From Lab to Market - Women Building, Funding & Scaling What's Next
Most ventures don't die from a bad idea. They stall somewhere between the research and the market and almost nobody talks openly about that part.
From Lab to Market brings together founders, investors, and academia for a candid conversation about what it actually takes to build a venture, fund it, and grow it past the stage where most stop.
We'll focus on three things:
Building - the decisions, trade-offs, and early bets that shape a venture before anyone is watching
Scaling - capital, commercialization, and what changes as a company grows up
Her Perspective - real experiences from women building, backing, and supporting ventures across the innovation ecosystem
Expect specifics, not platitudes. What worked, what didn't, and what they'd do differently.
You'll leave with
→ A clearer picture of how early-stage capital in Ontario actually gets deployed
→ Practical language for moving research toward a commercial product
→ Direct access to founders, investors, and operators in the same room
📅 Thursday, September 24, 2026
⏰ 3:00 PM – 6:00 PM
📍 Fashion/Entertainment District
Agenda
3:00 — Doors open, registration & networking
3:25 — Panel discussion
4:05 — Audience Q&A
4:30 — Open networking
6:00 — Close
The Panel
Carla Spina, PhD - CEO & Co-Founder, Noa Therapeutics
A scientific entrepreneur with 20+ years across biotech and medtech, spanning product development, commercialization, and fundraising. Carla has taken drug-device programs through global regulatory approvals and moved novel therapeutics from discovery into clinical development.
Jia Xi Chen, PhD - Jia is a scientific entrepreneur building at the intersection of skincare and technology. Drawing on her PhD research in skin-sensing electrodes, she leads Morphace through product development, manufacturing, and commercialization of its skin-measuring LED face mask.
Sennah Mostovac - Senior Associate, MaRS Investment Accelerator Fund (IAF)
Sennah works inside Ontario's early-stage investment ecosystem, backing the growth of technology ventures. Her background spans investment, commercial banking, treasury, and portfolio management.
Dennis Fernandes, PhD - Assistant Teaching Professor, Northeastern University Toronto
Dennis works at the intersection of biotechnology, pharmacology, medical imaging, and AI-driven healthcare connecting science, emerging technology, and entrepreneurship while training the next generation of innovators.
Moderated by Nirali Rathwa, PhD, President, SCWIST and Senior Associate, MaRS Discovery District. - Nirali works across entrepreneurship and innovation, supporting early-stage ventures and building connections among founders, investors, academia, and the broader ecosystem.
Who should be in the room
Founders building or raising · Investors and fund professionals · Researchers exploring commercialization · Ecosystem and accelerator teams · Industry professionals and students serious about entrepreneurship
Venue Partner
Northeastern University Toronto - bringing together founders, investors, academia, industry, and emerging talent for conversations that go somewhere.
Partners
Ella - YSpace, York University
Curated & powered by One+One
One+One runs curated conversations for founders, investors, and operators - built around depth, honesty, and connections that hold up after the event ends.
A note on registration
Space is limited and every registration is reviewed. Please register with your work email and LinkedIn profile so we can keep the room curated. Registrations are reviewed and approved on a rolling basis, with final confirmations sent out closer to the event date. You will receive a calendar invite once your spot is confirmed.