LSO Annual Ideas To Action Life Sciences Forum

Marking its 15th anniversary, our Annual Ideas to Action Forum brings together leaders from industry, academia, and government to discuss practical steps for fostering a resilient, dynamic, and diverse life sciences sector.

Date: Wednesday, November 13th, 2024
Time: 8:00 AM – 5:00 PM
Venue: Borden Ladner Gervais LLP
Bay Adelaide Centre, E. Tower – 22 Adelaide St W., 34th floor, Toronto, ON M5H 4E3

This year’s theme, Reflecting on 15 Years and Powering Ontario’s Hard Pivot to the Future, underscores the sector’s journey of innovation, resilience, and growth over the past decade and a half. We will also explore ways in which we can drive forward-thinking solutions and strategies that will shape the future of life sciences in Ontario.

LSO bring to you our second panel at the Ideas to Action Policy Forum!

Our President and CEO, Dr. Maura Campbell, will be part of the Debate Panel, which will explore Ontario’s potential to lead in Canada on the international stage in life sciences. Esteemed panelists, Rachel Simeon, Maura Campbell, Peter van der Velden, and Ivy Parks, will tackle three essentials for growth—developing wet labs, increasing capital access, and adopting advanced tech—while exploring Ontario’s unique strengths on the world stage.

Don't miss out on this impactful conversation, register today!

Next Great Big ideas Summit

The NGBi Summit is for leaders, innovators, disruptors, investors, startup founders, academic researchers and industry suppliers who want to network with peers from coast to coast and help build the Canadian Life Sciences community.

Join us at NGBi2024 to:

• Network with Community Members ​from across Canada

• Meet Today’s For Profit & Not-For-Profit Industry Leaders ​

• Learn What Next Great Big ideas are on the Horizon​

Healthcare Reimagined: Embracing Innovation Adoption in Transforming Public Health Systems

Join this panel discussion on a pertinent topic “Healthcare Reimagined: Embracing Innovation Adoption in Transforming Public Health Systems” on Day Two of the conference. The session, moderated by Bibaswan Ghoshal, Senior Director, Technology Adoption at OBIO®, will bring forward perspectives of international industry leaders. The session is specifically designed to empower start-ups with the knowledge and tools required to translate their innovative ideas into impactful solutions for health systems worldwide.

Panelists: Tracey Wilkinson, Director Stakeholder Engagement, MTPConnect, Western Australia Life Sciences Innovation Hub | David Lawson, Director of Medical Technology & Innovation, Department of Health and Social Care, Government of UK | Jeff June, Special Tracks and Community Programs, Medtech Innovator, CEO - Ischemia Care |

Learning Objectives:

1. Understand the changing landscape of innovation adoption with key perspective from different markets and jurisdictions.

2. Identify three specific healthcare priorities relevant to the solutions from Medtech startups.

3. Articulate key elements for building successful and sustainable partnerships with public health systems.

UHNLEASHED

Inaugural in 2024, this exclusive event will bring together  life science industry leaders and investors to learn about the latest initiatives, resources,  innovations and partnership opportunities within Canada’s leading research hospital and medical commercialization centre – University Health Network.

Available by invitation only, this showcase will introduce UHN's new Accelerator Fund and will feature commercially viable and investment-ready life science opportunities from our hospitals and research institutes.

BIOTECanada Connection Event

Join Andrew Casey, President & CEO of BIOTECanada the morning of Friday, September 27th as he meets with members and industry collaborators in Toronto.

2024 Bloom Burton Award Gala

Bestowed annually, the Bloom Burton Award honours an individual scientist, inventor, executive, entrepreneur, industry leader, or policy maker who made the greatest contribution to Canada’s innovative healthcare industry in the previous year.

Fast Track Health Showcase

Communitech Fast Track Health, in partnership with CAN Health Long-Term Care Innovation and Scaling Network and Bruyère, announced the ten Canadian tech companies selected to pitch market-ready solutions to improve the quality of life for long-term care (LTC) residents and operators across the country. Companies will pitch their solutions at the Fast Track Health showcase event on September 26.

H2i 10 Year Celebration: The Case for Commercialization Training Support, Now & Going Forward

This event celebrates ten years of Health Innovation Hub (H2i). H2i is the country’s largest and most successful early-stage health faculty commercial accelerator and has now trained over 750 ventures which have generated over $520M in that period. This celebration will explore perspectives on the relevance and importance of health commercialization supports like H2i, through panels and discussions featuring founders, mentors, and partners alike. 

Funding the Future:

Women's Innovation in the Healthcare Industry

This LinkedIn Live event will feature three visionary thought leaders:

- Mary Stutts, MHA, CEO of the Healthcare Businesswomen’s Association
- Dr. Maura Campbell, President & CEO, OBIO®
- Julie Castro Abrams, Managing Partner, How Women Invest; CEO, How Women Lead

This discussion will explore the critical importance of funding women’s innovation in the healthcare industry and its far-reaching implications. With only 3% of venture capital funding going to female founders—and even less to women of colour—this event aims to highlight the urgent need for change.

The panelists will delve into:
- The current landscape of funding for women entrepreneurs in healthcare.
- The barriers and challenges faced by women innovators.
- Success stories and the transformative potential of women-led healthcare startups.
- How we can collectively drive the future of healthcare forward.

