Get ready to be inspired. These Top 15 women-led ventures are changing the lives of people and the health of our planet for the better.
Supported by The Women & Nonbinary Impact Network for Venture Capital and supported in part by NRC IRAP.
Benny is the first and only energy drink in Canada blending the powerful ingredients of adaptogens with the health benefits of yerba mate.
Paige Cey, Co-Founder
After graduating from the University of Victoria in 2021, I went through a life-changing journey. Struggling with anxiety and insomnia, I felt trapped in a cycle of hopelessness when traditional medications didn’t work. That was until I met a Naturopathic Doctor who introduced me to the world of adaptogens—powerful herbs and mushrooms used in Traditional Chinese Medicine to help the body adapt to stress.
These natural ingredients transformed not just my mental health but my entire outlook on wellness. The profound impact of adaptogens made me realize how much potential lies in the ingredients we consume daily. Inspired, I joined forces with a friend from university who shared a similar experience, and together, we created Benny. Our mission? To make energizing products that empower both mind and body through nature’s most effective ingredients. Benny isn’t just about energy; it’s about helping people feel whole. That’s the vision we’re sharing with the world, and my mission in life.
SDG 3: Good Health and Well-Being;SDG 12: Responsible Consumption and Production
A non-invasive collection device that uses menstrual blood to facilitate early detection of reproductive health conditions.
Ibukun Elebute, Co-Founder & COO
Ibukun Elebute is a biomedical engineer and entrepreneur with over a decade of experience in health technology. She is passionate about improving women’s health and co-founded CELLECT to develop non-invasive diagnostic solutions for cervical cancer and HPV screening. Ibukun holds a Bachelor’s & Master’s in Biomedical Engineering and is pursuing a Master’s in Entrepreneurship at the University of Waterloo.
SDG 3: Good Health and Well-Being;SDG 5: Gender Equality;SDG 9: Industry, Innovation, and Infrastructure;SDG 10: Reduced Inequalities;SDG 17: Partnerships
Converting carbon dioxide emissions into high value chemicals such as ethylene with a proprietary electrochemical process.
Christine Gabardo, Co-Founder & CTO
Dr. Christine Gabardo is the Co-Founder and CTO of CERT Systems Inc. She received her B.Eng (’11) and PhD (’16) from McMaster University, then went on to complete an NSERC Postdoctoral Fellowship at the University of Toronto focused on developing efficient and scalable electrochemical CO2 reduction devices. In 2019, she co-founded CERT Systems Inc. and led the technical team in the finals of the NRG COSIA Carbon XPRIZE competition. She has published over 30 scientific articles in high impact journals in the field of CO2 electrocatalysis. She was recently recognized with the 2022 Clean50 Emerging Leader Award, the inaugural Engineering Young Alumni Leadership Award from McMaster University (2023), and as a Breakthrough Energy Innovator Fellow (Cohort 2).
SDG 9: Industry, Innovation, and Infrastructure;SDG 13: Climate Action
Developing a zero-compromise contraceptive solution for access to safe, pain free, reliable contraception without the use of hormones.
Jennifer Johnston, MD, Founder
Jennifer Johnston, MD, CCFP, is a family physician and assistant professor at the Dalhousie University School of Medicine. With board certification in Lifestyle Medicine from the American College of Lifestyle Medicine, she has spent the last 12 years in clinical practice in Nova Scotia. After seeing first-hand how hormonal birth control affects patient lives, she is now determined to develop a safer alternative.
SDG 5: Gender Equality;SDG 3: Good Health and Well-Being
A platform offering resources, knowledge, and transformative experiences to support your pursuit of inner harmony.
Irene Rose Saliendra, Co-Founder & CEO
SDG 3: Good Health and Well-Being;SDG 17: Partnerships;SDG 5: Gender Equality
Leveraging AI and 3D Printing, our gynaecology platform offers patient-specific intra-vaginal devices for common pelvic health conditions.
