Introducing the Startup Women Advocacy Network 2023
Two years ago, we created the Startup Women Advocacy Network (SWAN), a network of 11 early stage, woman-identifying founders from each province and territory to champion the needs of women entrepreneurs across the country.
SWAN members have the opportunity to amplify their business across our platforms, are given a seat at important government roundtables aimed at policy creation and decision-making, and are invited to be speakers and panelists at key entrepreneurial events such as Startup Canada Tour to showcase their stories.
This is just the beginning. The hope behind SWAN is to create an ever-growing network of champions in each Canadian province and territory to ultimately increase the visibility and voices of early-stage, woman-identifying entrepreneurs.
In the spirit of amplifying women entrepreneurs, we sat down with each of our SWAN members to learn more about their founder journeys. Our second interview is with Bronwyn Bridges, Founder and CEO of PragmaClin, from Newfoundland.
Meet Bronwyn Bridges, our SWAN Member from Newfoundland and Labrador
Bronwyn Bridges is passionate about equal access to healthcare, mental health awareness, and driving change through digital health solutions. She is the Co-Founder and CEO of PragmaClin, a MedTech company that has developed a digital assessment tool for neurological conditions such as Parkinson’s Disease.
Bronwyn has been named one of the top entrepreneurs in Canada and was awarded the “Top Idea Stage Company” in the Entrepreneurship World Cup, and the “Top Early Stage Company” to come out of a university.
We’d love to learn a little bit about your entrepreneurial journey toward founding PragmaClin.
While volunteering with a Parkinson’s patient in Antigonish, Nova Scotia, I realized I wanted to help improve the lives of people living with chronic diseases such as Parkinson’s.
When pursuing my Ph.D. at the Memorial University of Newfoundland, I was studying Parkinson’s, which is where I met my co-founder Gord Genge, a Parkinson’s patient. Gord had been investigating devices aimed at helping those with Parkinson’s disease. However, the devices were plagued with accuracy issues. Using them at home wasn’t feasible, and they didn’t provide the entire clinical assessment. Together, we worked on a research project which eventually spun into our company, PragmaClin.
What has been the most challenging obstacle for you in starting your business? And how did you overcome it?
One of the biggest challenges I’ve faced has been juggling many hats and trying to complete my Ph.D. while running a company simultaneously. The past two years have been filled with sleepless nights, endless cups of coffee, and the intricate balance between corporate decision-making and academic rigour.
There have been days of self-doubt, moments of exhaustion, and instances where it felt like the world was asking too much. Yet, it’s the gritty persistence, the unwavering support from my amazing team at work, my incredible professors and peers, and most importantly, my family that have pulled me through.
The lessons I’ve learned have been invaluable. Running a company while pursuing a Ph.D. is not about dividing your time – it’s about merging two worlds. It’s about applying practical business strategies in the academic world and bringing scientific methods to resolve corporate challenges.
This achievement doesn’t mark the end but rather an exciting beginning. Being able to balance these two worlds has allowed me to grow in multiple aspects of my life and learn valuable skills that will ultimately lead to supporting PragmaClin’s future success.
What brings you the most joy or excitement in working in your business?
Running a startup is a unique journey that offers a blend of exhilaration, fulfillment, and growth. It’s about pioneering innovation, pushing the boundaries of what’s possible, and seeing the tangible results of your vision and hard work.
The thrill of overcoming challenges and turning them into opportunities for growth is incredibly rewarding. There’s a profound sense of satisfaction in building a team that shares your vision, fostering a culture of innovation, and seeing that team succeed and grow both personally and professionally.
My biggest joy, though comes from my co-founder Gord. He gives me reason each and every day to keep pushing boundaries. Although Gord has been living with Parkinson’s as a diagnosed patient since 2019, he still comes into the office each and every day, seven days a week. He continues to work on PragmaClin to bring his vision to life, and that motivates and inspires me to put forth the best version of myself that I can for him.
What do the next few years look like for PragmaClin?
Over the next few years, PragmaClin will continue to complete our clinical trials, gain regulatory clearance, and start helping patients within the US and Canadian markets. We hope to also expand our solution beyond Parkinson’s Disease to other movement disorders such as Huntington’s, MS, Stroke and more, allowing us to reach and impact the lives of millions of people and their families.
What does being a part of the Startup Women Advocacy Network mean to you?
Being a part of SWAN means I am able to support and help other motivated women who have begun their entrepreneurial journey or those who are considering it. I want to provide insights to other women in STEM so they can make a difference in their communities. I want to motivate young girls to chase their dreams and also learn from those around me so that I can make the biggest impact possible.
In the spirit of advocacy, is there a woman-identifying, early-stage entrepreneur in Newfoundland that you admire or are following along their entrepreneurial journey?
Over the past few months, I have been motivated and inspired by Charlene Brophy. Charlene has been running FoneMed for over 20 years, so it is no startup. However, Charlene has taken me under her wing to show and inspire me to stand up for myself and chase my dreams. She advocates for me in a room without me present and always provides me with opportunities to help me succeed. Charlene is a perfect example of an entrepreneur that young women can look up to, and I hope to follow her same journey of making waves in healthcare.
When founders talk about their journey and their business, they often talk about their “why” – why they do what they do. So, we’re interested to know – what is your “why”?
From a young age, I volunteered at my mom’s work (a long-term care facility). I always saw the gaps in healthcare and knew that one day I wanted to work in a field where I could make a difference in the lives of others. I went through some hard times during junior high and high school that sparked my passion for mental health advocacy and being able to give back to my community. When Gord explained to me how alone and isolated this disease had made him feel and his experience leading up to his diagnosis brought me back to my journey growing up. I wanted to be able to not only help others like Gord see help faster and catch disease progression earlier on, but I wanted to be a spark of joy to those going through the darkest times. My “why” stems from both mine and Gord’s journey.
Thank you for joining us! If someone wants to connect with you, where is the best place for them to go?
You can reach out to me on LinkedIn or e-mail me at bronwyn@pragmaclin.com.
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You can learn more about our 2023 Startup Women Advocacy Network at https://www.startupcan.ca/startup-women-advocacy-network-2023/