WHIS EU 2023 ADVISORY BOARD
WHY ATTEND?
Building on the success of the Women’s Health Innovation Summit USA, we are delighted to announce we are coming back to Europe to continue the acceleration of innovation and investment in women’s health and Femtech solutions!
Globally, the European women’s health market is one of the fastest growing, with new technologies, therapeutics, devices, platforms and approaches being developed to improve women’s’ access and quality of care.
Our summit will bring together the leaders & innovators from Europe and Israel, from big pharmaceutical and medical device companies, to start-ups, Femtech, VC’s and incubator funds, to drive successful partnerships, showcase leading disruptive solutions, and to fuel the growth of these businesses and the women’s health sector.
Join the leading industry network in women’s health; our 2-day summit is guaranteed to bring value to your business strategy, connections, and growth.
2022 Innovation Showcase
To kick-off our European summit, we’re showcasing the latest and best
innovations in women’s health across Europe and Israel.
15 innovative startups, selected by our prestigious Selection Committee
will take to the stage in a quick-fire round of presentations to highlight
a technology, device, service, or product that is driving the future of the
women’s health market.
If selected, startups will get the opportunity to present in front of 200+
potential investors and partners and be at the forefront of driving
solutions for unmet needs in all categories of women’s health.
All applications are stage agnostic and can relate to all solutions across
women’s health from ovarian cancer to fertility.
Applications Closed
Deadline: 15th March
Women's Health Series Past Attendees
2022 Partners
Oncology Partner
GSK
Website: https://www.gsk.com/en-gb/
GSK is focused on maximising patient survival through transformational medicines. GSK’s pipeline is focused on immuno-oncology, cell therapy, cancer epigenetics and synthetic lethality. Our goal is to achieve a sustainable flow of new treatments based on a diversified portfolio of investigational medicines utilising modalities such as small molecules, antibodies, antibody drug conjugates and cells, either alone or in combination. We are a science-led global healthcare company with a special purpose: to help people do more, feel better, live longer. For further information please visit www.gsk.com/about-us
Platinum Partners
Organon
Website: https://www.organon.com/
Organon (NYSE: OGN) is a global healthcare company formed through a spinoff from Merck, known as MSD outside of the United States and Canada, to focus on improving the health of women throughout their lives. Here for her health, the company has a portfolio of more than 60 medicines and products across a range of therapeutic areas. Led by the reproductive health portfolio coupled with an expanding biosimilars business and stable franchise of established medicines, Organon’s products produce strong cash flows that will support investments in future growth opportunities in women’s health, including business development. In addition, Organon is pursuing opportunities to collaborate with biopharmaceutical innovators looking to commercialize their products by leveraging its scale and presence in fast growing international markets. Organon has a global footprint with significant scale and geographic reach, world-class commercial capabilities, and approximately 9,000 employees with headquarters located in Jersey City, N.J.
Cambridge Design Partnership
Website: http://www.cambridge-design.com/femtech
Cambridge Design Partnership is an end-to-end innovation partner, propelling global brands and ambitious start-ups to success.
We build breakthrough products and services – from insight to ideas, prototypes to production – bringing innovation to life. Our teams are multi-disciplinary, uniting scientific rigor, design ingenuity, and engineering excellence for consumer, healthcare, and industrial clients. People-centered, deeply collaborative, and – above all – expert, we’re uniquely positioned to shape the future for consumers, patients, and industry.
Not all people are the same. Our FemTech philosophy integrates inclusivity, experience-led design, and the smart integration of technology. By putting people and context at the center of our thinking – and applying consumer and healthcare knowledge gathered globally by our multi-disciplinary team – we help our partners create meaningful incremental and transformational innovations that improve lives.
One partner. No barriers. Extraordinary results.
Myovant
Website: https://www.myovant.com/
We aspire to redefine care for women and for men through purpose-driven science, empowering medicines, and transformative advocacy.
Our purpose is resolute and fueled by the opportunity to improve the lives of millions of women and men, many impacted by diseases during their most productive years of life. Despite the significant burden of common diseases like uterine fibroids, endometriosis, and prostate cancer, many women and men do not have the options they deserve and need.
Bayer
Website: https://www.bayer.com/en/
Bayer is a recognized leader in the area of women’s healthcare, with a long-standing commitment to delivering science for a better life by advancing a portfolio of innovative treatments. Bayer offers a wide range of effective short- and long-acting birth control methods as well as therapies for menopause management and gynecological diseases. Bayer is also focusing on innovative options to address the unmet medical needs of women worldwide. Today, Bayer’s research and development efforts focus on finding new treatment options for menopause as well as gynecological diseases and includes several compounds in various stages of pre-clinical and clinical development. Together, these projects reflect the company’s approach to research, which prioritizes targets and pathways with the potential to alter the way that gynecological diseases are treated. Additionally, Bayer intends to provide 100 million women in low-and-middle income countries by 2030 with access to family planning by funding multi-stakeholder aid programs and by ensuring the supply of affordable modern contraceptives. This is part of the comprehensive sustainability measures and commitments from 2020 onwards and in line with the Sustainable Development Goals of the United Nations.
MAS Holdings
Website: https://www.twinery.co/
MAS Holdings, the largest apparel tech company in South Asia, is among the most recognised design-to-delivery solution providers in apparel and textile manufacturing. Home to a community of over 115,000 people, today, MAS operations span across 15 countries, with established design locations placed in key style centres across the world. Catering to the demands of a dynamic and ever-changing industry, the MAS portfolio has expanded exponentially; into brands, wearable technology, FemTech, start-ups and fabric parks worldwide.
FemTech at MAS is a pioneer in innovative apparel solutions addressing women's health. Their purpose is to bring normalcy to women’s lives from menarche to menopause, and everything in between, supporting them through the ups & downs of womanhood.
femtec Health
Website: https://www.femtechealth.com/
We are revolutionizing women’s healthcare. We use state-of-the-art genomics, predictive intelligence, and digital technologies to create a unique experience for every woman, through all stages of her life journey.
Our vision is to address this truth. Using the power of science and technology and celebrating each woman’s uniqueness, we create solutions that empower all women.
Most healthcare and its related tech were created by and for men. The uniqueness of women’s bodies and their ever-changing needs have gotten short shrift in just about every market direction—it was not until 1993 that women were even allowed in clinical trials.
Gold Partners
Sagentia Innovation
Website: www.sagentiainnovation.com
Sagentia Innovation provides independent advisory and leading-edge product development services focused on science and technology initiatives. Working across the medical, industrial, chemicals and energy, food and beverage, and consumer sectors, Sagentia Innovation works with a broad range of companies from some of the world’s leading and best-known brands, to start-up disruptors, new to the market. It is part of Science Group (AIM:SAG), which has more than ten offices globally, two UK-based dedicated R&D innovation centres and more than 400 employees. Other Science Group companies include Leatherhead Food Research, TSG Consulting and Frontier Smart Technologies.
Kinneir Dufort
Website: https://kinneirdufort.com/
Kinneir Dufort (KD) is a world-leading user centred Innovation, Design and Development consultancy, which focuses on designing a better world and creating value through tomorrow's products and experiences. We combine expertise in Design, Technology and User Experience to help progressive and ambitious companies deliver successful new innovations across the world. Our exec and management team is 50% female, unique in our industry at our scale. (Design Council’s Design Economy report 2018, states 95% male in UK product design).
In 2021, we launched XXEquals, as a response to the lack of female representation across our industry, our XXEquals team being over 75% women, with a deep expertise around creating products and services for women across healthcare & wellness, ensuring lived experience and empathetic approaches alongside user experience are central to the process. Our partners vary from femtech start-ups to global blue chips, all focused on delivering compelling innovations, products and services in women’s health and wellness. Find out more at www.xxequals.com / www.kinneirdufort.com
Watkins-Conti Products Inc
Website: http://www.watkinscontiproducts.com/
Watkins Conti Products, Inc. is a Female founded and owned, Platform Women’s Healthcare company and product design firm that is focused on the creation of innovative and affordable consumer medical devices.
The company’s flagship product is a non-invasive solution for stress incontinence in women. The problem impacts and estimated ONE in THREE women globally. The disruptive, patented product offers multiple recurring revenue streams. Watkins-Conti has additional products in the pipeline to improve the consumer experience, specifically for health related issues that women face that are often seen as shameful or taboo.
Essity Ventures
Website: www.essityventuresilab.com
Essity Ventures is a strategic initiative of Essity, a global, leading, health and hygiene company with a mission to break barriers to well-being. As a global leader, we leverage our expertise and resources to help start-ups build credibility and accelerate their growth towards commercial success. We seek for Innovative start-ups and entrepreneurs who share our mission to partner with us in connecting the dots between innovation and expertise to revolutionize the future of health and hygiene.
Our particular focus will be on Feminine Care and Women’s health, tapping into areas such as Femtech, Period pain and Menopause. We also have a high interest in startups tapping into the Sustainability, Incontinence, Consumer tissue, Professional Hygiene, Personal Care and Baby care area.
Event Partner
INVO Bioscience
Website: http://www.invobio.com/
At INVO Bioscience, we are democratizing fertility. Our mission is to help people realize the dream of parenthood by increasing worldwide access to an efficient, effective, and connected experience in reproductive treatment. We are the manufacturers of INVOcell®. The first and only FDA cleared, CE marked medical device used in intravaginal culture (IVC). INVOcell holds the egg and sperm within the woman’s body during fertilization and early embryo development. A safe, intimate way for women to be connected right from the very beginning. We are looking for partners to help us bring treatment where it’s needed. We offer full-service partnerships including resources, training, clinical and lab support. Contact us to learn how you can join the movement to make advanced fertility care within reach
Ferring Pharmaceuticals
Website: www.ferring.com
Helping mothers and babies, from conception to birth
At Ferring, we are committed to helping people become parents and to keeping mothers and babies healthy, from conception to birth. Over one third of our research and development investment goes towards finding innovative treatments in reproductive medicine and maternal health. We are also passionate about making a difference to people’s health and quality of life through our work in urology, gastroenterology, endocrinology and orthopaedics.
