Meet the
Meet
the
10
Semi-Finalists
Since applications closed on October 23, we've reviewed more than 125 inspiring pitches.
We’re so grateful to have had the opportunity to see how each of these entrepreneurs plan to bring their visions to life, and there are no words to describe how impressed we are by the innovation and ambition they’ve demonstrated.
We hope all applicants will remain a part of our community as they continue to work towards their goals, grow their networks, and seek out solutions to any challenges they face. As always, our mission is to help self-identifying women, non-binary and trans-femme entrepreneurs access the resources and community they need to thrive in business.
Meet the 10 Semi-Finalists who are one step closer to receiving up to $90,000 in financial, community and wisdom capital to fund their business visions!
Chocovate Labs Inc.
Brittany Charlton (she/her)
CEO
Brittany Charlton is the founder of Chocovate Labs, a Canadian ingredient technology company developing a cocoa-free chocolate system built for commercial scale. A second-time founder with seven years of experience in product development, manufacturing, and B2B commercialization, she previously grew her first CPG company into 7-figure national retail partnerships with Costco and Walmart. At Chocovate Labs, Brittany leads the development of a chocolate alternative designed to address the industry's growing supply and cost pressures. Her work focuses on building a reliable, scalable, and cost-stable ingredient solution for manufacturers navigating the future of chocolate.
Door Gurus
Kimberley Hiebert (she/her)
CEO & Co-Founder
Kimberley Hiebert is a serial entrepreneur, strategist, and retired social worker. Over her 35 year career she has built and led multiple businesses across diverse industries with a passion for helping people build legacy, create impact and overcome the odds.
Kimberley co-founded the Door Gurus franchise with her husband, Darren Hiebert, combining his 45+ years of door-industry expertise with her own strategic acumen. Together they built a modern, mobile franchise model, the first of its kind in the door-services sector, bringing opportunity to families while impacting community.
A homeless, high-school dropout, former foster kid who rebuilt her life with grit and vision, Kimberley is known for a people-first, transactions second philosophy. Her real world experience, love of people, combined with her business acumen reflects herdeep understanding of market dynamics, people and an unwavering commitment to success.
Hettas
Lindsay Housman (she/her)
Founder & CEO
Lindsay is the founder of Hettas, a Canadian performance footwear brand that researches, designs and tests athletic footwear exclusively from the female perspective. For decades, athletic shoes have been designed around men's biomechanics and simply scaled down for women-a bias that leads to poor fit, discomfort, and higher injury risk. Hettas exists to change that. Hettas designs shoes rooted in women's anatomy, biomechanics, and research-built from the ground up, not adapted from men.
Our shoes are also a vehicle for a larger purpose: advancing equity in sport, supporting organizations that focus on keeping girls in sport, supporting female athletes, and partnering with organizations to advance the research of women in sport. Hettas impact programming is both through its research and through partnering with organizations to keep girls in sport.
Lindsay has a track record of building transformational teams in global retail organizations. Previously a Chartered Accountant with over 20 years' experience in strategic planning, technology strategy and execution.
Kalino Bio
Sherry Zhao (she/her)
Founder & CEO
Dr. Sherry Zhao is the Founder and CEO of Kalino Bio, a Vancouver-based biotechnology company pioneering non-surgical immunocontraceptive solutions for dogs and cats, offering safer, more humane alternatives to traditional spaying and neutering. Under her leadership, Kalino Bio has raised over $1M USD from pet healthcare investors and is advancing its R&D programs.
With pharmaceutical R&D experience from Genentech and a decade as Regional Director at Mitacs, Sherry has a proven track record of building innovation ecosystems. At Mitacs, she grew business development teams across the Pacific region and was instrumental in securing a $50M government contract. Deeply committed to Vancouver's entrepreneurial community, Sherry serves on the board of the Vancouver Entrepreneurs Forum and chairs the scale-up centre for SMEs at the Greater Vancouver Board of Trade. She also supervises master's students as faculty at Simon Fraser University.
An international student turned Canadian immigrant, Sherry graduated from Peking University and earned her PhD in Chemistry from the University of British Columbia, where she was later honored with the Young Alumnus Award.
