News Summary

At the Web Summit Vancouver, women-led startups took center stage in the event’s first-ever Pitch competition. Vancouver-based Lite-1 emerged as the winner, recognized for its development of sustainable microorganism-based colorants intended to replace toxic synthetic dyes in various industries. Founded by Roya Aghighi and Sarah Graham, Lite-1 aims to scale its impact and market presence. Other notable participants included GlüxKind, known for its AI-enabled smart stroller, and VodaSafe, which develops aquatic rescue technology. The competition highlighted a significant rise in female founders, with 44% of participating startups having at least one female founder. The event’s success underscores the growing involvement and recognition of women in tech and entrepreneurship.