Celebrating International Women’s Day and tackling inequality at Discovery Park

Discovery Park to host two events to celebrate women in business and tackle challenges in women’s health.

Sandwich, Kent, UK / 28^th February 2024 / Discovery Park, Kent’s thriving life science community, is marking International Women’s Day by supporting women in business and tackling gender bias in healthcare.

With female founded start-ups still struggling to access funding and a lack of women investors, there remains much to do to create an equitable environment for women in business. The femtech industry is a clear example of this gender bias, with male femtech founders consistently raising more capital[i] despite over 70% of femtech companies being founded by women.

Less than a quarter of all UK female-led companies accessed external capital in 2022/2023.[ii] Building a supportive network and demonstrating the success of women in these industries is vital to overcome these challenges. To share stories of success, build connections, and discuss potential solutions to the obstacles that remain, Discovery Park will host a morning full of talks and panel discussions on International Women’s Day, Friday 8^th March, featuring a line-up of innovative women at all stages of their careers. From breaking barriers to fostering innovation, the discussions will touch upon various aspects of business navigation and leadership. This is a free event and open to all interested in driving positive change.

The event will be opened by Jane Kennedy, Chief Business Officer of Discovery Park, followed by two keynote speeches from Laura Bloomfield, Global Head of TELUS International, on ‘Leading the way: A CEO’s Inspirational Journey’, and Vineeta Tripathi, Founder of Vitarka Therapeutics, on the ‘Inspiring Journey of Female Founder’. It will also include a panel discussion on Leadership, Diversity, and Business Insights, and a fireside chat on the Challenges & Opportunities in Entrepreneurship with Julie Richards, Head of Assay Development, Psyros.

The day will feature the inaugural presentation of the Discovery Park Inspirational Women Awards, showcasing inspiring women as chosen by the Discovery Park community. To reserve your place and access the full agenda visit: https://discovery-park.co.uk/internationalwomensday/.

As well as disparities in business, the gender health gap is still hindering women’s access to healthcare. A combination of a lack of understanding of women’s physiology and a lack of clinical trial data is resulting in worse treatment outcomes. Alarmingly, the UK has the largest gender health gap in the G20.[iii]

This gap will not be closed without a concerted, collaborative effort. Making up 51% of our population, women offer a multitude of ideas and expertise to build a more equitable society. To champion this, Discovery Park is partnering with NHS Kent and Medway, Kent and Medway Medical School and Health Innovation Kent, Surrey and Sussex to host Kent & Medway Women’s Health Innovation Summit on 6^th March. This event will bring together clinicians, patients, students, academics, innovators and system partners from across the Kent & Medway health community who are dedicated to revolutionising women’s health through innovation, leadership, inclusivity and systemic change. This event will be held in the Pears Building at the Kent and Medway Medical School from 12pm to 4:30pm. For more information please visit: https://discovery-park.co.uk/femtech-forward-pioneering-womens-health-and-future-possibilities/

Discovery Park is committed to supporting women in business and innovative organisations transforming women’s health. Contact us for more information on business support and investment opportunities currently available.

ENDS

For further information, please contact:

Kirsty Budden
Head of Marketing, Discovery Park
E: kirsty.budden@discovery-park.co.uk
T: +44 (0) 7730 618514

Sciad Communications, Media Relations
Juliette Craggs / Jasmin Shearan
E: pressteam@sciad.com
T: +44 (0)20 3405 7892

Notes for Editors

About Discovery Park  

Discovery Park is a thriving life science community for visionary entrepreneurs and leaders and the ideal environment for businesses to start, scale and succeed. We offer state-of-the-art labs, modern offices and manufacturing facilities, unrivalled flexibility and comprehensive support including access to finance and a strong local talent pool. Within easy reach of London, Discovery Park spearheads Kent’s flourishing science and technology cluster. As an extension of the Golden Triangle, our location provides access to a wealth of resources and opportunities coupled with an enviable quality of life.

Discovery Park has been a major centre for life science for nearly 70 years and is home to 160+ companies across a growing tenant community of dynamic start-ups through to global corporations. This includes Algaecytes, Canterbury Christ Church University, Concept Life Sciences, eXroid, Genea Biomedx, LGC, Pfizer, Psyros Diagnostics, Salvensis, Viatris, VisusNano and Wren Healthcare.

Discover more via our website: www.discovery-park.co.uk email: info@discovery-park.co.uk or call: 01304 614060. You can also follow us on social media: LinkedIn, X, Facebook.

[i] https://sifted.eu/articles/even-in-femtech-it-still-pays-to-be-a-male-founder

[ii] https://www.thegenderindex.co.uk/uploads/Reports/TGI-2023-Report.pdf

[iii] https://lordslibrary.parliament.uk/womens-health-outcomes-is-there-a-gender-gap/