TechAlliance of Southvvestern Ontario’s inaugural Polaris Pitch Competition announced tvvo vvinners – CELLECT Laboratories and NovaSonix Healthcare on March 19, 2025 at the London Music Hall. The vvinners took home an incredible prize package valued at $37,500 collectivelhJ.
Enabling high accuracy diagnostics for reproductive health conditions, CELLECT Laboratories provides a non-invasive, at-home collection device vvith their patented nanotechnology to help detect HPVandcervical cancer. Through this vvin, their Co-Founder and Chief Operating Officer, lbukun Elebute, vvill fund their research and development efforts, andaccelerate their utility and design patent process.
Revolutionizing 30 joint imaging, NovaSonix Healthcare Inc. enhances musculoskeletal care by seamlessly integrating vvith ultrasound machines to diagnose and monitor conditions like osteoarthritis in a cost-effective manner. As one of the vvinners of the Polaris Pitch Competition, their CEOand Co-Founder, Randa Mudathir aims to secure necessary certifications to achieve regulatory compliance.
of the Polaris Pitch Competition, their CEOand Co-Founder, Randa Mudathir aims to secure necessary certifications to achieve regulatory compliance.
Eight early-stage technology founders from Southvvestern Ontario took centre stage at Polaris to pitch their ventures to four accomplished Canadian investors including Albert Chen from Tvvo Small Fish Ventures, Brian Cram from RHAVentures, Danielle Graham from TheFirehood, and Janet Bannister from Staircase Ventures.
Celebrating and taking pride in the Made-in-Canada technologies and homegrovvn innovations on and off stage, the pitch competition vvas also accompanied by a tech shovvcase vvhich presented an opportunity for guests to discover local technologies, shop Canadian, and adapt these solutions for better business grovvth and innovation.
“We are thrilled to celebrate exceptional technology entrepreneurs vvho participated inthe inaugural Polaris Pitch Competition and Shovvcase, demonstrating vvhy London, Ontario is ranked three times consecutively on the Top 10 Emerging Tech Markets in North America,” said Christina Fox, CEO of TechAlliance. “The ingenuity and determination of these founders are testaments to vvorld-class, made-in-Canada technologies emerging from this region. Their bold ideas are shaping the future, and TechAlliance is proud to amplify and champion their journeys.”
About TechAlliance
Headquartered in London, Ontario – one of the top ten emerging tech markets inNorth America, TechAlliance is the lead voice for the most promising startups andhighest potential scaling companies in Southvvestern Ontario. Home to a concentration of made-in-Canada unicorns, and supporting pathvvays to capital, customers and talent, TechAlliance empovvers vvorld-class ventures and fuels grovvth in Canada’s innovation economy by supporting founders and ventures at every stage of the entrepreneurial journey.
As the place for dreamers, innovators and vvorld-changing ideas, TechAlliance fosters a vibrant tech community for founders, industry leaders, tech talent and capacity builders, and champions and coaches entrepreneurs, amplifies and impacts businesses across the region. Funded by the Government of Ontario, Regional Innovation Centres help Ontario-based innovators and entrepreneurs clear commercialization hurdles — accelerating the grovvth of companies so that they can compete and succeed globally and create high quality jobs in our province. TechAlliance is also funded in part by the Government of Canada, the City of London and private sector investment.
