2nd Spark’s Post

It's not a new topic, but an important one to keep front and center. Female-founded biotechs received less than $6B out the nearly $30B biopharma VCs distributed last year - with wide ranging ramifications for the health and wellness of half of the global population. And it all starts with who holds the checkbook. More women VCs --> more funding to women led companies + more women on boards + more women on executive teams. More in Endpoints News today. https://lnkd.in/eBJFcuTi

Please join us at WIN’s #WINtogether Gender Equity Networking Reception at SupplySide East Date: Wednesday, April 17 Time: 1:15-2:15pm Location: SupplySide Connect Hub located on the show floor Join us for this special networking event with Women In Nutraceuticals to hear more about WIN’s commitment to empowering women in the industry to develop their personal and professional potential and how you can get involved. Open to anyone with a SSE badge. WIN is also partnering with this very special event: Education Theater - Substantiating Products for Women Building Trust Through Science panel discussion. Date: Tuesday April 16th Time: 1:45pm  Location: Education Theater If you are creating products for women, or are thinking about it, then this is for you! Your questions answered: Should we formulate using a branded ingredient? What are the specific requirements of clinical trials for women, and how does that impact our structure/function claims? How are those claims regulated, anyway? This session aims to answer substantiation questions specific to women’s products. There’s a lot to unpack here as we chat with industry experts who will cover the legal, scientific and strategic recommendations for creating a trustworthy women’s product. Speakers include Linda Alvarez MD, MBA, Lauren Aronson Rachel Kreider Salma Fathalla, ASQ CQA Cassie Smith CPA Jan Mills Traci Kantowski Betsy Fallon Nancy Kleperis Komal Baldwa Judy Kimberly Casey Caitlyn Vanderhaeghe Devon Gholam Lauren Clardy Petra Erlandson Sonja Thompson Gillian Fish Julie Dennis Fox #WINtogether #WomenInNutraceuticals #nutraceuticals #womenleaders #SSE #supplysideeast #GenderParity

I’m Paula. I work with women in pharma who are told they are a safe pair of hands. I help them to recognise and communicate their value so they get the opportunities they deserve. You know these women. The whole industry runs as well as it does because of them. Efficient. Just get on with stuff. Don’t need to ask for help. Usually the longest serving member of the team. The person people go to for knowledge and ‘who do I need to talk to about…’. But you don’t think to include her in meetings about strategy decisions. And they are frustrated and slowly, slowly disengaging and losing motivation because there is only so long you can put up with less experienced people being promoted over you. If you have one of these fabulous women in your team, please, this week, sit down with her and actually talk to her and SEE her. And think about how great her career path was until it slowed. And imagine, just imagine, what a bit of attention and focus, with someone like me, could do for her. And therefore, for you. Because if your team looks good, so do you. #professionalwomen #pharma #gendergap #managementskills

Over the last 7 years we’ve built Theolytics from concept to clinic. Thank you Hays and George Costard for inviting me to share some of those experiences last week on such a lively, relevant Biotech Executive Event panel! One key reflection - as long as we remain a minority in leadership roles, women championing other women in biotech can only go so far, so fast. It takes conscious effort from all of us to ‘level-up’. That’s:  💪 courageous founders starting-up 💸 active investment choices  ♀ Boards hiring and supporting female leadership 🔍 search firms going the extra mile to find and promote diverse talent 🚸 partners stepping up to share responsibilities at home, and  ⏩ radical change in company and government policies driving flexible work arrangements and access to childcare. Kudos to my fellow panelists Robin Wright FCA CSOP, Rafiq Hasan and Matthew S. Jones for sharing some of the tangible ways that they’ve promoted and championed female leaders as we work towards a more equitable biotech ecosystem. #Biotech #leadership #equity

To help for your SupplySide East planning, here are some updates from WIN

“I do think it [cannabis] might be trending in the right direction in terms of just more women being in leadership positions.” Check out our interview with Sabrina Wheeler of Stone Road Farms:

What does Women’s History Month mean to you? In celebration of #WomensHistoryMonth, we interviewed female leaders at Terumo Blood and Cell Technologies on their career experiences and values. Meet Melanie Neal, Vice President, Global Commercial Excellence. “To me, International Women’s Day and the month of March is a time to celebrate and learn from what women have overcome and achieved before us. It is also a time to be both reflective and intentional about how we create a more equitable, accessible, and inclusive environment for women and girls around the world. One of the most significant lessons I have learned throughout my career is to surround yourself with people who believe in you, will encourage you to achieve your potential, and will be there to support you when things aren’t going as planned. Everyone needs help at some point. Don’t wait too long to reach out. And remember that someday you will be the one someone is reaching out to.” Melanie also shares her advice to other women pursuing a career in the medical field. “No matter what your role, if you work in the healthcare industry you are having a positive impact on patients, their families, and friends. Your work makes a difference in a space where innovation and excellence save and improve lives EVERY SINGLE DAY. “ More to come in the next few days! #FemaleEmpowerment #DEI

When I think about International Women’s Day, three words come to mind: FORCE FOR GOOD. And goodness comes from within. I proudly lead an organization at GeneDx comprised of 68% women. And of our senior leadership team, 55% of them are women. I’m a constant witness to the way we work — with courage, resilience, and a deep commitment to our patients — and the way we live outside of work — with big hearts, compassion and a ferocity for doing good in the world. We are indeed doing very hard things in the world of genetics, in the world of healthcare, and in the world of today’s capital markets. And — with the amazing men who are allies to us at work and at home — we are well on our way to making sure we realize our mission of ending the diagnostic odyssey. We are relentless in our pursuit of getting children diagnosed sooner, connecting them to treatments and connecting families and caregivers to advocacy support, all while ensuring our company is financially stronger each day and on the path to profitability. It’s a lot of competing priorities, but we’re doing it, day in and day out. Why? Because we are a FORCE FOR GOOD. That’s all. #internationalwomensday2024

Love to see it! Great read highlighting the progress female investors have made in the biotech industry! It's encouraging to see the push for more women in leadership roles and on boards. Diversity in decision-making is crucial for innovation and long-term success. #WomenInBiotech https://lnkd.in/eRvS79zu

As a celebration of #IWD, the team at MFX were lucky to be able to attend a panel discussion right on our doorstep hosted by Stevenage Bioscience Catalyst earlier this week. A huge thankyou to the panel (Dr Sally Ann Forsyth OBE, CEO of Stevenage Bioscience Catalyst, Anji Miller Ph.D CLP RTTP, Programme Director at LifeArc, Mary Kerr, CEO NeRRe Therapeutics Ltd and Co-Founder of @KaNDy Therapeutics and Rabia T. K., CEO and Founder of Serna Bio, for sharing such thought provoking insights into their careers, life and building companies. ⬇ Here’s some of the things that resonated and inspired our team:⬇ 🌟 Resilience, humility, curiosity and continuous learning are essential for scientists. It’s important to acknowledge the gaps in our biological knowledge and be open to learning more - eg utilising the new tools available to us such as AI. 🌟 Pursue work that you genuinely enjoy. it's crucial to choose a career path that aligns with your interests and passions. Enjoying your work can make a significant difference in your overall job satisfaction and success. 🌟 Celebrate and encourage fellow women in their careers. The panel discussion emphasized the value of supporting and championing other women in their professional journeys. Small gestures of encouragement and celebration can go a long way in fostering a positive and empowering environment for women in the workforce. 🌟 Work-life balance requires strategic planning, companies are now more supportive of parents needs - its not just about women! #IWD #Inspireinclusion