The Forge alumnus, ToeFX Inc. was awarded the BMO Celebrating Grant Program, receiving $10,000 toward their startup. Over a thousand applicants applied for the grant in July and ToeFX was selected as one of the ten recipients. The Startups were rewarded for their innovation and resilience with their businesses in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic. ToeFX is collaborating with a research laboratory at McMaster University to provide a safe, effective solution based on photodynamic therapy to treat onychomycosis (toenail fungus).
ToeFX was founded by Dr. Irit Van-Ham, a toxicologist and formulation chemist. Dr. Van-Ham first became interested in treating toenail fungus after her mother developed the condition as a side-effect of the chemotherapy she was receiving for breast cancer. Thankfully her mother recovered, but Dr. Van-Ham’s passion kept growing to help others “show off their toenails.”
In 2019, Dr. Van-Ham decided to partner up with Dr. Monika Yazdanian, a fellow scientist and specialist in tech startups, and they have been growing their business together ever since. Both of the co-founders share a deep commitment to researching, testing, and manufacturing their products in Canada. ToeFX has received valuable support from The Forge Business Incubator at McMaster University, Waterloo Accelerator Centre, the Innovation Factory, and the startup ecosystem in Ontario,
“The BMO Celebrating Women grant will help ToeFX help patients all over Canada to show off their toenails!” said Dr. Monika Yazdanian, CEO and co-founder of ToeFX.
To read the full press release on BMO’s website, click here.
View ToeFX’s latest video on their ClearToe Therapy Light: