Ep 15 - "Securing Funding in the Longevity Market" artwork
Community of Innovation Podcast

Ep 15 - "Securing Funding in the Longevity Market"

  • S1E15
  • 32:06
  • November 17th 2020

Funding makes the world go ‘round – especially when you’re an entrepreneur looking to secure investments for your innovative agetech solution. While there may be many riches in the niches of the longevity market, it can be challenging for entrepreneurs in this space to access them. At CABHI’s 2020 What’s Next Canada conference, Sam Ifergan (Founder and Managing Partner at iGan Partners) and Anna Han (Senior Lead, Industry Relations Portfolio Management at Ontario Brain Institute) spoke to entrepreneurs about how they can stand out and secure funding to scale and grow their agetech companies – and truly make a lasting impact in the longevity market.

In this discussion, first recorded as an Investors Panel at What’s Next Canada 2020, learn about the important qualities that investors are looking for in companies before they commit to funding, including:

*Innovative products with a strong proof of concept *Technologies that solve real problems and have clear market prospects *Strong business models that focus on sustainability over time

On the panel: Mary Furlong (CEO of Mary Furlong & Associates and panel moderator), Anna Hann (Senior Lead, Industry Relations Portfolio Management, Ontario Brain Institute), and Sam Ifergan (Founder & Managing Partner, iGan Partners).

CABHI's Community of Innovation Podcast

CABHI’s Community of Innovation podcast is where topics on ingenuity, aging and brain health collide. Join us as we talk to experts in healthcare, research, technology and business, as well as older adults and their caregivers, about the innovative practices and healthtech solutions helping us all lead longer, healthier lives.

Dr. Allison Sekuler avatar
Dr. Allison Sekuler
President and Chief Scientist at CABHI

Dr. Allison Sekuler (FSEP, FPsyS, FAPS) is President and Chief Scientist at the Centre for Aging + Brain Health Innovation (CABHI). A graduate of Pomona College (BA, Mathematics and Psychology) and the University of California, Berkeley (PhD, Psychology), Dr. Sekuler is also President and Chief Scientist and the Sandra A. Rotman Chair in Cognitive Neuroscience at the Baycrest Academy for Research and Education, Professor at the University of Toronto, and Professor Emerita at McMaster University.

Dr. Sekuler has a notable record of scientific achievements in aging, vision science, cognitive neuroscience, and neurotechnology; and her translational research aims to develop methods to prevent, detect, and treat age-related sensory and cognitive decline. She has won numerous research and innovation leadership awards, including being the first Canada Research Chair in Cognitive Neuroscience (2001-2011) and one of WXN’s Top 100 Most Powerful Women in Canada (2019). Dr. Sekuler has a long record of executive leadership, and currently chairs the Natural Science and Engineering Research Council’s Public Impact Value Proposition committee; serves on the Board of Governors for Hamilton Health Sciences and BrainsCAN; is a founding Steering Committee member of the Canadian Brain Research Strategy, a Scientific Mentor in CDL’s Neuro stream, and advisor for SXSW Pitch.

In her spare time, she is proving that you’re never too old to learn: Dr. Sekuler picked up her first drumsticks a few years ago, and recently earned her Professional Drums Certificate from the Berklee College of Music.

Dr. Rosanne Aleong avatar
Dr. Rosanne Aleong
Director of Research, Innovation, and Translation at CABHI

    Dr. Rosanne Aleong is the Director of Research, Innovation, and Translation at CABHI. She also serves as the Executive Director of Research, Innovation, and Translation at the Baycrest Academy for Research and Education, Baycrest Centre for Geriatric Care. She received her MSc and PhD in Neurological Sciences from McGill University, with her research focusing on inflammatory models of neurodegenerative disease; and body image and visual perception among adolescents and young adults. She has 20+ years of experience in neuroscience and brain health research across the lifespan.

    In her current role at CABHI, she: (1) manages a support and services hub, enabling healthcare professionals, researchers, educators, not-for-profit organizations, and industry in conducting applied and evaluative research as well as innovation implementation and validation; (2) focuses on CABHI knowledge translation and knowledge mobilization initiatives; and 3) executive produces and co-hosts the CABHI Community of Innovation Podcast.

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