About Canada in the Valley Showcase
The CELS Canada in the Valley Showcase is the premier platform for connecting high-potential Canadian life science startups with top U.S. investors, industry leaders, and commercial partners.
For startups, the Showcase is a gateway to critical resources and industry connections needed for companies to succeed in the competitive U.S. healthcare and biotech ecosystem.
For investors and industry leaders, it presents an exclusive opportunity to discover cutting-edge innovations and gain early access to Canada’s most promising emerging companies in biotech, medical devices, diagnostics, and healthtech.
Highlights include:
2 days of programming and networking in Silicon Valley
80 alumni and other promising life science startups invited to join
Presentations from Canada’s most promising early-stage life sciences companies
Engaging Keynote Speakers
Executive roundtables, curated investor and strategic partner meetings
High value networking between promising Canadian Early-Stage Life Science Companies, Investors and Industry Executives and the CELS Community of Charter Members, Advisors, and Partners.
Program Agenda
Wednesday June 11th
🎙️ 9:00 am - 12:00 pm - Speakers & Panels
Private financings for non-US companies with Josh Seidenfeld @ Cooley
AI and it's application in life science with Nikhil Wagle @ Genentech, Jana Mitchell @ insitro, and Noura Dadaa @ Google
The ROI of Women's Health with Ruby Gadelrab @ MDisrupt and Noel Pugh @ Lovu
🍽️ 12:30 pm - 2:00 pm - Lunch Roundtables
📆 2:00 pm - 4:00 pm - Investor & Industry Mentors
Thursday June 12th
🎙️ 9:00 am - 12:00 pm - Speakers & Panels
Biotech Positioning in Today's Environment with Alex Seyferth @ Centerview
From Idea to Impact: The Unfiltered Founder Journey with Ed Dua @ IA Seed Ventures, Giles Day, @ Ability Biotherapeutics, and Tiantian Zha @ Andy
Seed-Strapping in the current investment environment with Matt Donne @ SVB, Julia Moore @ Breakout Ventures, Mike Carusi @ Lightstone Ventures, Jennifer Cochran @ Red Tree and Doug Crawford @ MBC
🍽️ 12:30 pm - 2:00 pm - Lunch Roundtables
📆 2:00 pm - 4:00 pm - Investor & Industry Mentors
🍷 5:00 pm - 7:30 pm Evening Networking Reception
Location:
Silicon Valley Bank - 222, 2nd Street, San Francisco
Participating Speakers
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Nikhil Wagle
Senior Vice President, Global Head of Translational Medicine
Genentech and Roche -
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Jana Mitchell
Director, Pooled Genomic Screening
Insitro -
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Noura Daadaa
Biotech Vertical Lead - Strategic Startups
Google -
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Mike Carusi
Managing Partner
Lightstone Ventures -
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Eve Blossom
Founder & CEO
Material Change Institute -
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Ruby Gadelrab
CEO & Co-Founder
MDisrupt -
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Julia Moore
Co-Founder & Managing Partner
Breakout Ventures -
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Douglas Crawford
General Manager
MBC BioLabs -
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Matthew Donne
Managing Director, Life Science and Healthcare VC relations
SVB
Participating Investors & Mentors
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Ali Samiian
VP regulatory affairs and reimbursement
Stoparkinson -
Noura Daadaa
Biotech Vertical Lead - Strategic Startups
Google -
Mike Henry
Member
Berkeley Angel Network -
Ameena El-Bibany
Venture Partner
Page One Ventures -
Bassam El-Fahmawi
Founder & CEO
Mawi DNA Technologies -
Mike Carusi
Managing Partner
Lightstone Ventures -
Alicia Chung
Venture advisor
Magnet Ventures -
Nicolas Saint-Arnaud
Partner
IASV Seed Ventures -
Vince Kohli
Global Tech Impact Capitalist
Trillion Ventures Global Capital Fund -
Ashwin Lalendran
Investor
Moxxie Ventures -
Ella Li
Founding Partner
H7 BioCapital -
Randy Dugay
CEO & Founder
Health Gauge Inc. -
Michael Sun
Analyst
Teralys Capital -
Eddie Eltoukhy
Partner
Pear VC -
Jerry Lovatt
CFO
Silicon Valley Finance Group -
Jana Mike
MD,PhD/Investor
UCSF, CDL -
Matthew Donne
Managing Director, Life Science and Healthcare VC relations
SVB -
Vera Ares
AD Business Development
Merck -
Wenwen He
Vice-President, Health
Cathay Capital -
Ravi Rao
Venture Partner, Head of Company Creation
Samsara Biocapital -
Marlene Grenon
Investor
IA Seed Ventures -
Gregory Noce
Senior Associate
Fragomen -
Sunil Maulik
Managing Partner
SunilM1 -
Mike Zhao
Director of Business Development
ArriVent Biopharma -
Ken Salsman
Chief Scientific Advisor
Silicon Valley Advantage -
Edwin Haghnazari
Senior Medical Advisor
Silicon Valley Advantage -
Gloria Maceiko
CEO & Founder
