Menopause brain health platform Prickly Pear Health secures $250k pre-seed funding
Focused on cognitive and neurological wellness
An AI-powered digital health platform that addresses cognitive wellness during the menopause transition has secured institutional pre-seed funding of $250,000.
Arizona-based Femtech start-up Prickly Pear Health received the investment in a round led by Bayless Ventures (announced last September) and AZ Venture Capital Inc (Arizona’s largest venture capital fund).
"Securing institutional backing this early in our journey validates both our mission and market opportunity," said Imen Maaroufi Clark, Founder and CEO of Prickly Pear Health.
"This investment accelerates our ability to address the critical gaps in menopausal health support, particularly around cognitive and neurological wellness."
Prickly Pear Health now says it may double its $250,000 funding by the end of Q1 2025.
"Prickly Pear Health represents exactly what we look for in early-stage investments," said James Goulka, CEO and President of AZ Venture Capital Inc.
"The combination of a compelling founder story, clear market need, and innovative technology solution presents an exceptional opportunity to transform women's health."
Often-overlooked aspects of menopause
Founder Imen Maaroufi Clark's journey to founding Prickly Pear Health began in North Africa, where she witnessed her mother's struggles with surgical menopause following an emergency postpartum hysterectomy. This personal experience, combined with her background in technology, drove her to develop solutions for the often-overlooked cognitive and neurological aspects of menopausal transition.
“Issues like brain fog and memory deficits due to hormonal fluctuations are affecting the 28 million women currently in menopausal transition and will continue to grow by 2 million per year,” said Dr. Heidi Jannenga.
“With their innovative technological platform, Prickly Pear is poised to help women not just tolerate, but thrive during and beyond their reproductive years with their evidence-based approach to navigating these transition periods. I proudly support Imen as a female founder transforming the brain health approach.”
The platform is using the latest advancements in AI to address hormonal fluctuations' impact on brain health, particularly during the menopausal transition, and provide personalized insights and recommendations.
Currently in closed beta, Prickly Pear is actively developing partnerships with healthcare providers and research institutions to expand its impact.