies benefiting women, children and adolescents inclusively and globally.

Megan Dover

Louise Pichette

MaRS

Senior Manager, Health Sciences at MaRS,  one of the largest urban innovation hubs. They support companies to scale their businesses globally, while tackling key societal challenges in areas such as Health, Cleantech, Finance, Transportaion, Ai and others. The MaRS community is dedicated to cross-disciplinary collaboration, commercialization of discoveries and  driving ideas to impact."

Louise Pichette

Adaora Ogbue

Venture Catalyst

Founder & Principal at Venture Catalyst, LLC, an investment consulting firm specialized in discovering and elevating early-stage ventures. They support investors' efforts to source, vet, and assess the potential of interesting, early-stage investment prospects within their competitive landscape.

 Adaora Ogbue

Julie Coles

iGan Partners

Associate at iGan Partners, one of the leading healthcare VC funds in Canada, investing globally in Seed to Series A med tech and healthcare software companies. We partner with exceptional founders to commercialize and scale medical innovations.

Julie Coles

Kathlyn Wortsman

Amplify Capital

Managing Partner at Amplify Capital, the evolution of the MaRS Catalyst Fund, investing in mission-driven, double-bottom-line disruptors in health, education and cleantech.

Kathlyn Wortsman

Carley-Rose Horowitz

Wittington Ventures

Associate at Wittington Ventures, a multi-stage focus fund affiliated with iconic businesses in the retail, healthcare, real estate, and financial services verticals.

Carley-Rose Horowitz

Sara Nahon

CVX Ventures

Investment Manager at CVX Ventures, the Nordic's most value-adding venture investor. CVX invests in carefully chosen pre-seed and seed-stage tech venture and growth opportunities through its network-based model. Sara led the investment in Samphire Neuroscience, a neurotechnology company dedicated to maximising the well-being of women and bridge the gap left by conventional treatments using neuroscience and the lived experience of women. 

Sara Nahon


Derek Sham

Cosm Medical

Founder & CEO of Cosm Medical, a company on a mission to transform the fast-growing and under-recognized field of female pelvic health through personalized gynecological devices for unique bodies and needs.

 
Derek Sham

Jeremy Grushcow

Juniper Genomics

CEO and co-founder of Juniper Genomics, a company bringing modern genomics and data science to those trying to conceive to help overcome the barriers and challenges facing IVF patients today.

Jeremy Grushcow

Gabi Paccininni

Inovia

Analyst at Inovia, a venture capital firm that partners with founders to build impactful and enduring global companies. The team leverages an operator-led mindset to provide founders with multi-stage support, mentorship, and access to a worldwide network. Inovia manages over US$2.2B with operations in Montreal, Toronto, Calgary, Bay Area, and London.

Gabi Paccininni

Danielle Graham

The Firehood

Co-Founder of The Firehood, a movement focused on increasing the participation, leadership and prosperity of women in technology, and GP of Phoenix Fire, an angel fund investing in women entrepreneurs across Canada.

Danielle Graham

Rachel Bartholomew

Hyivy

CEO & Founder of Hyivy, a partner for pelvic health journeys that offers holistic, patient-created, pelvic health rehabilitation for patients and clinicians.

Rachel Bartholomew

Sarah Willson

Panache Ventures

Associate at Panache Ventures, Canada's most active pre-seed and seed stage venture capital firm, currently investing out of our new $100M fund. Panache invests in Canada's most ambitious founders across all sectors.

Sarah Willson

Michelle McBane

StandUp Ventures

Partner at StandUp Ventures, a $55M seed-stage venture capital fund focused on investing in high-growth ventures with at least one female founder in a key leadership role.

Michelle McBane

Ecosystem Partner

The Forum is a Canadian charity which has supported over 14,000+ entrepreneurs since 2002 and is committed to making sure all self-identifying women, non-binary, and trans-femme entrepreneurs can build and sustain the success they envision. Their programming, mentorship, and deeply collaborative community work in tandem to meet entrepreneurs where they’re at and help them achieve their next milestones.

Ecosystem Partner

Creative Destruction Lab (CDL) is a nonprofit organization that delivers an objectives-based mentorship program for massively scalable, seed-stage, science- and technology-based companies. CDL-Vancouver is geared towards founders innovating in the sectors of Biomedical Engineering, Compute, Climate and Minerals.

Ecosystem Partner

Spring is where founders and investors come together for impact. Our community is a global incubator, accelerator and advisory firm - and a place where you can find inspiration, support and true belonging. From personalized mentorship and funding opportunities to lively discussions and thought-provoking events, we're here to help you scale solutions for a better future.

Prime Sponsor

Osler, Hoskin & Harcourt LLP’s Emerging and High Growth Companies Group and Venture Capital teams help clients recognize, develop and realize innovative venture capital opportunities. Osler acts for more than 1,500 early, growth and late-stage ventures and venture investors across Canada, the United States and around the world. Osler is a leading law firm with a singular focus – your business.

