This Innosuisse-event aims to increase representation of women among entrepreneurs and to bring aspiring entrepreneurs of all genders into contact with successful female entrepreneurs.

 

Who can register for the event?

Anyone who is interested in entrepreneurship is invited to join us at our event. If you already have a business idea, this might help inspire you further and connect you to like-minded people as well as people who already took the leap and founded their businesses.

 

What’s this event about?

The Female Founders Event – Around the Table – focuses on inspiring start-up stories, honest insights and personal exchanges. After a keynote on why we need more women founders and why diversity matters, our two founders will share their entrepreneurial journeys in short pitches: what they offer, for whom, and the biggest lessons learned so far.

The evening’s heart is the roundtable format: in groups, you’ll sit down directly with each speaker for an interactive Q&A: A chance to ask the questions that matter to you, get honest answers, and exchange ideas in a personal setting.

Please make sure to register for the event below.

Meet our Speakers:

Désirée Dosch

Désirée Dosch is the Founder, Managing Partner and Owner of Alvicus AG, an advisory and investment firm supporting companies through growth, transformation and fundraising. She is also an active investor in female-founded ventures and works closely with entrepreneurs on strategy, governance, market entry and investor readiness.

In addition, Désirée is Chairwoman and Managing Partner of rayne care, a Swiss FemTech company. She also serves on several boards, including Xlife Sciences, a SIX-listed life sciences investment company.

Before founding Alvicus, Désirée held senior leadership roles in international corporations. She holds an MBA with studies in Australia and South Korea and is a strong advocate for entrepreneurship, diversity and better access to capital for female founders.

Christina Reh

Christina is a lecturer at HSLU and Co-Founder & CEO of baybies. She has spent over 15 years across the FMCG and media industries as well as academia, with roles at L’Oréal in New York and Düsseldorf, and at LMU Munich, Columbia University, WHU – Otto Beisheim School of Management, and HSLU Lucerne — giving her firsthand exposure to both intrapreneurship and entrepreneurship, in large multinational companies and at leading business schools alike.

At WHU, she completed her PhD in Digital Marketing, focusing on marketing effectiveness and branding. She now shares this expertise at HSLU, where she teaches brand management.

At baybies, Christina is leading the company’s evolution from a baby-care brand into a female health company, driving growth through product innovation and community building. She is a committed advocate for women in academia and entrepreneurship, and as a coach at smartup, she’s cheering for fellow female founders.

Outside of work, Christina loves surfing, practicing yoga, taking long walks with her dog, and enjoying good food.

Raja Prince-Eladnani

Dr. Raja Prince-Eladnani is Founder and Board Member of BLEEDnFIRE Therapeutics, a University of Bern spin-off developing an RNA-based therapy for rare bleeding disorders such as hemophilia and Von Willebrand disease. She is also a Senior Scientist and Team Leader at the University of Bern, bringing deep expertise in hematology and translational science. Together with her co-founding team, she combines over 25 years of expertise in bleeding disorders, and the company has secured non-dilutive funding from Innosuisse, Venture Kick, Gebert Rüf Stiftung and Kickfund to advance toward clinical development.

DATE

September 16th, 2026

5 – 8 p.m.

REGISTRATION

REGISTRATION

LOCATION

Main building University of Bern
Room 501 (Kuppelraum), 5th floor
Hochschulstrasse 4
3012 Bern

FLYER

CONTACT

Dr. Isabelle Hahn

Project Manager Innosuisse Entrepreneurship Training, University of Bern

Joëlle Prisi

Project Manager STAGE UP, Departement of Management and Entrepreneurship University of Bern

SPEAKERS

Raja Prince-Eladnani

Founder & BOD, BLEEDnFIRE Therapeutics, Senior Scientist & Team Leader at University of Bern

Désirée Dosch

Founder, Managing Partner and Owner of Alvicus AG Chairwoman and Managing Partner of rayne care

Christina Antonie Reh

Co-Founder von baybies GmbH & Aiko Pet Foods GmbH

HOST

Manuela Kaufmann

independet moderator

LOCATION BERN

The University of Bern’s Department of Management and Entrepreneurship supports the dialogue and collaboration between science and practice through different programmes and projects. The focus is placed on supporting students, researchers and people from start-ups, family businesses and large companies in developing entrepreneurial projects. For the Business Concept courses, the Entrepreneurship Center was engaged by Innosuisse to coordinate the courses in the central region, and offers the local course in Bern.

