CELS - Canadian Entrepreneurs in Life Science

The second workshop during the CELS Showcase 2026 program was led by Shirley Braun , Ph.D., PCC, Founder & Managing Partner of Swift Insights Inc., on the topic: “From Founder to Leader: Before Your Company Outgrows You.” The session focused on one important reality many founders eventually face: the skills that help build a company are not always the same skills needed to scale it. From delegation and decision-making to leadership structure, systems, and communication rhythms, the workshop challenged founders to rethink what scalable leadership truly looks like. A few standout reminders from the session: → It's about identity - The founders who scale successfully aren't the ones with all the answers. They’re the ones willing to evolve themselves before the company forces the evolution. → Growth requires delegation, not doing everything yourself → Structure creates clarity, alignment, and empowerment → Founders must evolve from operators into leaders → Building a strong support system is critical to avoiding founder isolation Thank you to Shirley for such an honest, practical, and impactful session for our founders #leadership #startups #founderjourney #scaleups #entrepreneurship #leadershipdevelopment Joanne Fedeyko Angele Maki Hicham Alaoui Tara Cooper Cedric Bisson Mirna D. Rosette Joseph Hatim Chraibi

On May 13 during the CELS Showcase 2026 program, we kicked things off with two workshops for the visiting Canadian founders. The first session, “Your First AI Employee: Build a Fundraising Agent That Never Stops Working,” was led by Lisa Love, Founder & AI Revenue Strategist at lisalovesai.com. During the workshop, founders got hands-on experience building fundraising AI agents using Claude Projects and explored how AI can support investor research, personalized outreach, grant writing, competitive analysis, and more. A few standout reminders from the session: → Great AI outputs depend on strong prompts and strong context → Personalization is still the differentiator in fundraising → AI works best when it amplifies founder intelligence, not replaces it One of the biggest takeaways: “AI is no longer just a productivity tool , it’s becoming an extension of a founder’s fundraising team.” Huge thank you to Lisa for such a practical and insightful session. #ai #fundraising #startups #innovation #founderjourney #venturecapital Joanne Fedeyko Angele Maki Hicham Alaoui Tara Cooper Cedric Bisson Mirna D. Rosette Joseph Hatim Chraibi

Congratulations to one of the scaleups that participated in our just concluded Canada in the Valley Showcase program, Synakis on closing their pre-seed round! Wishing Thierry Nivaggioli, Ph.D. and the team all the best on this exceptional milestone and we will always be rooting for you.

We have a new look! Same commitment to 🇨🇦 Canadian entrepreneurs, same mission to connect cutting-edge life science to 🇺🇸 Silicon Valley industry leaders, resources and capital. Introducing www.celsconnect.com! We exist to connect early-stage Canadian life sciences companies with the specialized expertise and introductions required to scale in the U.S., while offering investors and dealmakers curated access to high-potential innovation. By uniting these two groups, we foster a collaborative community where sophisticated resources meet the next generation of breakthroughs. Connect with us to learn about our #ValleyReady accelerator, Canada in the Valley #Showcase, and how you can get involved.

Next Thursday, we're proud to be partnering with CELS - Canadian Entrepreneurs in Life Science to host the Canada in the Valley Showcase. The Showcase connects high-potential Canadian health tech and life science startups with top U.S. investors, industry leaders, and commercial partners. This full day program includes panels and presentations from industry leaders, investor and strategic partner meetings, and networking.   For #startups, the Showcase is a gateway to critical resources and industry connections needed for companies to raise money and succeed in the competitive U.S. healthcare and biotech ecosystem. For #investors and industry leaders, it presents an exclusive opportunity to discover cutting-edge innovations and gain early access to Canada’s most promising emerging companies in biotech, medical devices, diagnostics, and #healthtech. 🔗 Learn more & register: https://lnkd.in/gig_AJPS

Joanne Fedeyko and her team at CELS - Canadian Entrepreneurs in Life Science are back in the Bay Area on May 14th! Promising Canadian life science startups come here to connect with U.S. investors, mentors, and executive leaders. It’s a great day filled with interesting talks and information. If you’d like to see what our Northern neighbors are creating… register here: https://luma.com/sfso4uwd

We have a new look! Same commitment to 🇨🇦 Canadian entrepreneurs, same mission to connect cutting-edge life science to 🇺🇸 Silicon Valley industry leaders, resources and capital. Introducing www.celsconnect.com! We exist to connect early-stage Canadian life sciences companies with the specialized expertise and introductions required to scale in the U.S., while offering investors and dealmakers curated access to high-potential innovation. By uniting these two groups, we foster a collaborative community where sophisticated resources meet the next generation of breakthroughs. Connect with us to learn about our #ValleyReady accelerator, Canada in the Valley #Showcase, and how you can get involved.

As clinical development strategies continue to evolve globally, founders are increasingly exploring alternatives for first-in-human (FIH) trials. Join us at the CELS Canada in the Valley Showcase 2026 for a panel session on: “Alternatives to US for FIH Trials.” Featuring: Karen Celis Villaluna, Former SVP Clinical Operations, ESSA Pharma Christine Lennon, CEO of CATALIS Québec (Virtual) Joel Rothman, ex-CDO of Equilium Moderated by: Allison Gaw, Partner at Amplitude Ventures This session will explore global #clinicaltrial strategies, regulatory considerations, and how emerging #biotech companies can think strategically about trial location, timelines, and capital efficiency. An important discussion for #founders navigating the complexities of early-stage clinical development in today’s market. Register to join us here - https://luma.com/buqq72i1 Joanne Fedeyko Angele Maki Hatim Chraibi Rosette Joseph Funmbi Adegbola Tara Cooper Hicham Alaoui Cedric Bisson Allison Gaw Elton Satusky Wilson Sonsini Goodrich & Rosati Amplitude Ventures Mirna D.

The biopharma market moves quickly and understanding where capital, partnerships, and acquisitions are moving is critical for founders building in today’s environment. We’re excited to welcome Chris Dokomajilar, Founder & CEO of DealForma, as a speaker at the CELS Canada in the Valley Showcase 2026. On May 14, Chris will lead a session titled: “Biopharma Venture, Licensing, IPOs, and M&A Trends Through Q1 2026.” This session will provide founders with a market-level view of the latest trends shaping biopharma financing, licensing activity, IPO markets, and M&A across the industry. A valuable conversation for life science companies looking to better understand the current investment landscape and strategic opportunities ahead. The CELS Canada in the Valley Showcase brings together Canadian life science companies, investors, operators, and ecosystem leaders for high-value conversations designed to accelerate U.S. expansion and fundraising readiness. Investors and mentors interested in joining us at the Showcase can register here: https://luma.com/buqq72i1 Joanne Fedeyko Angele Maki Hatim Chraibi Rosette Joseph Funmbi Adegbola Tara Cooper Hicham Alaoui Cedric Bisson Allison Gaw Elton Satusky Wilson Sonsini Goodrich & Rosati Amplitude Ventures Mirna D.

We’re excited to announce that NeuroServo will be joining the CELS Canada in the Valley Showcase 2026 this Thursday in Silicon Valley. Their technology, VEEGix8, is designed to make neurological monitoring dramatically faster and more accessible across ICUs, emergency departments, and operating rooms. The portable AI-assisted EEG platform can be deployed in under a minute, delivering immediate brain activity insights without requiring specialized EEG technicians. With regulatory clearance already secured in North America and early deployments underway, the company sits at the intersection of: ⚡ AI-powered clinical support ⚡ Neurotechnology ⚡ Critical care innovation ⚡ Real-time diagnostics We’re looking forward to welcoming Jerome Arnaud and the NeuroServo team to Silicon Valley for curated conversations with investors, operators, and healthcare ecosystem leaders. If you’re an investor or mentor interested in meeting impressive Canadian life science companies shaping the future of healthcare, we’d love to have you join us - https://luma.com/buqq72i1 #LifeSciences #HealthTech #AI #Neurotechnology #MedicalDevices #CELS #DigitalHealth #BiotechInvesting Joanne Fedeyko Angele Maki Hatim Chraibi Rosette Joseph Funmbi Adegbola Tara Cooper Hicham Alaoui Cedric Bisson Mirna D.