Charlottetown-based bioscience organization PEI BioAlliance has announced the appointment of Lauren Ledwell as its new CEO, following the retirement of founder Rory Francis who led the group for two decades.
Ledwell transitions from her role at Halifax’s Sandpiper Ventures, where she focused on seed and Series A investments in tech startups nationwide as a principal. Her previous experience includes senior positions at Manulife, Royal Bank of Canada, Maple Leaf Foods, and a recent CEO role at Charlottetown’s Discovery Garden.
“Lauren Ledwell’s leadership in the innovation economy as a tech entrepreneur, investor, and mentor is a significant asset for the continued growth of our sector,” stated PEI BioAlliance board chair Charmaine Noonan, who led the six-month search for Francis’s successor.
Ledwell also recently became a board member of Venture for Canada, which nurtures entrepreneurship in young Canadians. She co-founded the Atlantic chapter of angel investment group Women’s Equity Lab and mentors at Creative Destruction Lab.
Established in 2005, PEI BioAlliance is a private sector-driven, nonprofit entity promoting the bioscience industry in the province, connecting businesses, researchers, and government bodies through its Emergence incubator. A 60,000-sq. ft. incubation and acceleration facility for bio-based startups is set to open next year.
The organization plans a celebration of Francis’s tenure, honoring his pivotal contributions to transforming the region’s bioscience landscape.
BioAlliance reports having supported over 50 bioscience companies under Francis’s leadership, which collectively generated $612 million annually in revenue and $460 million in exports.