TechAlliance of Southwestern Ontario’s inaugural Polaris Pitch Competition announced two winners – CELLECT Laboratories and NovaSonix Healthcare Inc. on March 19, 2025 at the London Music Hall. The winners took home an incredible prize package valued at $37,500 collectively. 

Enabling high accuracy diagnostics for reproductive health conditions, CELLECT Laboratories provides a non-invasive, at-home collection device with their patented nanotechnology to help detect HPV and cervical cancer. Through this win, their Co-Founder and Chief Operating Officer, Ibukun Elebute, will fund their research and development efforts, and accelerate their utility and design patent process.  

Revolutionizing 3D joint imaging, NovaSonix Healthcare Inc. enhances musculoskeletal care by seamlessly integrating with ultrasound machines to diagnose and monitor conditions like osteoarthritis in a cost-effective manner. As one of the winners of the Polaris Pitch Competition, their CEO and Co-Founder, Randa Mudathir aims to secure necessary certifications to achieve regulatory compliance.  

EIght early-stage technology founders from Southwestern Ontario took centre stage at Polaris to pitch their ventures to four accomplished Canadian investors including Albert Chen from Two Small Fish Ventures, Brian Cram from RHA Ventures, Danielle Graham from The Firehood, and Janet Bannister from Staircase Ventures. Celebrating and taking pride in the Made-in-Canada technologies and homegrown innovations on and off stage, the pitch competition was also accompanied by a tech showcase which presented an opportunity for guests to discover local technologies, shop Canadian, and adapt these solutions for better business growth and innovation.