Media Partner
FemTech Analytics
Website: https://www.femtech.health/
FemTech Analytics (FTA) is a strategic analytical agency focused on the emerging FemTech sector, providing insights into key sub-sectors such as Reproductive Health & Contraception, General Healthcare, Longevity, Mental Health, Menstrual Health, Pregnancy & Nursing, Sexual Health, Pelvic & Uterine Healthcare, Menopause Care, and Women's Wellness. FTA offers a range of services including research and in-depth analysis on the FemTech industry, profiling of companies and government agencies based on their innovation potential and business activity, and consulting and analytical services to advance the overall FemTech sector.
FemTech Analytics is part of Deep Knowledge Group, a consortium of commercial and nonprofit organizations active on many fronts in the realm of DeepTech and Frontier Technologies (AI, Longevity, FinTech, GovTech, InvestTech), ranging from scientific research to investment, entrepreneurship, analytics, media, philanthropy, and more.
FemTech Focus
Website: www.femtechfocus.org
Femtech Focus is a 501c3 non-profit entity empowering the femtech industry through increased awareness of femtech in the tech world, providing resources to femtech founders, and creating opportunities to support femtech startups through exposure, networking, and access to capital.
How we are contributing to women's health space:
Femtech Focus has a popular podcast with thousands of listeners around the world. This supports our efforts to increase awareness of the femtech industry.
Femtech Focus is launching a femtech accelerator this Fall. Follow our social pages and subscribe to our newsletter to know when applications open!
@FemtechFocus - Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, Linkedin
Ultraviolet
Website: https://www.ultraviolet.agency/
Founded by FemTech veteran Anna Butterworth and futures expert Rhiannon Jones, Ultra Violet Futures addresses the burgeoning market currently ignored by traditional trends agencies. As one of the fastest growing areas of innovation it's vital to have a dedicated collective focused on mapping the forthcoming changes and developments to better align product developers, trading teams and marketeers with the needs of the future consumer.
Ultra Violet Futures is uniquely placed to combine intimate industry knowledge, contacts and experience to provide insightful and, most importantly, accurate forecasts within the now thriving field. Working with us gives you a unique perspective in the future of your consumer allowing your business to not only envisage but define the future of this category
Tech4Eva - We Accelerate women's health innovation
Website: http://www.tech4eva.ch/
Tech4Eva is a global 9-month equity free acceleration program fostering the next generation of start-ups addressing women’s health managed by EPFL Innovation Park in Switzerland. Tech4Eva offers the start-ups: dedicated mentoring by a network of corporates and experts; visibility and introductions to investors and customers through our network partners and roadshows and specific workshops to help the start-ups refine their business models and go-to-market strategy.
AUDIENCE BREAKDOWN
2022 Speakers
Andrea Zitna
Andrea Zitna is the Principal at Speedinvest, focusing on early-stage health investments across Europe. She is an experience operator turned investor who is particularly interested in businesses that challenge taboos. Prior to Speedinvest, Andrea was the Chief Revenue Officer at Elvie. She holds a degree in Physics from Oxford and an MBA from Harvard Business School.
Anna Butterworth
Anna Butterworth is a FemTech pioneer. She has been at the epicentre of the industry for over six years - before the term was even coined. Starting her career in PR she quickly found her calling in wider creative campaign strategy and moved through cause led organisations that support marginalised communities and promote their voices.
Landing at Elvie in 2015 she was the first communications hire and quickly grew the brand across 60+ territories leading the way in FemTech marketing strategy. Since branching out to create the world's first FemTech focused creative agency Ultra Violet, she has worked with global disruptors such as Thinx, Become, Doppel, Wuka, Mooncup, Womanizer, Soho House, The Eve Appeal and more.
Dominnique Karetsos
Dominnique Karetsos is the CEO and Co-Founder at The Healthy Pleasure Group, a company with the goal of building a Sexual Health and Technology Economy for better education, innovation, and investment. Alongside this, Dominnique is also a General Partner at Amboy Street Ventures, the world’s first venture capital fund focused on sexual health and women’s health technology startups.
Dr Mridula Pore
Dr Mridula Pore is the Co-Founder and Co-CEO at Peppy. A next-generation solution that’s transforming digital healthcare, working with employers and private medical insurers to give individuals physical, mental and emotional support when they need it most. Mridula has spent her career driving innovations in healthcare to make it more accessible and affordable. Most recently she has led commercial teams in the pharmaceuticals and digital health industries. Prior to that she was an engagement manager at McKinsey & Co. She has a PhD in chemical engineering from MIT and an MBA from the MIT Sloan.
