WiHI Seed Program

Women-led companies face significant barriers when it comes to accessing financing and support systems, receiving just over 2% of venture capital funding in Canada and globally. The OBIO® Women in Health Initiative (WiHI) is committed to breaking down these barriers and creating a more equitable and supportive environment for entrepreneurship in the health science sector.

Program Description

The OBIO® WiHI Seed Program is a 6-month program, starting October 1st, specially designed to support early-stage, women-led health science companies. Participants will receive the following support:

As a crucial boost to their development, each selected company will receive up to $10,000 CAD in non-dilutive grant funding

Comprehensive advisory, coaching, learning modules, access to tools and databases, and networking opportunities to accelerate their business strategy and fundraising

OBIO® membership and the opportunity to participate in the 2026 OBIO® Investment Summit

All participating companies will be invited to a pitch competition at International Women’s Day 2026 with an opportunity for equity investment

To graduate, companies are required to actively engage in the program, including regular meeting updates with OBIO® and participation in specific workshops throughout the program’s term.

Eligibility Requirements

To be eligible for the program, your company must meet the following criteria:

Be a private, high-potential health science company based in Ontario
Focus on developing human health science products, including but not limited to medical devices, diagnostics, digital health and therapeutics
Have either woman-identified ownership and/or women-identified management representation with senior-level, strategic decision C-suite roles (e.g., CEO, CSO, CFO)
Raised less than $3M CAD in dilutive capital

*We are no longer accepting applications at this time.*

What former WiHI Seed Recipients have to say…

“Receiving OBIO’s WiHi funding in 2024 was a pivotal moment for A.I. VALI and our journey to bring AIDREA, our real-time AI platform for endoscopy and ultrasound imaging, into the healthcare system. The support enabled us to launch a procurement study at CHUM, a major academic hospital in Quebec. This initial engagement was instrumental in validating the clinical and operational value of AIDREA, ultimately leading CHUM to become one of the first institutions in Canada to adopt the platform.”

Azar Azad
Chief Executive Officer & Founder
A.I. VALI INC.
“Being part of the WIHI Seed program gave me exactly what I needed at that stage: structure, perspective, and a community that truly understood the realities of building a health venture in Canada. What stood out most was how practical and founder-focused the support was. It felt like more than a program, it felt like a team behind me.”

Angela Johnson
CEO & Co-Founder
sanoLiving
“The OBIO® WIHI program helped me grow as a leader—both professionally and personally—through individual coaching sessions. It also gave me the opportunity to complete a Regulatory Affairs Certificate specific to medical devices. These experiences strengthened my ability to lead our growing team at Tenomix and drive forward our regulatory strategy as Chief Operating Officer.”

Eveline Pasman, MD, PhD
COO & Founder
Tenomix
“The WIHI program has enhanced Cura's visibility and presence within the Ontario ecosystem. We are proud to be part of an initiative that supports women-led businesses in the biotech industry. The WIHI program offers essential business training, advisory resources, and the expertise needed to successfully advance biotech companies.”

Dr. Claudia Penafuerte
Co-Founder & Chief Executive Officer
Cura Therapeutics
“I have been thrilled by the support from OBIO's WiHI program. This program was one of the first I joined and supported me when I was first building my company and had very little sources of capital. This funding came at a critical time to help me get my start-up off the ground. Plus, the OBIO® team is a pleasure to work with, and always extremely supportive.”

Sydney Robinson, MEng
CEO and co-founder
Vessl Prosthetics Inc.
“Participating in the WIHI Seed Program was transformative for our company’s growth, and for me personally as an individual leading in health innovation. The mentorship, network, and strategic insights I gained were instrumental during a critical phase of development. WIHI not only supports women in health innovation, it uplifts them and provides unprecedented opportunities for professional growth”

Nardin Samuel, M.D., Ph.D.
Resident Physician, CEO & Co-Founder
Cove Neurosciences Inc.

2025 Selected Seed Companies

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2024 Selected Seed Companies

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2023 Selected Seed Companies

If you have any questions, please email wihiseed@obio.ca.

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A participant of Canada’s 50 – 30 Challenge program from Innovation, Science and Economic Development, OBIO® programs support diversity in the workplace.