API Stories
A night of innovation, inspiration, and collaboration
Last week, we were inspired to witness 20 life sciences companies pitch for Startup TNT’s Life Sciences Investment Summit powered by API. More than 65 supporters gathered at API Headquarters for the Pitch Night Watch Party, as part of a back-to-back event with the Health Innovation Hub at UAlberta and supporting partners.
Co-hosted by Truong Ta, our VP of Commercialization & Growth, and Lindsay Vanstone, Startup TNT’s Edmonton Lead, the watch party was also joined by nearly 100 online attendees, including ecosystem partners and supporters from across the region. If you missed all the excitement, here’s a glimpse of the crowd as they watched the life sciences companies pitch for their groundbreaking innovations!

The companies who participated in the Pitch Night are:
- Cubresa Inc.
- Difinity Solutions
- FentaGone
- Healda Inc.
- Heros Biotech
- Lasoo Health Corp.
Congratulations to the participating companies and thank you to all our investors, partners, and supporters for making this a night to remember! Stay tuned to our social channels for the announcement of the Top 5 finalists who will advance to the Summit Finale on March 14th!
Want to learn more about entrepreneurship in the life sciences? Read our recent blog and discover the unique opportunities this sector offers to innovators!
The Power of Life Sciences EntrepreneurshipEstablishing Alberta in the global healthcare landscape
Earlier this month, our team was among more than 110,000 health professionals and industry leaders from across the world to showcase and explore the future of healthcare, technology, and innovation at Arab Health 2024!
Truong Ta, our VP of Commercialization & Partnerships; Julianna Weber, Director of Clinical & Regulatory Affairs; Michael Guirguis, Director of Clinical Pharmacology & Data; and Paramita Chaudhuri Basu, Director of Programs & Ecosystem Development, were honoured to represent API. They traveled to Dubai alongside an incredible group of companies from the province and other Canadian contingents to showcase our thriving life sciences sector.


A huge thank you to the Government of Alberta and Edmonton Global for bringing together an incredible team, and kudos to all the partners, sponsors, and organizers of Arab Health 2024! We look forward to forging the connections made and transcending the new ideas shared to revolutionize healthcare in Alberta and beyond!
About Arab Health
Fostering partnerships across Southern Alberta
Recently, Madison Dubé, our Associate Director of Business Development & Partnerships, had the pleasure of experiencing the vibrant life sciences sector down in Southern Alberta. She had an amazing time connecting with fellow industry leaders, exploring some of their spaces, and meeting new people from their innovation communities!
Here’s a recap of her visits:

- Attending the APEX Southeast Alberta‘s Tech Night in Medicine Hat, where she engaged with many of the fantastic innovators and entrepreneurs from the region’s tech community, including Matthew Jubelius, RN and Founder of Virtunurse, and Tracy Stroud, Manager at APEX Regional Innovation Network.
We’re excited to see the dynamic collaborations happening across Alberta and look forward to fostering the continued growth of our life sciences ecosystem!
- A stop by our lab at the Life Sciences Innovation Hub in Calgary, where she met with Jumai Abioye, founder of PanAccess Innovations Inc., who is currently incubating her company in the API space.
- A visit to TecConnect in Lethbridge, where she connected with Benjamin Young, Director, Investment Attraction of Economic Development Lethbridge, and Charlee Sereda, Program Manager of RINSA.

Events
Life Sciences Investment Summit Finale Night
THIS IS IT! Save the date for the grand finale of the StartupTNT Life Sciences Investment Summit powered by API on March 14, LIVE at the Alberta Machine Intelligence Institute (amii).

Join us and Startup TNT in shining a spotlight on the Top 5 finalists as they make their final pitches! Get ready to discover emerging life sciences innovations and meet the next Life Sciences Investment Summit winner!
I’ll be there!Science FUNDay
Explore and get inspired by the world of science at Science FUNday on March 26 at the Centennial Centre for Interdisciplinary Science (CCIS) at University of Alberta.

Hosted in partnership by Science FUNdamentals Foundation of Alberta, the Faculty of Science and the Office of Alumni Relations at the University of Alberta, Science FUNday aims to highlight the significance of science literacy and motivate children to explore the FUN of science. The event invites local families and children, and features more than 100 interactive science exhibitions, tours, presentations and more!
Join the FUN!Life Sciences & Innovation News
Future Fields launched a new protein derived from fruit flies
Last month, Future Fields announced the launch of its Recombinant Human Prolactin, the first-ever prolactin protein derived from a commercial fruit fly expression system. The Recombinant Human Prolactin will allow for a sustainable and cost-effective solution for researchers and scientists to support and accelerate lactation-based research and new product development.
Future Fields is a Health Innovation Hub at UAlberta community company.
Indigenous research group in search of new members
Canada’s three federal research funding agencies are actively seeking expressions of interest from First Nations, Inuit, and Métis Peoples to participate in the Indigenous Leadership Circle in Research.
The Leadership Circle offers an opportunity for individuals to contribute to the valuable impact and advancement of Indigenous research in Canada. If you’re interested in improving the Indigenous research landscape, apply now!
Deadline for applications is March 31, 2024.