LaBratory Bras
Adelyn Ho (she/her)
Co-Founder
Dr. Adelyn Ho is a plastic surgeon and the CEO and Co-Founder of LaBratory Bras, a recovery wear company built from her experience caring for women undergoing breast reconstruction and aesthetic breast surgery. She trained in Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery at the University of British Columbia, completed a Microsurgery Fellowship, and earned a Master of Public Health at Harvard University. Her clinical practice focuses on breast surgery, including cancer reconstruction, reduction surgery for functional improvement, and cosmetic breast procedures.
Through years of operating and guiding patients through recovery, Adelyn and her co founder, Dr Alex Seal, saw the same challenge in both reconstructive and cosmetic settings. Women were receiving excellent surgical care yet were sent home in recovery bras that were uncomfortable, poorly fitted, and did not reflect the level of care delivered in the operating room. Patients wanted comfort, confidence, and support at a moment when they felt most vulnerable. This gap led them to create LaBratory Bras.
The company's first product, the Surgical Couture Bra, was created from real patient measurements and recovery needs, then refined with feedback from breast surgeons across Canada. Today, LaBratory supports clinics and patients across North America with recovery bras that helps women feel secure, comfortable, and confident during healing.
Adelyn is deeply committed to improving the patient experience in breast surgery and believes that recovery care deserves the same level of attention as the procedure itself. LaBratory Bras reflects this philosophy by offering women a recovery solution that helps them move from vulnerability to confidence as they return to everyday life.
Metacycler Bioinnovations Inc.
Eugenia Dadzie (she/her)
COO
My name is Eugenia Dadzie and I'm the COO and co-founder of Metacycler Bioinnovations Inc, a biotechnology company that produces biodegradable plastics from dairy waste using bacteria.
Myselfrep.com™
Vanessa Tynes (she/her)
Founder & CEO
Myselfrep.com is on a mission to transform how families navigate separation, divorce, and parenting disputes by turning confusing family court processes into clear, guided pathways that people can follow with confidence. Our online platform uses smart, rules-based workflows to help users complete court forms and family law agreements step by step, reducing delay, stress, and the need for large upfront legal retainers.
Founded by family law lawyer and entrepreneur Vanessa Tynes, Myselfrep.com is built on more than 20 years of experience in family courts and in running successful legal businesses. After representing hundreds of clients and seeing the same problems repeat-overwhelm, cost, and lack of clear information-Vanessa recognized that technology could give people structure, language, and strategy before they ever speak to a lawyer.
Today, Myselfrep.com is evolving from a direct-to-consumer tool into a powerful support for employers, insurance providers, EAP programs, and unions. By offering our platform as a confidential benefit, organizations can help their members manage one of the most stressful events in life with practical, affordable tools that protect time, income, and mental health-while still allowing targeted use of legal advice when it matters most.
NovaSonix Healthcare Inc.
Randa Mudathir (she/her)
CEO & Co-Founder
Randa Mudathir is the CEO and co-founder of NovaSonix Healthcare, a women-led med-tech company transforming musculoskeletal imaging. Across North America, limited MRI capacity is a major bottleneck in musculoskeletal (MSK) care, with Canadian patients waiting roughly 90 days for medically necessary scans and nearly half of U.S. patients experiencing delays beyond 10 days. These weeks-to-months of delayed diagnosis worsen outcomes for patients and contribute to billions in lost productivity and avoidable medical costs. NovaSonix Healthcare addresses this with MSKNovaVue™, an AI-enhanced attachment that transforms any standard ultrasound probe into a real-time 3-D scanner, delivering MRI-like insight at the point of care without MRI-level costs or wait times. With a background in medical biophysics and clinical research, Randa has worked on developing this ultrasound technology during her Master's degree and has since built deep expertise in translating complex imaging innovations into real-world healthcare solutions.
Quip Medical
Yoobin Lee (she/her)
CEO & Co-Founder
Quip is a billing optimization solution for physicians to minimize burnout and improve patient care. Born out of personal frustration, our proprietary AI-enabled billing algorithm ensures doctors are properly compensated for the care provided and aims to eliminate the 22.5% gender pay gap amongst physicians.
SeaFoam
Amy Yang (she/her)
CEO & Co-Founder
Amy Yang and Chloe Doesburg are the co-founders of SeaFoam, a women-led climate venture developing carbon-negative building insulation made from seaweed and upcycled waste streams. Together, they bring more than two decades of experience in architecture, construction, and start-ups. Chloe is a licensed architect with ten years in the building industry and served as CEO of Driftscape, a travel-tech startup, for six years. Amy has fifteen years of experience across architecture and software engineering, specializing in systems design, problem-solving, and product delivery.
