• Tips for Raising Venture Capital
• Importance of Women’s Leadership in Life Sciences
• Novateur's client XORTX signs LOI with Japan’s Teijin
• Win $5,000 in advisory services 
• Exciting upcoming events

One of the most mystifying processes in the start-up community is how to get to a ‘yes’ from a venture capitalist. Between the often-opaque internal timeline and the seemingly ever-shifting criteria for investing, it’s an understandably frustrating process for entrepreneurs. In addition, the numbers can be daunting, with VCs touting sub 1% rates of funding companies that they see. Although every firm has a different process, most venture firms do share a few commonalities in the way they evaluate investments.

It wasn’t very long ago when, at the JP Morgan Healthcare Conference, presenters named Michael outnumbered female CEOs giving company presentations. Of the presenters, there were 22 men named Michael, overshadowing the total number of 20 female CEOs. With 4 out of 9 panels including no women at all, as either moderators or panelist. This was only a year ago. JPM this January saw a slight shift in its presenter line-up, but 90% were still men, reported STAT. It is interesting to note though, J.P. Morgan’s Executive Leadership Team itself is a good example of gender diversity, with 43.8% women. As JPM is one of the largest annual gatherings in the world for biopharmaceutical executives, it serves as a window to the biotech and biopharma landscape as a whole.

I believe the only way to fill the gender gap is to provide more opportunities to our female counterparts to fill in senior executive roles, and as a male in a leadership role, it is a conscious priority and responsibility to fulfill that promise.

We at Novateur are delighted to be sponsoring the “Evening of Inspiration and Enlightenment for Women in Health Sciences” during the Health Innovation week in Toronto on April 3rd. There will also be a contest for female led health care enterprises to win $5,000 in prizes. 

We look forward to seeing you all there. 

XORTX Signs LOI for Co-Development and Licensing Agreement with Japan's Teijin Pharma Limited

Our valued client XORTX is pleased to announce that on March 11, 2019, the Company signed a non-binding Letter of Intent with Japan’s Teijin Pharma Limited for the exclusive global rights (excluding Japan) to develop TMX-049, a new generation of xanthine oxidoreductase inhibitor, for the treatment of progressive kidney disease. At present, there are no approved drugs to treat progressive kidney disease in the nearly 10 million individuals with diabetic nephropathy in the United States and greater than 100 million people worldwide. Both companies recognize the substantial unmet medical need and the opportunity to bring a potentially best-in-class therapeutic treatment to patients with T2DN.

Novateur, proudly sponsoring the events, is excited to offer a prize of $5,000 CAD in in-kind services for the best pitch at The New Trailblazers: Women Reshaping Life Sciences Innovation event.

An Evening of Inspiration & Enlightenment for Women in Health Sciences
April 3, 2019 - Toronto, ON

3:00 pm – 6:00 pm EDT
The New Trailblazers: Women Reshaping Life Sciences Innovation
Join us for an afternoon of pitches, panelists and
insider strategy from some of the brightest lights among
female founders and entrepreneurs at the forefront of
Canada’s life sciences sector.

6:30 pm – 8:30 pm EDT
Novateur is delighted to sponsor this evening with Chantal Petitclerc during Health Innovation Week. Please join us and your fellow women in tech for an evening of wine, hors d'oeuvres and plenty of inspiration to fuel your own personal and professional growth. RSVP by March 29, 2019.

MORE INFO and RSVP

21st Annual LifeSciences BC Awards
April 4, 2019 - Vancouver, BC

Join us in celebrating our community’s many achievements, small wins and big victories, with our peers, family and friends.  This is our moment to recognize and honour the efforts of all those who have invested their lives’ work in mastering successful health outcomes. From 5:00 – 10:00 pm at the Vancouver Convention Centre West.

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Sweet Pharma Day 2019
April 23, 2019 - Montreal, QB

Novateur is proudly co-sponsoring  
The Sweet Pharma Day, which is an invitation-only event taking place in the Greater Montreal area. It provides small biotech CEOs to closely interact with the global division of large pharma companies and key venture capital funds with a unique opportunity to build future collaborations and partnerships with the sweet pleasure of maple syrup. 

Organizers:

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Bloom Burton & Co. Healthcare Investor Conference
April 30 - May 1, 2019 - Toronto, ON

Bloom Burton hosts its annual Healthcare Investor Conference in Toronto, Canada. They host approximately 60 of Canada’s premier publicly-traded and venture-backed private companies together with the most promising pre-venture companies in the healthcare industry.

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Medical Device Playbook 2019
May 9, 2019 — Toronto, ON
May 23, 2019 — Vancouver, BC

Ali Ardakani, Novateur Founder & Managing Director will be chairing a session on current and future trends of medical device financing and partnership. Held at MarS Discovery District in Toronto on May 9 and at the Vancouver Terminal City Club on May 23, 2019.

Industry experts from across North America will converge in Vancouver and Toronto to network and discuss 2019 trends, opportunities and strategies with other industry entrepreneurs and veterans.

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BIO International Convention 2019
June 3-6, 2019 - Philadelphia, PA

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