Changing Care, Changing Outcomes: Women Building the Future of Health
Part of Twin Cities Startup Week 2026, September 14–18.
Women are not just advocating for better healthcare, they are building it. Across research, care delivery, technology, and investment, women are creating new models designed around needs the traditional system has too often overlooked.
This conversation will explore what it takes to turn insight into innovation, innovation into scalable solutions, and better solutions into better outcomes. We are going bigger than the typical niche of Women’s Health to create a more inclusive and accessible future of health for all.
Speakers:
Jennifer M. Olson, MBA, Founder & CEO @ BlueInnovo Advisors
Jennifer is a healthcare strategist and former COO and Chief Strategy Officer at Children’s Minnesota, where she helped lead the $1.1B pediatric health system. Today, she advises healthcare organizations and startups on growth, innovation, and strategy, with a particular focus on women’s and children’s health.Yaneve Fonge, MD, MPH, Founder & CEO @ Upsidian Health
Yaneve is a board-certified OB/GYN and Maternal-Fetal Medicine specialist and founder of Upsidian Health, a digital health platform connecting expecting and postpartum families with culturally aligned doulas. Her work spans maternal care, research, healthcare innovation, and maternal health policy.Moderator: Katie Hjelmstad Severt, MBA, Founder @ Let’s Talk Women
Katie Hjelmstad Severt is the Founder of Let’s Talk Women, a Minnesota-based platform advancing collaboration and investment in women’s health. With a background in technology, healthcare, and philanthropy, she specializes in building partnerships across clinicians, researchers, investors, and policymakers. Katie serves on the Hennepin Health Research Institute Board and is co-chair of the Minnesota Chapter of Women’s Health Advocates. Through her work, she connects Minnesota’s healthcare and venture ecosystems to accelerate innovation in maternal health, menopause care, and midlife women’s health.Tia Newcomer, CEO & Board Director @ Inherent BioSciences
Tia is a healthcare and health technology executive with experience scaling organizations across nonprofit, venture-backed, private equity, and Fortune 100 environments. Most recently CEO of CaringBridge, she led transformation across strategy, technology, growth, and operations for a national platform supporting patients and caregivers. She also brings extensive experience in life sciences and serves as a board director and mentor to healthcare founders, giving her a perspective on what it takes to turn new ideas into scalable solutions that improve how people experience care.
Getting here on Tuesday. Parking, Basecamp, lunch, and the rest of the day: tcstartupweek.com/tuesday