Silicon Valley Advantage -
Linda Yu
VP, Business Development and Strategic Partnerships
Earli, Inc. -
Brian Appel
Partner
Wilson Sonsini -
Caleb O'Hara
Digital Health/AI
Silicon Valley Advantage -
Adam Cole
Senior Associate
WSGR -
Kristina Serafim
General Partner
Untethered Ventures -
Elton Satusky
Partner
Wilson Sonsini -
Matthew Meyer
Chief Business Officer, Life Sciences
Wilson Sonsini -
Grant Blouse
Chief Scientific Officer
TheraPain -
Vivek Balasubramanyam
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Ruby Cheema
Independent Consultant, Strategic Advisor
2025 Showcase Registration fees (in USD)
Investors
No Charge
Discounted Tickets: Until May 1st 2025
Regular Tickets: May 2nd - June 10th 2025
Alumni reach out for a special discount code
Participating Companies
Early Bird- $1,000
Regular - $1,250
Charter Member
No Charge
Testimonials
Past Topics & Speakers
Trends in Life Science Investing and Dealmaking
with Chris Dokomajilar @ DealForma
AI in Health
with Kiersten Stead @ DCVC, Brad Genereaux @ Nvidia, Bruce Meadows @ Takeda Digital Ventures, Angele Maki @ Hummingbird Bioscience
Investment Strategy & Future Outlook
with Rami Hannoush @ Versant Ventures, Nate Chang @ Playground VC, Cedric Bisson @ Teralys Capital, Jennifer Friel Goldstein @ SVB
Strategic Dynamics in Biopharmaceuticals Today
with Michael Kingston @ Lazard
Policy Impact on Healthcare Market Access
with Darya Rose @ Gilead, Matt Wetzel @ Goodwin, Richard Ramco @ EY
Generative AI in Healthcare
with Gilmer Valdes @ UCSF
Past Participating Speakers & Mentors
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Brad Genereaux
Global Lead, Healthcare Alliances @ NVIDIA
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Nate Chang
Operating Partner @ Playground Global
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Kiersten Stead
Managing Partner @ DCVC Bio
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Rami Hannoush
Venture Partner @ Versant Ventures
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Veronica Cai
Board Member @ CELS
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Glenn Reicin
CFO @ Alladapt Immunotherapeutics
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Cedric Bisson
Partner @ Teralys Capital
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Mark Ginestro
Principal @ EY-Parthenon
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Angele Maki
Chief Business Officer @ Hummingbird Bioscience
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Matt Wetzel
Partner Life Sciences Regulatory & Compliance @ Goodwin
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Ali Samiian
VP regulatory affairs and reimbursement @ Stoparkinson
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Jennifer Friel Goldstein
Head of Startup Banking, Technology & Life Sciences @ Silicon Valley Bank
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Darya Rose
Director, Global Value & Access Strategy @ Gilead Sciences
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Richard Ramko
Partner, US Life Sciences Assurance Leader @ EY
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Scott St. Germain
Vice President, Oncology, Business General Manager @ Genentech
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Ron Weissman
Chair, Board of Directors @ Angel Capital Association
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Michael Kingston
Managing Director @ Lazard
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Gilmer Valdes
Associate Professor @ UCSF
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Neil Aubuchon
Chief Commercial Officer @ AbCellera
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Jessica Holmes
Founder @ Regency Market Access Consulting
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Partha Ray
Faculty @ Stanford Biodesign
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Don Vaughn
CEO @ Ampa
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Rachel Lane
Principal @ Versant Ventures
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Surbhi Sama
Partner @ Y Combinator
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Mike Regan
Chief Innovation Officer @ Fogarty Innovation
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Amr Salahieh
Co-Founder and CEO @ Shifamed
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Rui Jing Jiang
Founder and CEO @ Avisi Technologies
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Shiva Amiri
VP, Data and AI @ Pivotal Life Sciences
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Suresh Pai
Principal @ LamaMed Solutions
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Chris Dokomajilar
Founder & CEO @ DealForma
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Bruce Meadows
Managing Partner @ Takeda Digital Ventures