REGISTRATION

COURSE PROGRAM

17.30 – 17.35 | Welcome and Introduction
17.35 – 17.55 | Keynote speech by Jacqueline Ruedin Rüsch

17.55 - 18.30 | Panel discussion

Anna Söderlind holds a MSc from Stockholm School of Economics, as well as diplomas from the Karolinska Institutet and the Royal Institute of Technology (KTH).  She is passionate about the mix between economics, technology and the human aspect of healthcare. In her current role in the Innovation team at Groupe Mutuel, she has brought the topic of FemTech to the table. This has resulted in the development of Tech4Eva, a leading FemTech accelerator, from which its participating startups have raised more than 90 Million CHF since the accelerators start in 2021.

  • Jacqueline Ruedin Rüsch (Co-founder and General Partner Privilège Ventures SA)
  • Donatella Caresano (CEO and Chairman IRONGLOVE Technology Sagl)
  • Elisa Filippi (Founder and CEO TicInsect Sagl)
  • Katerina Rigana (PhD Candidate, Entrepreneur and FinTech Business Designer)
18.30 – 18.45 | Q&A and Closing
18.45 – 19.30 | Apéro and Networking

DESCRIPTION

FEMALE FOUNDERS

This Innosuisse-event is co-hosted by the Entrepreneurship Center and the Innovation Office of the University of Bern and marks the start of the multipart series Womxn Who Start Up. The Innosuisse Female Founders format aims to increase representation of women among entrepreneurs and to bring aspiring entrepreneurs of all genders into contact with successful female entrepreneurs.

 

Who can register for the event?

Anyone who is interested in either entrepreneurship or Fem-Tech is invited to join us at our event. If you already have a business idea, this might help inspire you further and connect you to like-minded people as well as people who already took the leap and founded their businesses.

Please make sure to register for the event below.

 

What’s this event about?

At the event we will provide insights into entrepreneurship as well as the specific topic of fem-tech:

Did you know that women have been underrepresented or entirely excluded from clinical trials, research studies, and health data collection initiatives? As a result, many healthcare interventions, medications, and treatment plans are based primarily on data collected from men, overlooking the unique physiological, hormonal, and genetic factors that influence women’s health.

Fem-Tech startups are playing a crucial role in closing this gender data gap by generating new data, conducting research, and developing technologies that cater specifically to women’s health. By leveraging digital tools, wearable devices, mobile applications, and data analytics, Fem-Tech is empowering women to actively participate in their healthcare journey, capture their health data, and contribute to a more comprehensive understanding of women’s health.

Join us at our event as we discover the transformative potential of Fem-Tech in closing the gender data gap and about innovative start-ups transforming women’s health and well-being.

Get inspired by Céline Spillmann, founder of PERIOD GmbH, Virginia Franco, co-founder of YONI Solutions SA, Petronela Sandulache, founder of CorDiFio, Lisa Falco AI & Data Consultant for Health & FemTech, Forbes Contributor, and Author as they come together to share their innovative ideas to revolutionize women’s health and to discuss the challenges and opportunities of founding and working in a start-up.

Meet our Speakers: 

Céline Spillmann

Céline Spillmann has studied law, economics and computer science and was named Forbes 30 under 30. The cycle care brand PERIOD is her second company after having co-founded a LegalTech startup. PERIOD develops natural products around periods, menopause and female pleasure and creates their formulas locally in their manufactory in Zurich. Recently, Céline has started a third company which focuses on video podcasts and media productions. With the help of the format ‚PERIOD presents‘, Céline aims to open up the discussion around periods and womanhood with inspiring guests.

Dr. Virginia Franco

Dr. Virginia Franco is a Gynaecologist and the CEO & co-founder of YONI Solutions SA. She is specialized in pathologies of the lower genital tract and women’s health in primary care. She has experience in obstetric emergencies and as a gynaecologist she also worked in the menopause division and contraceptives in patients under high risk comorbidity. Since incorporation of the company YONI Solutions, she started working more dedicated to vaginal microbiome analysis in the favor of women that suffer from recurrent vaginal infections in order to better recommend Probiotics in Women’s Health. Virginia is currently working full time in the company and remains active in scientific activities such as planning and executing clinical studies.

Petronela Sandulache

Petronela Sandulache is the founder of CorDiFio Health. With 10 years of consulting experience in innovation and strategy, startups and emerging technologies across three continents, and in industries spanning from automotive to healthcare, from printing to financial services, she is determined to empower people to be in control of their health. Her work has been featured in ZDF and ARTE documentaries as well as in Forbes.
She holds a CAS ETH in Entrepreneurial Leadership in Technology Ventures (ETH Switzerland), MA in International Management from the University of Sydney (Australia) and the London School of Economics (UK) – top of the Dean’s list, and a BA in Economics from the University of Rome (Italy). She thrives in a diverse and multicultural environment, and speaks 4 languages fluently. Innovation, entrepreneurial empowerment and dream following are at the core of her work. Her motto: “The best way to predict the future is to create it.” (Lincoln)
CorDiFio Health is a Swiss-based femtech social venture that aims at closing the gender health gap. Their mission is to raise awareness on heart diseases misdiagnosis and beyond, and especially contribute to women’s health empowerment and research in gender-centric medicine. Their vision is to Make Hearts Beat Longer. One heart at a time!