SeaFoam was created to address a major gap in construction: insulation remains one of the most carbon-intensive materials in our homes. Amy and Chloe are redesigning it from the ground up using regenerative ocean resources and circular waste inputs. Their early prototypes aim to deliver carbon storage, fire resistance, moisture resilience, and healthy indoor performance - all supported by a sustainable supply chain.
The founders are advancing R&D with universities, materials scientists, seaweed suppliers, and early pilot builders across Canada. Their vision is to bring ocean-positive, locally made, carbon-storing building materials into the mainstream and help transform construction from a major emitter into a climate solution.
Beyond the technology, Amy and Chloe are committed to building a regenerative, women-led ecosystem around biomaterials and ocean innovation. They are driven by a simple belief: the materials we put in our walls should help create homes that protect both people and the planet.
SeaFoam
Chloe Doesburg (she/her)
Co-Founder
Amy Yang and Chloe Doesburg are the co-founders of SeaFoam, a women-led climate venture developing carbon-negative building insulation made from seaweed and upcycled waste streams. Together, they bring more than two decades of experience in architecture, construction, and start-ups. Chloe is a licensed architect with ten years in the building industry and served as CEO of Driftscape, a travel-tech startup, for six years. Amy has fifteen years of experience across architecture and software engineering, specializing in systems design, problem-solving, and product delivery.
SeaFoam was created to address a major gap in construction: insulation remains one of the most carbon-intensive materials in our homes. Amy and Chloe are redesigning it from the ground up using regenerative ocean resources and circular waste inputs. Their early prototypes aim to deliver carbon storage, fire resistance, moisture resilience, and healthy indoor performance - all supported by a sustainable supply chain.
The founders are advancing R&D with universities, materials scientists, seaweed suppliers, and early pilot builders across Canada. Their vision is to bring ocean-positive, locally made, carbon-storing building materials into the mainstream and help transform construction from a major emitter into a climate solution.
Beyond the technology, Amy and Chloe are committed to building a regenerative, women-led ecosystem around biomaterials and ocean innovation. They are driven by a simple belief: the materials we put in our walls should help create homes that protect both people and the planet.
Join us in Toronto or Vancouver to support these entrepreneurs as they pitch their visions!
THE ODLUM BROWN FORUM PITCH SEMI-FINAL EVENT
Toronto
February 11, 2026
THE ODLUM BROWN FORUM PITCH SEMI-FINAL EVENT
Vancouver
February 18, 2026
THE ODLUM BROWN FORUM PITCH SEMI-FINAL EVENTS
What to expect
When you join us for The Odlum Brown Forum Pitch Semi-Final events, you’ll have the opportunity to:
Discover and connect with some of Canada’s most promising entrepreneurs.
Activate your support and explore potential investment opportunities, partnerships, and collaborations that align with your goals.
Gain insights and learnings from incredible business leaders who are bringing their visions to life despite the personal and systemic challenges they’ve faced.
Leave feeling inspired, with a fiercely supportive community supporting your growth.
Mentors
The program Mentors are experts in growth, investing, and accessing capital. As experienced entrepreneurs and industry leaders, they act as helpful mentors to the Semi-Finalists and Finalists as they prepare and revise their pitches throughout the program.
SEMI-FINALIST MENTORS
Amoye Henry
Principal Consultant, AH Consulting Group
Ontario
Canadian with global experience living and working across the Toronto, London, Accra, Lagos and Dubai.
Investor and operator focused on startups and scale-ups. Portfolio includes a Series B cybersecurity company (AI-backed, $200M valuation) and an AI robotics company in the medtech space generating $5.5M ARR.
Formerly ran accelerators in West Africa, helping launch and scale strategic companies. Recently raised $1.5M to run an accelerator program. Currently raising a $15M fund dedicated to backing women in Canada and global markets, focused on AI infrastructure, sustainability, and clean tech.
Passionate about innovation, hypergrowth, and building ecosystems that empower founders to thrive.