Prime Sponsor

The Ministère de l’Économie, de l’Innovation et de l’Énergie has a remit to support sustainable economic growth in Québec, contribute to the rapid development of research and innovation, and ensure responsible governance of energy resources.

Vancouver Ecosystem Partners & Sponsors

We work with incubators, accelerators and ecosystem players to gather the best founders, subject matter experts and investors. 

Vancouver Jury Members

Rachel Bartholomew Copy

Hyivy

CEO & Founder of Hyivy, a partner for pelvic health journeys that offers holistic, patient-created, pelvic health rehabilitation for patients and clinicians.

Rachel Bartholomew Copy

Thomas Green

BDC

Principal at the Thrive Venture Fund at BDC Capital, a Seed and Series A/B fund investing in women-led Canadian technology companies.

Thomas Green

Viet Le

BDO Canada

Partner at BDO Canada, a partner-led teams offer a comprehensive array of assurance, tax, and advisory services to entrepreneurial businesses. Their bilingual and multicultural team takes a hands-on collaborative approach to work closely with clients, and to tailor their service offerings to meet individual needs. With resources across Canada and U.S., and around the world, they are well-structured to help their clients grow and expand to new markets.

Viet Le

Hilary Kilgour

The Venture Fund

General Partner at The Venture Fund based in Canada, accepting global accredited investors. TheVenture.Fund is committed to making a positive impact and believe they can address the most pressing climate and health challenges by investing in diverse women + non-binary founders. They prioritize investments that not only improve the world and their communities but also provide their portfolio companies with the market access needed to expand their ventures and foster growth.

Hilary Kilgour

Ingrid Polini

Maple Bridge VC

Partner at Maple Bridge VC, a VC fund investing in game-changing immigrant founders in Canada to unlock the next wave of global innovation.

Ingrid Polini

Bree Stanlake

CDL-Vancouver

Site Director for CDL-Vancouver, a nonprofit organization that delivers an objectives-based mentorship program for massively scalable, seed-stage, science- and technology-based companies.

Bree Stanlake

Linda Biggs

Joni

Co-founder of Joni, a Canadian period care startup redefining what it means for people who menstruate to have freedom of choice and bodily agency through innovative products, barrier-free distribution channels, and a game-changing 5% to period equity model.

Linda Biggs

Leah Nguyen

InBC Investment Corp.

Chief Investment Officer at InBC, a strategic investment fund with $500 million to invest in companies and funds to generate financial returns and achieve social, economic and environmental impact for British Columbia.

Leah Nguyen

Olivia Hornby

Spring Impact Capital Fund

Managing Partner at Spring Impact Capital Fund, a venture capital fund investing in early-stage, mission-led companies.

Olivia Hornby

Laura Webb

Osler

Partner at Osler, a legal firm that helps clients recognize, develop and realize innovative venture capital opportunities. Osler acts for more than 1,500 early, growth and late-stage ventures and venture investors across Canada, the United States and around the world.

Laura Webb

Devon Krainer

Raven Indigenous Capital Partners

Associate at Raven Indigenous Capital Partners, Canada's first Indigenous-led and -owned social finance intermediary.

Devon Krainer

Pocket Sun

Sogal Ventures

Partner at Sogal Ventures, a women-led, next-gen VC investing in very early startups in North America and Asia that focuses on world-class women & diverse entrepreneurs.

Pocket Sun

Who can apply?

  • 75% or more of targeted consumers are women

  • Incorporated in Canada

  • Can travel to the event location to pitch

  • Looking to raise a Pre-Seed or Seed round in 2024

  • Products or services that improve the health and quality of life of women.

    • Diseases specific to women

    • Fertility Solutions/Egg Freezing

    • Reproductive health

    • Contraception

    • Pregnancy and nursing

    • Breastfeeding care

    • Mental Health

    • Pelvic & Uterine Health Care

    • Menopause Care

    • Women’s Longevity Solutions

Too early? We want this to become a learning opportunity for all and will provide tickets to some of the very early FemTech founders.

Fill out the form to apply. 

The Process

Call for applications opens September 1st, 2023

Briefly describe your degree and any other highlights about your studies you want to share. Be sure to include relevant skills you gained, accomplishments you achieved or milestones you reached during your education.

Applications close 6 weeks before the local event

All applicants are screened during a selection committee, where our ecosystem partners select a Top 5 to participate based on a FemTech-adapted scorecard. FemTech Canada coaches the Top 5 to ensure their best chances of winning.

Top 5 founders pitch the day of the event

The 5 startups are invited to pitch, and our jury is invited to vote based on FemTech-adapted criteria and questions. One startup per location is awarded the prize. 

Why FemTech?

$75B Market potential.

The FemTech industry is expected to grow rapidly at an average CAGR of 13% to reach $75Bn by 2025. 

Underfunded industry.

Only 13% of all digital health venture capital is allocated to FemTech, while it has the potential to improve and impact 51% of the population.

Lack of VC attention.

While VC funding has tripled since 2015, the lack of investments remains the key barrier, along with insufficient R&D funding.

Our National Sponsors & Partners

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