Peterborough company that takes the pain out of infertility wins $10,000 LevelUP award
A local startup company, which develops products that eliminate pain and reduce costs for women facing infertility, has won the first LevelUP pitch competition.
Latchmi Raghunanan, co-founder of Maman Biomedical Inc., emerged as the victor among seven other competing companies, claiming the $10,000 prize sponsored by Invest Kawartha, LAUNCH Kawartha, and Prima IP.
The event was held at the Innovation Cluster, inside the Venture North building in Peterborough, on Tuesday. The competition marked the end of a 13-week program aimed at helping local startup companies prepare their ideas for the market. It showcased the top startups from LevelUP’s first cohort. Entrepreneurs pitched their innovative solutions to a panel of expert judges, including renowned strategists Christine Crandell, Gail Moorhouse, and venture capitalist Amit Bhanot, engaging a room full of investors and regional business leaders.
Raghunanan and her husband, Roop, co-founded the winning company called Maman Biomedical. According to a press release, their products are “disrupting the in vitro fertilization (IVF) sector.”
“Offering products in patch and gel form, their cutting-edge products eliminate pain and reduce costs for women facing infertility, both major barriers to accessing traditional needle-injected IVF treatments,” reads the release.
Latchmi says winning the competition will help the company move forward.
“We loved the LevelUP program, and we’ve made a lot of progress in a very short period of time. I am extremely proud of where we are,” she said.
According to judge and Innovation Cluster vice chair Christine Crandell, the first cohort of companies through the LevelUP program has set a high benchmark for success.
“Seeing these entrepreneurs evolve over the past weeks has been profoundly inspiring. This program, and today’s prize for Maman Biomedical Inc., highlights the vibrant potential of Peterborough’s innovation ecosystem,” said Crandell.
With the successful launch of its inaugural cohort, the Innovation Cluster is looking forward to welcoming new applicants for the next LevelUP cycle beginning on Aug. 6. All ambitious entrepreneurs from the region are encouraged to apply and take their business ideas to the next level. The deadline to apply is July 1.
For more details and to apply to the next LevelUP cohort, please visit: innovationcluster.ca/programs/startup-accelerator
LevelUP aims to boost economic growth by nurturing startup ventures capable of contributing innovative solutions and jobs. This program is a cornerstone of its strategic initiative to transform Peterborough and the Kawarthas into a thriving hub for business innovation.
The following companies pitched their ideas to the judges during Tuesday’s competition:
easyfits
Founder: Safiya Khaki
Sector: Software as a service Product: A virtual try-on platform using avatars and 3D models to reduce sizing errors and returns in online clothing shopping.
Community Pin
Founder: Ashley Bonner
Sector: Digital Technology Product: A digital platform for neighbourhood asset mapping, emergency planning, and local economic development.
SmarTeeth Al Inc.
Founders: Zahra, Homeira, Shahin, Marjan, Afshin
Sector: Healthcare Tech
Product: Dental health diagnosis and testing devices aimed at providing oral health internationally.
Maman Biomedical Inc.
Founders: Latchmi and Roop Raghunanan
Sector: Healthcare Tech
Product: Novel IVF technologies reducing the pain and cost of treatments with innovative materials science applications.
Turtle Riot Inc.
Founder: Maria Coates
Sector: Virtual Reality/Augmented Reality
Product: “Flora’s Reign,” an AR mobile game that encourages children and families to participate in guerrilla gardening.
Metaboly Research Group Inc.
Founders: Daniel Putserg, William Kim, Emma Kaszecki
Sector: Healthcare Tech
Product: Veterinary diagnostics focusing on large animals with services like toxin detection and predictive biomedicine.
AppSport Inc.
Founder: Hanieh Ebrahimi
Sector: Innovation
Product: An Al-driven athletic marketplace connecting athletes with coaches enriched with community engagement and rehabilitation resources.
Course Sync Inc.
Founder: Nicholas Landon
Sector: Digital Technology Product: Academic management software offering organized, efficient tools tailored for post-secondary students.