Abstract

The health tech industry is notorious for being incredibly difficult to innovate in, with ridiculously long sales cycles, impossible customers in doctors and hospitals, and an unfortunate aversion to anything technology-enabled. The pandemic we're living through was a bit of a curse for most people, but a blessing in disguise for the health tech industry. The investment landscape for these companies dramatically shifted in a matter of days as the general public realized what health tech entrepreneurs have long foretold: we need technology to scale health care delivery.

Using Dot Health's unique perspective as a Canadian health tech startup, I will discuss how the pandemic shaped our company's future, altered our prospects, and brought us new customers of all shapes and sizes and how in doing so, changed a lot of lives.

Speaker Biography

Huda is the Founder and CEO of Dot Health, a real-time personal health data platform. With a background in engineering from the University of Toronto and a prolific career at some of Toronto's best known startups including Wattpad, Wave, and Wealthsimple. Her latest venture is transforming the way people access and control their own health information for good.

Huda's work has been featured in a number of media outlets including Vogue, The Globe and Mail, CBC, Toronto Life, Toronto Star, Metro Morning, The Current, and The Walrus. She has won numerous awards including Excellence Canada's Board of Governors' Special Recognition of Achievement Award in 2019, YWCA Toronto's Young Woman of Distinction in 2019, Bay Street Bull's 30x30 in 2018, University of Toronto Engineering Early Career Award in 2018, amongst others. Huda has helped advise the Canadian Federal and Provincial Health Ministries on strategy, and currently serves on the Board of Directors for TechGirls Canada, Ontario MD, and the Sinai Health System.