In an exclusive interview with CanadianSME Small Business Magazine, Ibukun Elebute, Co-Founder and COO of CELLECT Laboratories, shares her journey of disrupting traditional reproductive healthcare with an innovative, non-invasive, pad-based collection device. With a background in biomedical engineering and a passion for improving women’s health, Ibukun discusses how CELLECT’s approach addresses the discomfort, inaccessibility, and cultural barriers that often prevent women, especially from underserved communities, from seeking necessary screenings. From its humble beginnings to the ongoing work with research labs, hospitals, and diagnostic partners, Ibukun emphasizes the importance of combining scientific rigor with user-centered design. Her commitment to equity and accessibility in healthcare is evident in her efforts to create a solution that not only meets the needs of patients but also empowers women to take control of their health with confidence. Ibukun’s insights offer valuable advice for other women founders looking to make a meaningful impact in healthcare innovation.
Ibukun Elebute is the Co-Founder and COO of CELLECT Laboratories, a women’s health startup on a mission to make reproductive screening more accessible, inclusive, and non-invasive. With over a decade of experience in health tech and a background in biomedical engineering and entrepreneurship, Ibukun is focused on building science backed solutions that center user comfort without compromising diagnostic quality.
CELLECT Laboratories is pioneering a non-invasive, pad-based collection device for gynecological screening. What inspired you to challenge the status quo of traditional Pap smears, and what barriers have you encountered in introducing this innovation to the market?
CELLECT really started because CT, our CEO, had a terrible Pap smear experience. It was painful, invasive, and honestly, just left her shaken. She couldn’t stop thinking, “Why are we still doing this like it’s the 1960s?” So she decided to do something about it. She was studying nanotech engineering at the time and used her final-year design project to explore a less invasive way to collect gynecological samples. That project eventually became the foundation for CELLECT.
When we met through a Velocity program, we connected instantly. I’ve worked in health tech for over a decade, and I’ve seen how many women, especially those from marginalized or culturally diverse communities, avoid screening because it’s uncomfortable, scary, or just hard to access. CT’s experience wasn’t an isolated one. It was all too common.
So we teamed up to build a solution that puts women first. CELLECT uses a stick-on to commercial pad-based collection device that feels natural, not clinical. We’re challenging a system that hasn’t evolved in decades, and yes, there have been barrier – stigma around menstrual blood is one of them. As well as navigating a very traditional healthcare space. But if it means more women getting screened earlier, it’s worth pushing through.
Your technology aims to make reproductive screening more accessible, especially for communities often overlooked by mainstream healthcare. How does CELLECT’s approach address issues of inclusivity, cultural sensitivity, and patient comfort in women’s health diagnostics?
Honestly, this started with a simple question – why does reproductive healthcare still feel so inaccessible for so many women? At CELLECT, we’re trying to remove the “ugh” from getting screened. The discomfort, the clinic visits, the awkwardness all adds up, especially if you’re from a community where traditional methods of screening aren’t culturally acceptable, if you’re gender diverse or if you’ve had a past trauma.
That’s why we designed our collection device to be compatible with something you already use – your pad. It collects the same high-quality samples labs need, but without the invasive experience. You just go about your day, and send it in. That’s it.
Inclusivity for us is about listening to the women who’ve been skipped over in the system and saying: “We see you. We’re building this for you.” We want CELLECT to feel like an option that actually fits your life.
As a founder operating in an underserved and historically underfunded space, what have been the most surprising lessons or moments of validation as you’ve built CELLECT-particularly from interactions with patients, clinicians, or investors?
One of the most surprising lessons has been just how hungry people are for change in this space. I knew there were barriers; I’ve lived them, and CT’s story started from a painful Pap smear experience. But I didn’t expect the level of emotional relief and validation we’d get when we started sharing CELLECT at pitch competitions like at The Forum & conferences. Women would tell us, “I’ve been avoiding screenings for years, but I would use this.” That’s huge.
Clinicians, too. We thought we’d have to really fight to convince them, but so many of them have confirmed that this is needed and that they have patients who would actually get screened if they had this. It was a reminder that innovation in healthcare is about understanding people’s pain points.
On the investor side, with the few people we’ve engaged with, we’ve particularly been well received by women investors, who immediately got it. All they needed is a clear story and a reminder that women’s health has been underfunded for too long. The more we share, the more we realize CELLECT is a wake-up call. And people are ready.
CELLECT is collaborating with research labs, hospitals, and diagnostic partners to expand its impact. How do you balance scientific rigor, regulatory requirements, and user-centered design as you scale your business and prepare for broader adoption?
For us, it’s about making sure every key stakeholder is part of the process. That means working with labs, clinicians, and users early so the science is solid, the workflow fits, and the product actually makes sense for the women using it.
Partnering with labs and health systems now helps us make sure our tech is compatible with existing infrastructure, which reduces friction and helps us enter the market faster.
We’re also thinking ahead; these partners could eventually become our distribution channels. So this approach isn’t just collaborative, it’s strategic. It’s how we stay rigorous, regulatory-ready, and rooted in real-world usability.
Finally, what advice or encouragement would you offer to other women-identifying founders and innovators seeking to disrupt traditional healthcare models and drive meaningful change for underserved populations?
I’ll say don’t wait to feel “ready.” I say this especially to women who are building in healthcare – where the systems are heavy, the stakes are high, and the gatekeeping can be loud. If you see a gap that’s hurting people, especially people like you or your community, you’re allowed to do something about it. You don’t need to have all the answers. Conviction is enough to start asking better questions.
For us, it’s also been about learning to hold space for both the mission and the hustle. Surround yourself with mentors who get that. Find community in the people who share your passion, even if they’re not in your industry.
Lastly, don’t minimize your lived experience. It’s valid data. That quiet “this could be better.” Follow it. It might just be the start of something world-changing.
