Femtech Canada has unveiled a new nationwide initiative designed to accelerate the commercial success of women’s health start-ups. The wHealth MedPath program is the latest offering from the national innovation network and is set to provide specialised support to early-stage companies navigating the complex path from concept to market in the fast-growing femtech sector.
Developed in collaboration with Innovation Factory and partially funded through the National Research Council of Canada Industrial Research Assistance Program (NRC IRAP), the wHealth MedPath program is structured to deliver strategic expertise where it’s most needed, commercialisation, clinical validation, and market readiness.
The initiative will leverage a broad network of partners, including physician networks, physician investment groups, contract research organisations, and design and manufacturing experts. Start-ups enrolled in the program will benefit from targeted services such as product testing, clinical study planning, regulatory strategy development, and input from key opinion leaders. These resources are designed to de-risk development efforts and strengthen the viability of women’s health technologies.
Karen Linseman, Vice President of Operations at Innovation Factory, underlined the urgency and economic potential of this support: “We’re addressing a critical gap in Canada’s innovation pipeline. With the potential to contribute $27 billion to Canada’s GDP by 2040, women’s health innovation represents one of the country’s most promising growth opportunities. wHealth MedPath provides the clinical insight and expert guidance femtech founders need to bring impactful solutions to market and position Canada as a global leader in this sector.”
The program’s focus goes beyond standard accelerator offerings by integrating expert validation processes that directly impact a company’s readiness for clinical and regulatory environments. Companies will be guided through essential steps such as product documentation, human-centred design, and navigating feedback loops with healthcare professionals.
Since its public launch in 2024, Femtech Canada has established itself as a key player in global health innovation, now recognised as home to the third largest femtech ecosystem in the world. The network supports over 170 companies that collectively commercialise over a century of Canadian research, have created more than 1,200 jobs nationwide, and attracted upwards of $250 million in private investment.
wHealth MedPath stands as the next major pillar in Femtech Canada’s mission to drive scalable impact by helping innovators break through the complex, and often underfunded, space of women’s health.
About Femtech Canada
Femtech Canada is a national network dedicated to advancing women’s health technology by connecting femtech companies with essential resources and visibility. Through strategic networking, business advisory support, mentorship and a dynamic online community, Femtech Canada inspires entrepreneurs and researchers to pioneer technologies that improve the lives of women and end-users across the country. Operated by Innovation Factory, Femtech Canada is committed to fostering intentional, intersectional, and inclusive growth in the sector by advocating to close the longstanding gaps in women’s health—a field historically under-served, under-researched, and under-funded.
About Innovation Factory
Innovation Factory is a not-for-profit business accelerator, serving as the catalyst for technology innovation in Ontario since 2010. Innovation Factory provides business services, training, mentorship, and strategic connections to drive market adoption, leverage intellectual property, and increase revenues, investment, and jobs. Innovators can also access sector-specific resources including exclusive smart transportation test environments and data; and a formal life science and health innovation ecosystem.