Inara Lalani, Co-Founder & CEO
Growing up, Inara had the opportunity to live in several countries, including Pakistan, Singapore, Thailand, Indonesia, Poland, Qatar, and Canada. Her experiences in these diverse communities inspired her interest in social business and her commitment to addressing socioeconomic inequalities. During her time at McGill University. In 2020, Inara graduated with a BCom focused on Information Systems and Entrepreneurship, fueling her desire to eventually become an entrepreneur. Inara has spoken on various panels, podcasts, and conferences globally, focusing on women’s entrepreneurship, gender health equity, and youth involvement. In recognition of her achievements, Inara was named one of Bay Street Bull’s Women of the Year in 2022. She is also a certified board governance leader and has supported many community-driven initiatives.
SDG 3: Good Health and Well-Being;SDG 5: Gender Equality;SDG 12: Responsible Consumption and Production
Sustainable critical minerals recovery, using proprietary zero-waste technology to achieve 99% feed recovery of essential materials.
Nifemi Oguntuase, Founder & CEO
With a strong background in science and finance, she leads the development of advanced solutions to refine essential resources such as lithium, cobalt, nickel, graphite, and manganese. These efforts are focused on creating eco-friendly processes that not only support sustainability but also secure vital supply chains for clean energy, electric vehicles, and other emerging technologies. Over the years, Nifemi has cultivated a vast network within the global critical minerals market, enabling Lab 4 Inc. to establish itself as a trusted player in sustainable resource innovation and a key contributor to the renewable energy transition.
SDG 7: Affordable and Clean Energy;SDG 9: Industry, Innovation, and Infrastructure;SDG 11: Sustainable Cities and Communities;SDG 12: Responsible Consumption and Production;SDG 13: Climate Action
Developing innovative drug delivery technologies to eliminate the burden of multiple daily fertility treatment injections for women.
Latchmi Raghunanan, PhD., Founder & CEO
With a strong foundation in materials science, project management, and product development, Latchmi has spearheaded innovation across academia, industry, and startups. She has secured five patents, developed four MVPs, and is driving a surgical adhesive toward clinical trials.
Known for her ability to break down silos and foster collaboration, Latchmi has led diverse teams and implemented strategies that saved over $700K in pre-revenue cash flow. Drawing from her personal experiences with infertility, she is passionate about creating solutions that center on user experience, accessibility, and compassion in reproductive health.
Latchmi’s leadership reflects her commitment to revolutionizing healthcare for women and addressing the unique challenges of scaling innovation in FemTech.
SDG 3: Good Health and Well-Being;SDG 5: Gender Equality;SDG 8: Decent Work and Economic Growth;SDG 10: Reduced Inequalities
Disrupting the tofu category by offering delicious and ready-to-eat premium smoked tofu made with clean and simple ingredients.
Miki Talebi, Founder & CEO
Miki completed her PhD in social psychology and, prior to launching oomé, was Manager of Public Policy at the Canadian Mental Health Association. After having her second child, Miki took an extended maternity leave to re-evaluate her career path. At the same time, in 2020, Miki’s father, a passionate salesman who loved using his smoker to create amazing meals that brought the family together around the dinner table, unexpectedly passed away. Miki inherited her father’s smoker, and it was in this moment that she knew that she wanted to use it in a way that would not only honor him, but that aligned with her own values of sustainability, therein founding oomé.
SDG 9: Industry, Innovation, and Infrastructure;SDG 12: Responsible Consumption and Production;SDG 11: Sustainable Cities and Communities
Empowering users to control devices with their thoughts, bridging the gap between independence and opportunity.
Dion Kelly, Co-Founder & CEO
Dr. Dion Kelly is a neuroscientist and entrepreneur dedicated to expanding access to technology for people with disabilities, fostering greater interaction and independence. During her PhD at the University of Calgary, she worked on brain-computer interface (BCI) technology, which allows people to control devices using their thoughts. She also introduced in-home systems so families could access this life-changing technology during the pandemic. Now, as CEO of Possibility Neurotechnologies, she leads a team developing accessible, user-friendly BCI solutions that empower people with communication and mobility challenges to participate more fully in everyday life.
