TORONTO (March 05, 2026) – As International Women’s Day approaches on March 8, FACIT is pleased to celebrate the achievements of women-led health and biotech companies that are driving innovative cancer solutions to help patients lead longer and healthier lives. This also coincides with the second anniversary of the Women’s Synergistic Entrepreneurship and Economic Development (WeSEED) program launch with OBIO®.

WeSEED is a successful example of how two of Ontario’s leading life sciences commercialization organizations are collaborating to expand support for women entrepreneurs and strengthen co-investment pathways across the province. Through this unique program, more women-founded start-ups are provided business and governance training, advisory resources, strategic networks and venture funding in their entrepreneurial journey. Leveraging these tools in Ontario’s life science ecosystem infrastructure positions female leaders in STEM to break down barriers and shape the province’s health leadership pipeline.

With a province-wide mandate to support oncology innovations in partnership with the Ontario Institute for Cancer Research (OICR), FACIT’s continuum of commercialization capital and entrepreneurial support programs uniquely bridge the seed and early venture funding gap to scale start-ups, create jobs and capture intellectual property value. FACIT is proud that its programming supports women entrepreneurs at levels far higher than the average for the venture capital industry. FACIT’s asset portfolio is now comprised of over 40% women-led or founded innovations, attracting more than one-third of FACIT’s investment dollars.

Falcons’ Fortunes, FACIT’s premier pitch competition and networking event, will be elevating the entrepreneurial spirit within Ontario’s cancer innovation community next month. Of the submissions attracted from innovators across the province, more than half were from women. Further, three of the six entrepreneurs selected to pitch their groundbreaking technology at the competition are women.

Watch for exciting news this year highlighting how FACIT’s programs are shifting the gender lens of company building and investing from niche to norm, enabling more Ontario women entrepreneurs to scale cancer innovation enterprises, achieve value inflection and secure next-stage financing for development and economic advancement in the province.

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Contact
Connie Chen, PhD | Senior Director, Strategy and Corporate Development, FACIT | conniechen@facit.ca

About FACIT        
FACIT is an award-winning commercialization venture firm that builds companies with entrepreneurs to accelerate oncology innovation, with a portfolio that has attracted more than $1.7 billion in investment to Ontario. Blending industry experience, capital and the unsurpassed clinician-scientist network of its strategic partner the Ontario Institute for Cancer Research (OICR), FACIT capitalizes on the province’s investment in research and healthcare to the benefit of the local economy and patients worldwide. Cancer Breakthroughs. Realized. facit.ca