Connecting the people moving women's health forward
The SoCal Women's Health Collective brings together founders, investors, clinicians, researchers, academics, industry leaders, and advocates so collaboration can move women's health forward across Southern California.
Who we connect Founders, investors, clinicians, researchers, academics, industry leaders, advocates, operators, and emerging leaders.
The right advisor at the right stage.
Women's health founders in Southern California can connect with seasoned operators, investors, clinicians, and commercial leaders from across the Collective's network. Matches are based on what each company needs now, from regulatory strategy to fundraising to go-to-market.
For founders
Get focused guidance from someone who has built, funded, or commercialized in your space.
For advisors
Share your expertise with promising companies and help shape what comes next in the region.
October 20, 2026
This round's founders and advisors are already matched, so the October Match Day is closed to new participants.
Want to take part in 2027? Join the Collective and answer the match question on the sign-up form.
Join the SoCal Women's Health Roster
Add yourself and your organization to the regional roster of people and companies working in women's health.
Prepare to partner
Learn how to get real value from an advisor relationship, whether you're giving guidance or receiving it.
Share what you need
Tell us your stage, focus area, and the expertise that would help most right now.
Get matched
We introduce you to an advisor whose experience fits your priorities.
Build momentum
Work together on your goals and stay connected to the wider Collective.
The Collective at LA Tech Week
Two gatherings on October 12 and 13 for founders, investors, and leaders building what comes next in women's health.
The Precision Health Opportunity
Precision health can move care from treating disease once it appears toward identifying risk earlier, personalizing intervention, and predicting what happens next. Panelists will explore how genomics is expanding our understanding of individual health trajectories, how environmental factors influence fertility and reproductive outcomes, and why sex-stratified research and the health of women offer a powerful lens into precision care.
For founders, investors, and ecosystem leaders, the implications reach well beyond diagnostics: where and when care happens, new categories of healthcare companies, and the platforms that turn complex biological data into actionable intelligence.
- Panelists
- Martha LawrenceCEO and Co-Founder, AccendoWave; former President, Sequoia Healthcare Advisors
- Dr. Carmen MesserlianReproductive epidemiologist and professor; Founder and Chief Medical Officer, Vie Science
- Kunal KaroFounder and CEO, Eugene Labs
Put Your Money in the Room
Women control more wealth than ever before. This conversation covers putting capital to work, from writing a first angel check to becoming an LP, backing the funds and founders you believe in, and finding new ways to participate in the investment ecosystem.
Come to learn, bring questions, and meet women who are already doing it. Putting wealth to work gives you a voice in what gets built next.
A connected region moves women's health forward faster.
Why we exist
Women's health is the full health of women: conditions that affect women solely, disproportionately, or differently. For decades, it has been under-researched, underfunded, and underserved.
Southern California is a powerhouse in medtech, biotech, diagnostics, digital health, and consumer health products, backed by world-class clinical care and research. Too often, the people doing this work are disconnected from one another. Closing the gap takes the whole ecosystem working together.
What we do
We connect people, ideas, expertise, resources, and opportunities to increase visibility and impact across Southern California's women's health community.
- Convene the community through events and conversations
- Match founders with experienced advisors
- Maintain the SoCal Women's Health Roster
- Partner with national organizations to bring insight home to the region
What's next
We are building toward a Southern California where knowledge, relationships, and resources accelerate better solutions and outcomes for women.
- Grow the roster to cover the region's full women's health ecosystem
- Grow the founder-advisor match into a year-round program
- Serve as a template for regional women's health collectives nationwide
Where the region's women's health community has come together.
Summer Happy Hour
Founders, investors, operators, clinicians, researchers, and advocates from across Los Angeles. Event page
HERS Conference dinner gathering
An evening of conversation and connection for leaders arriving for the HERS Conference. Event page
First San Diego gathering
The Collective's first San Diego event, with local founders and the region's women's health community. Event page
Luncheon with Women's Health Advocates
Founders, investors, and advocates gathered to discuss moving women's health forward.
Happy hour with Women's Health Advocates
An oversubscribed evening connecting the region's leaders with the national advocacy community.
In Conversation with Dr. Sophia Yen
With the co-founder and CEO of Pandia Health, moderated by Shannon Topinka with opening remarks by Naseem Sayani.
SoCal Women's Health Collective Meet Up
A networking happy hour for Orange County's women's health community. Event page
The Collective launches
Seven women's health leaders come together to connect the region's ecosystem.
Seven leaders across venture, product, strategy, marketing, operations, and advocacy.
Susan Willig
30+ years at the intersection of healthcare innovation and global commercial strategy, including Edwards Lifesciences, Thomson Reuters, and LexisNexis. Focused on women's health and health equity.
Naseem Sayani
20+ years across venture capital, business building, and digital innovation. Frequent speaker on women's health and financial inclusion at LA TechWeek, CES, and the Women's Health Innovation Summit.
Nanneke Dinklo
20+ years leading product management, portfolio strategy, and commercialization for MedTech and life sciences companies. Active in board leadership and founder mentoring.
Tina Rahmani
Helps early- and growth-stage startups navigate fundraising milestones and champions structural, financial shifts that position investing in women as a core economic lever. Previously led consumer product and marketing teams to a $3B exit.
Ikram Guerd
20 years of international healthcare marketing and business development in MedTech and women's health. Named to the LA Times' 2025 list of Top 100 Women to Know in America.
Averee Murphy
Design engineer turned product leader. Developed the Collective's founder-advisor match program and the Collective's roster.
Shannon Topinka
25+ years in biotech and pharma operations. Leads a national women's health ecosystem-mapping effort and serves on the Women's Health Advocates Steering Committee.
Be part of Southern California's women's health community.
One sign-up for membership, the roster, and the Collective's newsletter. Open to anyone working to move women's health forward in the region.
- Invitations to events and conversations across the region
- A place on the interest list for the 2027 match program
- A place on the SoCal Women's Health Roster
- Opportunities to contribute, speak, and collaborate
- The newsletter: upcoming events, founder news, and insight from across the region
Sign up
The sign-up form takes about two minutes. It adds you to the SoCal Women's Health Roster and lets us know how you would like to take part, including the 2027 match program.
Join the Collective
© 2026 SoCal Women's Health Collective