Digital health innovation is an incredibly hot area of investment and Women’s Health Innovation and FemTech startups are getting the much-needed funding support they deserve from incredible investors like Deena Shakir, Christina Farr, Halle Tecco, Pivotal Ventures, Alyssa Jaffee, and many more. The goal of most of these startups is to improve women's access to information, resources, and innovative solutions that empower them to take charge of their health and make informed decisions. These startups often leverage technology, data analytics, and a holistic approach to provide comprehensive care that addresses the physical, emotional, and mental well-being of women across various stages of life. So, what exactly defines a “Women’s Health” startup and how are these solutions different from "FemTech" startups? To answer that, Katie Donohue McMillan, MPH, founder of Well Made Health, LLC, explains her opinions on the differences in her article What's in a name?: Women's Health Innovation vs. FemTech.
Katie explains that FemTech is subset of Women's Health Innovation that includes the use of technology to address biologically female health needs.
This is a clear distinction and I agree with her conclusion. However, I often see startups, including my own, that do not strictly meet the definition of either a Women's Health or FemTech startup, but the vast majority of the customers they solve problems for are women. In the case of Amissa Health, we aim to reduce the risk of dementia and other age-related conditions and diseases. Based on this information, it's not solving a distinctly "biologically female health" problem or need. Yet, we developed a digital biomarker research pipeline to measure, predict, and reduce painful perimenopause symptoms such as hot flashes, night sweats, and sleep interruption. This is clearly a FemTech solution. We then use the high-frequency, real-world, health and behavior data collected from our perimenopause software application to develop dementia prevention models. Essentially, we look at the quality of sleep in middle-aged women to predict the risk of dementia decades later. With that in mind, our startup is still a FemTech solution. However, that's not all we do.
With an award from the National Institutes of Health, Amissa Health developed a caregiver mobile application to provide families and spouses, typically middle-aged women in the sandwich generation, with improved monitoring capabilities of a loved one's health and safety through the use of smartwatches. We identified that nearly 11 million Americans provide care for people with Alzheimer's disease or a related dementia and that more than 60% of these individuals are women. And, as a result of years of caregiving, these women often fail to take care of themselves and experience increased health-related problems. It is a vicious downward spiral that is getting worse every year. The number of Americans 65 or older is approaching 20%. Solutions to meet the needs of these aging individuals, and the large number of women that will take care of a parent or spouse, are in high demand. So, while Amiss Health is not by definition a Women's Health startup, the solutions we develop will improve the quality of life for billions of women in the future.
What are your thoughts? When a product or solution is not exclusively intended for women, but the vast majority of the customers are women, or the data that emerges from the use of the product will help improve the health and longevity of women, is it not a Women's Health Innovation?