Dr Nina Zoric
Nina Zoric is a McKinsey consultant. She is a former practicing embryologist with scientific background and expertise in genetics and fertility. Nina established her practical knowledge in fertility by working in the fertility field before joining McKinsey. Combined with a thorough understanding of the trends and market landscape, she has a holistic view of the fertility space and patients’ needs.
Dr Ronell Klingman (Berstein)
Dr Ronell Klingman, a female healthcare professional, is Co-Founder of NOGAFem, a Non-for-profit Women’s Health Innovation organization promoting the inclusion of sex and gender sensitive methodologies into Women’s Healthcare technologies and services.
Ronell is also CEO of Integremed cc, a strategic consulting company to international pharmaceutical companies, and LifeSciMed , a consulting company for Biotech companies in Israel. Together with Dr Michal Sela, Founder and COB, NOGAFem has built a 700+ professional community aimed at positively influencing the underserved women’s health ecosystem to create sustainable impact. We promote advocacy through our highly successful “Women’s Health Matters” Summits together with relevant educational platforms and play a central role in key Women’s Health landscape. Ronell is passionate about volunteering her time and expertise to innovators giving them the tools to match high unmet need challenges to appropriate sex- and gender-sensitive innovation. Assisting founders in creating business models that garner investor confidence and funding, will propel these innovations forward, enabling equitable access to highly personalized solutions to combat some of the most challenging health problems that women face. Partnering with key stakeholders in Europe and the US we are driving this initiative forward on a global level, establishing Israel as a key community of practice. I am able to bring my clinical, pharma and biotech experience, and in-depth knowledge of therapeutic areas and technologies, to help build women within this ecosystem.
Eileen Buttimer
Eileen Buttimer is Senior Vice President of New Business Development at Sagentia Innovation and has over 20 years’ experience exploring innovation opportunities with clients across multiple sectors including consumer health, pharma and med tech. She is particularly passionate about driving innovation in the Women’s Health space. Eileen is a strong professional skilled in International Business, Innovation Management, Entrepreneurship and Market Analysis. She holds a PhD in Biochemistry and an MBA and prior to Sagentia Innovation, she has held R&D management positions in DuPont and Pfizer.
Gila Tolub
Passionate about healthcare and its role in improving society, Gila advises CEOs and top teams at the leading life sciences companies on growth strategy, sustainability, Health Equity and organizational transformation. Gila also leads McKinsey's work with Healthcare Innovators in Israel supporting VC funds and CEOs in bringing healthcare innovation to market more quickly.
Hana Besbes
Hana is Investment Manager with Heal Capital, a European VC with a volume of EUR 100m, investing in technology-enabled healthcare champions actively driving healthcare innovation from Seed and Series A stage. At Heal, Hana is driving investments in the areas of Mental Health, FemTech, Elderly Care, and Chronic Diseases. Hana has been an active Angel Investor, invested in 30+ startups, and is an advocate of female founders in tech. Hana is a former top-tier strategy consultant with BCG and Roland Berger with > 6 years across Europe and MENA in digital transformation / open innovation and building new industries from scratch. Hana has a technical background as Dipl.-Ing. Electrical Engineering, MSc Telecommunications.
Kalahn Taylor-Clark, PhD MPH
Karina Vazirova
Karina is the co-founder of FemTech Lab, a global platform for startups in women's health and wellness. Prior to FemTech Lab, Karina founded KV LABS, a product development agency focusing on UX Design, AI & Robotic Automation, led high-growth product teams, and launched digital products in the US, Australia, UK and Europe. Karina is also an International Chess Master.
Kathrin Folkendt
Kathrin Folkendt is the Founder & CEO at Femtech Insider, the number 1 source for all things femtech. The newsletter briefs people on deals, company and startup launches, as well as femtech and Healthtech industry insights. Alongside this, Kathrin is also the Co-Founder of PERLA Health, an evidence-based integrative approach towards changing the way that PCOS education and care are delivered.
Keren Leshem, MBA
Seasoned executive with over 20 years' experience in the medical device & pharmaceutical industries specializing in the management of innovative start-ups, strategy, commercialization, BD and financing.
Lea von Bidder
Lea von Bidder is the CEO and Co-Founder of Ava Women, which leverages big data and artificial intelligence in women’s health. he company's initial product consists of a sophisticated sensor bracelet, an app and a powerful backend with self-learning algorithms for interpretation of hormonal changes, accurate ovulation tracking and screening of women's health issues.
Leon-Ariel Boston
Consummate CEO and entrepreneurial business leader with consistent track-record of success in the start-up, growth and leadership of high-performance MedTech companies.
In the last years, Leon has focused on women's health, creating new innovative products leveraging the latest digital technologies and artificial intelligence .
He is a regular contributor at different FemTech forums worldwide.
As a CEO of MobileODT, Leon has been transforming the company into a fully encompassing digital health solution, built on the foundations of AI for cervical cancer screening. With further applications in women’s wellness and fertility under development, MobileODT is evolving as a leading Femtech company transforming lives and changing outcomes for women world-wide.
Lucanus Polagnoli
Lucanus is one of Europe’s emerging managers: He is a founder and managing partner at Calm/Storm, an early-stage venture capital fund focused on digital-health and wellbeing. Before founding Calm/Storm in 2020, he was a startup operator, a CFO and a general partner of an early-stage fund (Speedinvest) – a combination not often found in venture capital.
Lucanus is passionate about helping others – especially founders – and will assist in every aspect of building your company. Investors and founders trust him, his hands-on approach and his knowledge around numbers. With more than 35 investments, he and the Calm/Storm team have demonstrated the ability to find and pick those rare cases where entrepreneurs are able to build both outstanding products and big businesses. Lucanus also has a real passion for digital solutions that improve our lives, and has most likely hit the limit of the number of apps "installable" on a phone.
In his free time, you’ll find him spending time with his wife and three children in the most liveable city in the world, Vienna, Austria, or sometimes racing sailing boats in his home turf, Lake Attersee in beautiful Salzkammergut – or as he calls it, “The Sound Of Music Land”.
Lynae Brayboy
Lynae is the Chief Medical Officer at Clue, the company founded by Ida Tin who coined the term ‘femtech’. Clue’s mission is for women and people with cycles to make good choices for themselves, and live full lives not in spite of their biology, but in tune with it and was launched helloclue.com in February 2018 to help close the knowledge gap about the menstrual cycle—with information that’s accessible, serious, scientific, and empathetic.
Melis Guvensoy
Melis is a strategic consultant, entrepreneur and a business developer in life sciences. After finishing her bachelor in biochemistry at University of Leicester and her masters in cancer therapeutics at Queen Mary University of London, she has gathered experience in supply chain, sales and business analysis in the UK and Cyprus to understand the world of entrepreneurship and innovation from different industry perspectives. Later, she took on a business development role at Whale Bay & Co (Deloitte spin-off), a life sciences and health consultancy company in the Netherlands. Afterwards, she joined a contract research organisation called OcellO BV, as a business manager, that does 3D in vitro compound screening in a physiologically relevant patient disease environment using organoids. She is also a board member in the European Institute of Innovation and Technology (EIT) Women community, and an active member in Cyprus Women's Health Research Society. In 2021, Melis founded Bold Innovates. In her role at Bold Innovates, next to managing the company, she leads the innovation development and growth strategy of client projects.
Priya Oberoi
Priya Oberoi is the Founding Partner at Goddess Gaia Ventures, which is building a £100 million pre-series A venture fund to invest in companies innovating in women’s health and wellness. She is also the Founder and Managing Partner at Oberoi Capital Partners Limited. She is an avid angel investor and has over 20 years’ experience in the legal and financial industry and has a degree from Oxford University.
Shardi Nahavandi
Shardi Nahavandi is the Co-Founder and CEO of TUUNE, a startup focusing on personalized birth control. She was inspired to start the company after being misdiagnosed with bowel cancer, eventually focusing on her own research on hormone imbalances.
Therese Maria Liechtenstein
Therese Liechtenstein, PhD, is a Principal in the Biotechnology team of M Ventures. Therese joined M Ventures in 2018. She was instrumental in the creation and financing of multiple companies of M Ventures portfolio, including FoRx Therapeutics and Anavo Therapeutics. Thera actively leads investments and represents M Ventures on the board of multiple portfolio companies. Previously Therese managed strategic projects for the Healthcare business of Merck KGaA in Darmstadt, Germany. Prior to Merck KGaA, Darmstadt, Germany, Therese was a client relationship manager in the field of wealth preservation, at Industrie- & Finanzkontor Ets. Therese comes from an academic background receiving her PhD in Immuno-Oncology from University College London, an MSc in Biomedical Sciences from the University of Amsterdam, and a BA in Biology and Business studies from New York University.
Frederik Madsen
Frederik is co-founder and CEO at Cirqle Biomedical, a women's health company developing OUI®.
OUI is a first-in-class non-hormonal contraceptive that works by topically reinforcing the natural barrier properties of cervical mucus to prevent sperm cells from reaching and fertilising the egg. The novel mechanism of action has been demonstrated to provide breakthrough efficacy in pre-clinical animal studies.
Cirqle has been awarded the Index Award, dubbed the Nobel Prize of the design world, and has been featured by amongst others Forbes, CNN and Wired Magazine for its pioneering work.
Frederik brings unique experience on the opportunities of applying human-centred innovation in women's health. He holds a MSc in Management of Innovation and Business Development from Copenhagen Business School.
Wendy Anderson
Wendy Anderson is a Co-founder and Investing Partner at The Case for Her, a philanthropic investment portfolio addressing the key women’s health issues of menstruation and female sexual health & pleasure. A graduate of Queen’s University in Ontario, Canada, Wendy spent over a decade working in the financial industry before transitioning to impact investing at Futura Foundations, which she directs together with her husband, acting as Chair of Social Initiatives since 2009. Wendy chairs the Board at Be Girl, a mission-driven design company addressing menstruation, is on the Executive Board of Women Moving Millions and sits on the advisory boards of both Saral Designs and The Center for Intimacy Justice.
Allison Watkins-Conti
Merle Hall
Elisabeth Weis
Elisabeth Weis is responsible for the development and execution of Organon's Fertility Franchise vision, purpose, and long-term strategy, including the unleashing of significant drivers of both organic and inorganic growth. Through effective partnering with senior leader counterparts in both the R&D and Manufacturing organizations, she is focused on maximizing the full potential of Organon's current fertility brands and successfully expanding into new areas through business development acquisitions and strategic partnerships in order to help build families around the world.
Maria del Pilar Diaz Gonzalez
Pilar is a global and multi-cultural business senior executive with 20+ years of experience in the consumer goods industry. She started her career in Spain where she is originally from, and later spanning multiple geographic locations across USA, Italy, Portugal, Switzerland and Germany. She built her career with a focus on Strategy, Marketing, Innovation and Commercialization. Pilar is currently the CEO at FemTech at MAS Holdings, the largest and leading design-to-delivery apparel solutions provider in South Asia. In her own words, she is "passionate about helping shape the future of FemHealth, an industry with massive growth potential that has been long neglected. Very proud to work with people who dare to break the taboos surrounding female intimate health and wellness, and support women through the ups and downs, the glory, and the pain, of every stage in their lives
Shannon Altimari
Shannon joined GSK in 2020 as the company’s Global Head of Oncology Advocacy to Outcomes. In this role, she leads GSK’s oncology patient advocacy strategies, with a focus on improving outcomes and supporting equitable access for patients. Prior to GSK, she was with TESARO Bio GmbH as Head of International Corporate Affairs. Before TESARO, she spent 10 years with Biogen. She is an American citizen currently living in Switzerland.
Sonia Ponzo
Yahel Halamish
Yahel joined Nina Capital, a specialized venture capital firm investing exclusively at the intersection of healthcare and deep tech, in 2020. At Nina Capital, Yahel focuses on Women's health and hospital management investments. She is also in charge of Investors Relations and D&I in the fund, promoting an active approach to increasing diversity. Prior to joining Nina Capital, Yahel gained vast knowledge on the VC industry and Startups in different development stages by investing in Alternative Assets for a large investment house based in Tel Aviv. Yahel started her career as a corporate lawyer, working for a top law firm in Israel, managing ongoing legal matters of public companies and IPOs. Yahel holds an MBA from IESE Business School, LLB and, BA in economics from the Hebrew University.
Stasia Obremskey
Before joining, Stasia served in 2018 as the first Fellow of the Tara Health Foundation. She has more than twenty-five years of experience providing financial and strategic planning consulting to organizations in the U.S. and Asia. She has joined management teams as the interim Chief Financial Officer on a short term and extended term basis to provide finance, accounting and strategic planning expertise to startups, fast growing companies and non-profit organizations. Current and past clients include 18Birdies, Posit Science, Circlepoint, West Shore Technologies and We Care Solar. She has lived for over 8 years in Bangkok, Thailand and Hong Kong, China. She began her consulting career as a management consultant with Bain & Company. Previously, she worked in investment banking for Morgan Stanley & Co. She holds a bachelor’s degree in Business Administration with a concentration in finance from the University of Notre Dame and an MBA from the Harvard Graduate School of Business. In addition to her consulting work, she has extensive experience as a member of several nonprofit boards where she has held a number of leadership positions.
Valentina Milanova
Valentina Milanova is the founder of Daye, the gynae health research and development company on a mission to close the gender pain gap and overcome historical gender biases in medical research and product innovation. After years of research and testing, Daye launched its first consumer product in 2020 - the world‘s only cramp-soothing tampon. From the outset, Valentina has baked her core values into the DNA of the company - Daye‘s products are created by women who used to be in the prison system, and their tampons are produced in a fully carbon neutral operation. Born and raised in Bulgaria, Valentina moved to the UK to attend the University of Buckingham, where she got degrees in business, economics, and law. After considering careers in journalism and econometrics, Valentina soon found herself drawn in by the start-up world, working first at Techstars and then as a venture associate for Founders Factory. Meanwhile, she began working on her own idea for a company. After 180 pitches to investors, Valentina managed to raise £4.23 million in seed funding and in 2018, Daye started officially changing the face of female health for the better.