Crystal Lo (she/her)
Investment Associate, InBC Investment Corp
British Columbia
Crystal Lo is an Investment Associate at InBC and has a deep-rooted belief in the power of capital to create a positive social impact. She has multi-faceted experience in gender-lens investing, impact investing, commercial lending and real estate development, with her professional experience spanning three continents.
Crystal holds a bachelor’s degree in global business from The Hong Kong University of Science and Technology and a master’s degree in real estate from The University of Hong Kong.
Farah Jhumra (she/her)
Senior Analyst, Yaletown Partners
British Columbia
Farah Jhumra is a Senior Investment Analyst at Yaletown Partners, driving innovation by supporting bold founders and transformative technologies. With experience in private equity, she brings expertise in growth, financial analysis, and strategic execution. A former founder of Cering Technologies, a wearable safety start-up, Farah also champions purpose-driven innovation and women-led businesses.
Grant Lawrence
Co-Founder, Valhalla Private Capital
British Columbia
Grant is an active angel investor and a co-founder of Valhalla Angels, and he has a hands-on approach to supporting early-stage companies. Since 2015, Grant has been mentoring founders and providing advisory support for capital raises and operational growth as a Advisor, an Executive in Residence with Foresight Canada, a mentor for UBCO ventures and an Investor in Residence at Accelerate Okanagan.
Grant's career spans multiple startups where he held junior and senior positions in enterprise software B2B ventures with a wide range of international customers
Heather Reier (she/her)
Founder, Chief Advisor, Village Road Advisory
Ontario
Founder and entrepreneur turned advisor and investor, bringing real, lived experience in brand and business building—from idea to successful exit. I built Cake Beauty into a category-defining brand, leading it to successful acquisition. Now, through Village Road Advisory, I work with founders on their bold visions——scaling with purpose, joy and impact to build something meaningful, valuable and wildly successful.
Katrina Carroll-Foster
Partner, Kollectively Inc.
British Columbia
Katrina Carroll-Foster is Founder and Partner at Kollectively, a marketing strategy firm working with B2B ventures, venture capital firms, and ecosystem partners across Canada. With experience spanning B2B companies, national accelerators, and venture funds, she connects the dots between brand strategy and business outcomes in complex, competitive markets.
A former entrepreneur and mother to a budding young founder, Katrina brings both operator insight and empathy to her work. A long-time champion of women in venture, she serves on the Board of The Forum, is an LP with Women’s Equity Lab, an Executive-in-Residence with Foresight Canada, and a mentor with New Ventures BC.
Melissa Belbeck
Principal, Whitecap Ventures
Ontario
Melissa joined Whitecap Venture Partners, an early-stage VC firm in Toronto, in 2020. As a Principal, Melissa works on new investments and supports companies post-investment. Previously, she worked at Ritual, BMO, and Oliver Wyman. Melissa holds an HBA from the Ivey School of Business and an MBA from the Kellogg School of Business.
Nadia Lachman (she/her)
Associate, Amplitude Ventures
Alberta
Nadia Lachman is an Investor at Amplitude who joined the team in 2024. She brings a diverse background in retail pharmacy, clinical trial recruitment, and extensive experience supporting early-stage health startups across therapeutics, medical devices, and digital health. Nadia is passionate about driving innovation in healthcare and has a keen interest in emerging technologies that impact patient care.
Prior to Amplitude, Nadia gained valuable expertise in B2B SaaS venture investing, which equipped her with a broad perspective on technology commercialization. She holds a BSc from Mount Royal University, a Master of Biomedical Technology (MBT) from the Cumming School of Medicine, and an MBA from the Haskayne School of Business at the University of Calgary.
Sarah Willson (she/her)
Principal, Panache Ventures
Ontario
Sarah is an investor at Panache Ventures, a pre-seed and seed stage VC firm supporting inspiring Canadian founders at the earliest stages of building transformational companies. Sarah is also an active member of the Tech4SickKids advisory council, Velocity investment committee, and Schulich ExEd Pitch Deck Advisory Group.
Suzanne Knight (she/her)
CEO, mBolden
Ontario
Suzanne Knight is a global consultant and keynote speaker who has led transformation across 14 countries. As CEO of mBolden, she helps organizations simplify complexity, unlock capacity, and lead through change. A passionate advocate for women’s economic advancement, she is Co-Founder of Be Uninterrupted and an active angel investor with The Firehood, an investing community that champions women in tech and innovation.