Lisa Falco

Lisa Falco is a Lead Consultant in AI & Data at Zühlke Group, Author of her book „Go Figure! The astonishing science of the female body.“ and contributor at Forbes, writing for Forbes Women about FemTech & Women’s health. With nearly two decades of experience, Lisa has been dedicated to the intersection of medicine and technology, particularly in leveraging data to gain deeper insights into the human body. Her expertise spans various aspects of women’s health, including research in areas like bone health, diabetes, and fertility. Before her current position, Lisa Falco held the role of Director of Data Science at Ava, a Swiss FemTech startup. During her tenure, she spearheaded a team focused on creating algorithms and artificial intelligence solutions aimed at helping women get pregnant faster by using data derived from their menstrual cycles.The experiences from her work at Ava, coupled with the encounters with various women throughout the process, served as the catalyst that inspired her to author her book.

Céline Spillmann

Céline Spillmann has studied law, economics and computer science and was named Forbes 30 under 30. The cycle care brand PERIOD is her second company after having co-founded a LegalTech startup. PERIOD develops natural products around periods, menopause and female pleasure and creates their formulas locally in their manufactory in Zurich. Recently, Céline has started a third company which focuses on video podcasts and media productions. With the help of the format ‚PERIOD presents‘, Céline aims to open up the discussion around periods and womanhood with inspiring guests.

Dr. Virginia Franco

Dr. Virginia Franco is a Gynaecologist and the CEO & co-founder of YONI Solutions SA. She is specialized in pathologies of the lower genital tract and women’s health in primary care. She has experience in obstetric emergencies and as a gynaecologist she also worked in the menopause division and contraceptives in patients under high risk comorbidity. Since incorporation of the company YONI Solutions, she started working more dedicated to vaginal microbiome analysis in the favor of women that suffer from recurrent vaginal infections in order to better recommend Probiotics in Women’s Health. Virginia is currently working full time in the company and remains active in scientific activities such as planning and executing clinical studies.

Petronela Sandulache

Petronela Sandulache is the founder of CorDiFio Health. With 10 years of consulting experience in innovation and strategy, startups and emerging technologies across three continents, and in industries spanning from automotive to healthcare, from printing to financial services, she is determined to empower people to be in control of their health. Her work has been featured in ZDF and ARTE documentaries as well as in Forbes.
She holds a CAS ETH in Entrepreneurial Leadership in Technology Ventures (ETH Switzerland), MA in International Management from the University of Sydney (Australia) and the London School of Economics (UK) – top of the Dean’s list, and a BA in Economics from the University of Rome (Italy). She thrives in a diverse and multicultural environment, and speaks 4 languages fluently. Innovation, entrepreneurial empowerment and dream following are at the core of her work. Her motto: “The best way to predict the future is to create it.” (Lincoln)
CorDiFio Health is a Swiss-based femtech social venture that aims at closing the gender health gap. Their mission is to raise awareness on heart diseases misdiagnosis and beyond, and especially contribute to women’s health empowerment and research in gender-centric medicine. Their vision is to Make Hearts Beat Longer. One heart at a time!

Lisa Falco

Lisa Falco is a Lead Consultant in AI & Data at Zühlke Group, Author of her book „Go Figure! The astonishing science of the female body.“ and contributor at Forbes, writing for Forbes Women about FemTech & Women’s health. With nearly two decades of experience, Lisa has been dedicated to the intersection of medicine and technology, particularly in leveraging data to gain deeper insights into the human body. Her expertise spans various aspects of women’s health, including research in areas like bone health, diabetes, and fertility. Before her current position, Lisa Falco held the role of Director of Data Science at Ava, a Swiss FemTech startup. During her tenure, she spearheaded a team focused on creating algorithms and artificial intelligence solutions aimed at helping women get pregnant faster by using data derived from their menstrual cycles.The experiences from her work at Ava, coupled with the encounters with various women throughout the process, served as the catalyst that inspired her to author her book.

This Event kicks off the series Women Who Start Up by the Innovation Office of the University of Bern.

DATE

September 20, 2023

Time: 6.00 – 9.00 pm