SDG 3: Good Health and Well-Being;SDG 4: Quality Education;SDG 9: Industry, Innovation, and Infrastructure;SDG 10: Reduced Inequalities;SDG 17: Partnerships;SDG 5: Gender Equality;SDG 8: Decent Work and Economic Growth;SDG 16: Peace, Justice and Strong Institutions;SDG 11: Sustainable Cities and Communities
Decarbonizing food production and increasing food security with proprietary technology to operate a unique, decentralized farming model.
Alycia van der Gracht, Founder & CEO
Alycia founded QuantoTech Solutions Ltd. in 2012 after growing too attached to her patio farm before a cold Albertan winter and discovering the potential of indoor farming. Alycia earned a B.A. at the University of Lethbridge with a Major in Sociology. Her continuing professional development activities include attendance at a variety of conferences and events including the Trade Accelerator Program (TAP) and International E-Commerce Essentials program at the World Trade Centre, attending finance bootcamps with Women Tech Founders association, completing an MITx MicroMasters in Supply Chain Management, and the Indigenous Canada course from the University of Alberta. Alycia continues to run QuantoTech as CEO while focusing her time on investor outreach, government relations, and strategic planning and partnerships.
SDG 2: Zero Hunger;SDG 11: Sustainable Cities and Communities;SDG 13: Climate Action;SDG 8: Decent Work and Economic Growth;SDG 5: Gender Equality
AI-powered platform revolutionizing international education by seamlessly integrating admissions, visa services, and financial tools.
Kemi Bolatito, Founder & COO
With a background in human services, mass communication, and immigration consulting, Kemi brings a wealth of expertise to her role as Chief Operating Officer. A multiple award-winning business leader, she is passionate about breaking barriers for immigrants and creating innovative solutions to empower global education access.
SDG 4: Quality Education;SDG 5: Gender Equality;SDG 8: Decent Work and Economic Growth
AI-powered smart clothing for invisible disabilities with with real-time monitoring, personalized warmth and predictive analytics.
Maria Julia Guimaraes, Founder & CEO
Maria Julia’s multidisciplinary background – Architecture, Urban Planning, Graphic Design, Computation Arts – informs her innovative and human-centric approach. For two decades, she’s designed products that improve how we interact and live. She further pushes boundaries by exploring how environmental and biofeedback data can optimize how we work, live, and think.
SDG 3: Good Health and Well-Being;SDG 10: Reduced Inequalities;SDG 12: Responsible Consumption and Production
A cutting-edge materials innovation company transforming bio waste into sustainable, high-value materials for the textile industry.
Jayia Varshney, Co-Founder
SDG 6: Clean Water and Sanitation;SDG 12: Responsible Consumption and Production;SDG 13: Climate Action;SDG 14: Life Below Water
Jaiya Varshney is the co-founder of Tydra Labs, a pioneering materials innovation company dedicated to creating sustainable solutions by transforming waste into valuable products. With a background in sustainability strategy and impact investing, Jaiya combines business acumen with a passion for leveraging science and nature to drive meaningful environmental and social change. A champion of innovation, she has been recognized globally for her entrepreneurial achievements in climate tech and her commitment to advancing a circular economy.
Building an AI-powered Personal Physician Assistant to automate every process in a clinic except the appointment itself.
Tabassum Pasha, Co-Founder & COO
Graduated from Queen’s University with bachelor’s degrees in commerce and biology and led AI projects at the Kingston General Hospital before co-founding WaiveTheWait.
SDG 3: Good Health and Well-Being;SDG 9: Industry, Innovation, and Infrastructure;SDG 8: Decent Work and Economic Growth;SDG 10: Reduced Inequalities
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