Marco Rüedi
Marco is Entrepreneur, Coach and Trainer in the Swiss Start-up ecosystem with 20+ years international experience in strategic and operational roles across the LifeScience Industry and Healthcare Management. He is also currently a mentor for the Tech4Eva program at EPFL Innovation Park.
He is a strong believer in well-balanced teams: motivated to challenge the status quo!
Passionate to work with the next generation of Entrepreneurs/Managers for the challenges of tomorrow. He focused on Start-up and Innovation Management, Translational medicine. His motto is “From idea to market”.
He holds a Medical Doctor from the University of Fribourg, Berne and Zurich, an Executive Masters in Medical Management from eMMM PHW Berne, and an Executive Masters in Business Administration from eMBA PHW Berne.
Jessica Platt
Kerry Briggs
Jessica McCreadie
Jess sits in the Health team, and her focus is engaging with, investing in and supporting Europe’s most promising health tech companies.
“The gap between health and life expectancy is widening and to improve quality of life in later years we need a more decentralised, preventative and personalised approach to healthcare.”
Prior to joining Octopus Ventures in June 2021, Jess led the health tech investing team at Legal & General supporting leading health innovations. She invested balance sheet capital into early-stage health tech businesses and supported scale up via board representation in her portfolio.
Earlier in her career Jess invested into and was a banker in a range of alternative asset classes including renewable energy, real estate, and Venture Capital Funds. Jess has a passion for sustainability and delivering social impact alongside economic value.
Outside of work Jess can be found enjoying London’s restaurants, cycling, running, trying out the newest fitness class on offer, or in the park running around with / after her dog.
Marion McPherson
Marion McPherson is the Therapy Area Head for Women’s Healthcare in Bayer Pharmaceuticals. She joined Bayer in 1997 and during that time and has held a variety of commercial leadership roles in both the Pharmaceutical and Crop Science divisions in the UK and across Europe. Marion started her career in the field of Women’s Health as a nurse and midwife and is passionate about delivering innovative solutions to address the unmet medical needs of women worldwide.
Kimon Angelides
Kimon Angelides is the founder of six healthcare companies: FemTec Health, Vivante Health, EosHealth which became Livongo (NASDAQ: LVGO) and debuted in July 2019 with a $355M IPO at a $4.4B valuation and recently acquired by Teladoc for $18.5B, DiabetesAmerica, a network of diabetes centers that pioneered bundled payment, provider risk models, and the first remote monitoring of patients, and mAbGen, a cancer biotech company that partnered with world-renowned MDAnderson Cancer Center and was acquired by Valeant Pharmaceuticals.
Kimon recently received the 2020 Founder of the Year Award from Rock Health, Goldman Sachs, and PacWest Bank for his contributions and work in digital medicine. Kimon’s newest company, FemTec Health was created in 2020 to bring together all the product and services to create a total healthcare experience for women and to tackle some of the most complex health conditions using state of the art technologies. The company has taken a multidisciplinary approach using digital therapeutics, diagnostics and discovery medicine, devices, and analytics, all taken to enhance and celebrate women’s health and to break some of the taboos associated with women’s sexual wellness. Vivante Health, that Kimon founded in 2016 after Livongo was formed to meet the needs of people who have invisible and stigmatized diseases, starting with digestive health using new advances and innovations in digital health, telemedicine, and biometric devices.
Prior to his healthcare career, Kimon led strategy for Tanox, Inc., a biotech company now part of Genentech, Director of Strategic Development at St Luke’s/Texas Heart Institute, Professor and Chair of Cell Biology and Biomedical Sciences at the University of Durham in the UK building the pre-clinical services for a new medical school, Professor of Cell Biology, Neuroscience, Biochemistry, and Molecular Biophysics at Baylor College of Medicine, and Associate and Assistant Professor at the University of Florida and McGill University. Kimon was on the National Medical Board of the National Multiple Sclerosis Society, Muscular Dystrophy Association, and the National Institutes of Health. Kimon was a Research Career Development Awardee of the National Institutes of Health, a Mombusho Scholar of Japan, Distinguished Professor at INSERM/Centre National de Recherche Scientifique of France, and a Basil O’Connor Scholar from the March of Dimes Birth Defect Foundation. He has published over 100 papers and holds more than 60 patents. He has a PhD in Bio-organic Chemistry from the University of California and has graduate work in business, laws, and public health.
Anne Morissey
Experienced CEO, innovative strategic thinker, value creator, team builder, connector & fundraiser. Multiple exits, team transitions & global partnerships.
Anne is a passionate leader, driven to ensure positive change to the women's health ecosystem. Anne was named in the 100 Women of MedTech, 2019. Advisor to other CEO's, invited speaker including WSGR Medical Device Conference and the United Nations EWEC.