Life Sciences Breakfast Series:

Toronto's Regenerative Medicine Frontier

Toronto has been a leader in stem cell research since the 1960s, with a world-class biotech sector, top-ranked hospitals, and exceptional research capabilities. These strengths have fueled the rise of regenerative medicine in the region, focusing on replacing, repairing, or regenerating human cells, tissues, and organs. Toronto is positioned to support the development of cutting-edge technologies and therapies that can improve patient outcomes and drive the city's status as a global life sciences powerhouse.

Join this event that brings together key players to explore how we can collectively drive innovation, improve patient outcomes, and solidify Toronto's global competitive position in regenerative medicine.

Brampton Venture Expo 2024

The fourth annual Brampton Venture Expo is Brampton’s premier tech and entrepreneurship event bringing together Canadian startups, innovators, investors, and healthcare leaders to reimagine the future of our city.

Whether you're a startup founder, a job-seeker searching for your next opportunity in tech, or someone exploring taking the leap into entrepreneurship - this event is for you!

Powered by Brampton Venture Zone by TMU, the City of Brampton and the Brampton Innovation District, the event will feature impactful tech, entrepreneurship, and industry content, incredible 1:1 and group networking opportunities and access to world-class business leaders.

Inclusivity Business Resource Series: OBIO® Women in Health Initiative & IP for Life Science Businesses

Join this event for an introduction to the OBIO® Women in Health Initiative (WiHI), a groundbreaking program is dedicated to promoting the advancement of women within the health science industry. Recognizing the unique challenges women face in this field, WiHI offers comprehensive support through a combination of specialized training, financial assistance, advisory services, and networking opportunities. The initiative aims to bridge the gender gap and foster a more inclusive environment where women can thrive and lead. Attendees will learn about the various facets of the program, including how it equips women with the skills and resources needed to excel in their careers, access funding, and build valuable professional networks.

OBIO’s President and CEO, Dr. Maura Campbell will talk about the critical role of intellectual property (IP) in the health care and life sciences industries, how it impacts your business and what IP resources are available to you.

Funding and Support for Commercializing Medical and Regenerative Technologies

Hear from, and network with, commercialization experts who develop strong intellectual property strategies and fund the development of Ontario-made medical innovations. Your technology or company could be the next success story!

​Key guests include:

• ​Intellectual Property Ontario

• ​Toronto Innovation Acceleration Partners

• ​UofT, Hospital and Community Commercialization experts

• ​Entrepreneurs-in-Residence

​This event is sponsored by Intellectual Property Ontario (IPON), which funded an Entrepreneur-in-Residence (EIR) program launched by the Innovation & Partnership Office (IPO) at UofT. The EIR program will advance medical technologies and regenerative medicine research, from the labs of UofT and it’s teaching hospitals, to the market.

CELS Networking Reception

This Networking Reception will bring together seasoned executives and CELS Alumni to discuss the future of Life Sciences in today's world, This event offers a relaxed atmosphere for meaningful conversations and networking.

AIM x Life Sciences Career Symposium 2024

Academia to Industry Meeting (AIM) is a multi-university full-day careers conference which will provide an interactive forum for graduate students, faculty, and industry professionals in STEM to share career advice, discuss the future of life science industry, and network.

The theme for AIM 2024 is "The Future of AI in Life Sciences"

Through a lens of industry disruption and innovation, the event aims to explore the profound impact of AI advancements on the landscape of life sciences careers, unveiling trends in life sciences technology that are revolutionizing the field.

Toronto FemTech Breakfast Club

The FemTech Breakfast aims to bring together all tech ecosystem partners to support and gain knowledge about FemTech opportunities in Canada, ultimately bridging the current Funding Gap.

Pitch competitions are designed with founders in mind and can become a learning opportunity for those involved.

The FemTech Breakfast Club brings together incubators, accelerators, entrepreneurs and investors alike to support FemTech founders looking to raise a Pre-Seed or Seed round.

LSO Knowledge and Networking Breakfast Event - Ontario Life Sciences: Fostering a Competitive Landscape

Dive into the latest on federal capital gains and scientific research and experimental development (SR&ED) reform, which some argue hinder competitiveness. The event will also highlight the sector’s recent achievements, such as the Ontario Life Sciences Strategy and other significant investments.

Cross-Border Tech Networking Reception

This will be a great opportunity to connect U.S.-based companies with key stakeholders and service providers from Ontario and explore business connections.

LSO Networking Night - Networking With a Purpose

Get ready for a networking experience unlike any other!

Join the event on June 11 at Haworth for an electrifying event that will elevate your networking and teamwork skills to new heights!

Global Growth Series: U.S. Market Entry Strategies for MedTech Businesses

Explore the unparalleled opportunities awaiting Canadian businesses in the dynamic landscape of the U.S. medical technology sector at our exclusive summit, part of the Global Growth Series.

With the United States standing as a beacon of innovation and investment in medical technology, this summit serves as your indispensable guide to navigating and thriving in one of the world's most lucrative markets.

Presented by the World Trade Centre Toronto in collaboration with Communitech and MaRS Discovery District, this summit is tailored to empower Canadian business leaders in the medical technology sector with the essential tools and knowledge needed to unlock the full potential of the U.S. market.