MaRS Collaborates with Life Science Nation and Johnson & Johnson Innovation to Host RESI in Toronto

TORONTO, April 12, 2016 — MaRS Discovery District (MaRS) is collaborating with Life Science Nation (LSN) and Johnson & Johnson Innovation, JLABS (JLABS) to bring the Redefining Early Stage Investments (RESI) Conference to Toronto on June 23, 2016.

The RESI Conference series brings together fundraising CEOs and early-stage investors from around the globe, providing the opportunity for dialogue and relationship building, with the goal of eventual capital allocations.

“MaRS supports over 250 Canadian-grown early stage health technology startups,” said Dianne Carmichael, managing director, health innovation & venture services at MaRS. “Our goal is to provide these young emerging ventures with the best connections to investors and industry to help them scale internationally. The Redefining Early Stage Investment (RESI) conference series has a strong track record of attracting global early stage investors. We’re delighted to bring them to MaRS this summer to build on the success of our HealthKick conferences.”

RESI on MaRS will connect cutting-edge health technologies with a broad audience of investors and industry leaders, including: angel syndicates, private wealth firms, corporate venture capitalists, venture philanthropy groups, foundations and endowments, big pharma and virtual pharma companies, mid-level private equity firms, government organizations, and venture capital investors. The conference will also include 16 panel sessions with pharmaceutical, medical device, biotech, consumer health and healthcare IT investors.

The annual MaRS HealthKick Innovation Challenge will happen this year as part of RESI on MaRS, setting up 30 selected companies to demonstrate their technology and business while competing for prizes in a full-day exhibition to investors and potential partners.

“The MaRS Centre in Toronto represents the fourth venue for our North American RESI Conference series. Now fundraising CEOs and scientist entrepreneurs can meet investors every 90 days — Boston took place in September (RESI Boston), San Francisco in January (RESI @ JPM), Houston is in April (RESI @ TMCx) and now Toronto in June (RESI on MaRS),” said Dennis Ford, CEO at LSN and creator of the RESI Conference Series.

Speakers and participating health ventures will be announced in April.

About MaRS Discovery District
MaRS Discovery District (@MaRSDD) in Toronto is one of the world’s largest urban innovation hubs. MaRS supports promising young ventures that are tackling key societal challenges in the health, cleantech and information and communications technology sectors. In the last three years, these ventures have raised $1.3 billion in capital and earned $640 million in revenue. In addition to helping startups launch, grow and scale, the MaRS community is dedicated to cross-disciplinary collaboration, commercialization of discoveries and driving ideas to impact.

About Life Science Nation
Life Science Nation (LSN) accelerates the funding of early stage life science firms through its Match.com-like sourcing platform for private investment and enables CEOs to be more efficient in their capital-raising efforts. LSN owns and operates the Redefining Early Stage Investments (RESI) conference series.

For more information, contact:
Lara Torvi
MaRS Discovery District
416-673-8100
ltorvi@marsdd.com

RESI Team
617-600-0668
resi@lifesciencenation.com