Juan Camilo Arjona Ferreira
Sarah Bolt
Wolfgang Hackl
Translational oncology scientist and clinical cancer drug developer with over 20 years of experience directly contributing to pharmaceutical and scientific progress with leading companies worldwide. Proven record of achieving project and organizational objectives by building and leading high- performance teams, promoting cooperation, developing mitigation strategies, and analyzing results to ensure success. Dynamic senior leader with proactive approach to implementing efficient processes and improving staff capabilities. Effective communicator, using interpersonal abilities, active listening, and observational skills to promote genuine, productive discourse. Deeply passionate about cancer research, maintaining a strong vested interest in all assigned projects to drive quality and attain large-scale goals.
Demonstrated success in:
- Leading Femara global registration programs and teaming with colleagues on Aromasin registration.
- Contributing to Proof-of-Concept (POC) for multiple targeted investigational new drugs.
- Delivering expertise across all drug development stages: Discovery, pre-clinical research, POC, phase I to IV development.
- Translating complex concepts into clear, relevant ideas for multilateral understanding and alignment.
- Collaborating to create solutions, improving processes, and building strategies that enable success.
Demonstrated skills in:
Cancer Drug Development · Translational Clinical Oncology · NDA Filing · POC · Biomarker Development · Clinical Studies (Phase I-IV) · Medical Affairs · Wide-Ranging Subject Matter Expertise
- · Team Building · High Performance Leadership · Problem Solving
Mary Kerr
Mary Kerr has served as Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of NeRRe Therapeutics, a privately funded UK Biotech since 2015, and a non-executive independent director at Galapagos NV since 2016. In 2017 Mary co-founded and was CEO of KaNDy Therapeutics until the company was acquired by Bayer in September 2020 for an upfront consideration of $425 million and additional potential development, regulatory and sales milestone payments. Before her career in Biotech, Mary held a range of senior leadership roles at GlaxoSmithKline and heritage companies for more than 20 years, including Senior Vice President and Global Franchise leader for the Immuno-inflammation and Infectious Diseases franchise. Mary was a founding member and on the Corporate Executive team of ViiV Healthcare, where she led the European business. She has spent most of her career on the R&D commercial interface in global strategy and regional operational roles, predominantly in the specialty and orphan space. Mary gained a BSc and Ph.D. in Pharmacology at the University of Bradford, did post-doctoral research at the Michigan Cancer Foundation in Detroit, and has an MBA from the University of Kingston.
DOWNLOAD AGENDA
The 2022 Women's Health Innovation Summit Europe agenda!
Sessions included:
Innovation and Investment in Europe: Driving Growth in Women’s Health
Hormonal Health: The Next Frontier
Engaging Employers to Increase Women’s Access to Healthcare
Our agenda provides all the information from our previous event, view it today!
Download the 2022 WHIS EU Agenda
REGISTRATION
Sending Your Team? Group Discounts Available!
Applicable for Primary Market, Service Provider and Industry Rates Only. Not available for Academic or ‘Start-Up’ rates
Book a Team of 3+ - Save an Additional 10% Off
Book a Team of 5+ - Save an Additional 15% Off
If you would like to register a team of 3 or more, please email [email protected] for your discount coupon code before registering. PLEASE NOTE: Discounts cannot be combined with Early Bird Pricing or any other discount or offer. If you have any questions about your registration, please call us on +44 (0)20 3696 2920
The Congress Center Basel Partner With Us
Based on your objectives, we can create bespoke packages designed specifically for you – from presenting your expertise on the main stage, to hosting a private dinner. You can partner with us showcase your brand and make valuable new connections. Opportunities predominantly lie in 3 main categories: Thought Leadership, Branding & Networking.
To discuss your objectives and partnership opportunities please contact spex[email protected]
Interested in a media partnership?
We'd love to hear from you and how we can support one another to connect with the industry. Contact [email protected]
Returning Safely Measures
Whether sponsors, speakers or attendees, our customers attend Kisaco Research events to connect, learn and innovate to know more and do business. It is our commitment that as we return to in-person events, they can do this effectively, safely and with confidence.
All in-person Kisaco Research events will prioritize the health and safety of colleagues and customers and, in the first instance, will be run in accordance with official government and local authority guidance, as well as any venue or location-specific regulations.
Kisaco Research is committed to following the Association of Event Organisers All Secure Standard, which has been approved by by UK Government.
About Kisaco Research
Kisaco Research produces, designs and hosts B2B industry conferences, exhibitions and communities – focused on a specialized selection of topic areas.
Meet industry peers that will help build a career-changing network for life.
Learn from the mistakes of your peers as much as their successes—ambitious industry stalwarts who are happy to share not just what has made them successful so far but also their plans for future proofing their companies.
Note down the inspired insight that will form the foundation for future strategies and roadmaps, both at our events and through our online communities.
Invest both in your company growth and your own personal development by signing up to one of our events and get started.
