💌 Issue 77: Record high VC funding | Diagnosis menopause | US contraceptive sales soar | NHS 'ping and book'
+ lots more in your weekly round-up of women's health and FemTech news
Hi! Welcome to issue #77 of FutureFemHealth, here to bring you your weekly news about women’s health innovation and FemTech (w/c 11 November 2024).
🌟 Coming up today we’ve got:
🏆 VC funding for European Femtech reaches record highs
💰 Multi-million pound deal for at-home menopause diagnosis kit
💊 Online emergency contraception sales soar in US
👩🏽💻 NHS ‘ping and book’ screening to help save women’s lives
Got news to share from the world of FemTech and women’s health innovation? Let me know at anna@futurefemhealth.com
❤️ But first…my own announcement!
I’m excited to share some big news with you today about FutureFemHealth. From this month, we are merging with one of the most respected and well-read newsletters in the industry - Dr Brittany Barreto’s FemHealth Insights.
I’m beyond honoured, and perhaps a little overwhelmed (in the best way possible!) that Brittany believes in my mission here enough to pass her torch to me.
For more than four years, Brittany’s newsletter has helped thousands of readers navigate the incredible growth and transformation of the women’s health innovation sector. You’ll also know her as the host of the podcast FemTech Focus and the founder of the insights platform FemHealth Insights - both of which Brittany will continue to lead.
Now I have the responsibility of taking forward her newsletter: Brittany’s 6,500+ readers will join our community of 1,600+ here at FutureFemHealth.
I’m excited to grow our impact, dive deeper into the issues that matter, and continue to be your trusted industry source for all things FemTech and women’s health innovation. From funding updates to groundbreaking research, innovative products to policy changes – I’m committed to giving you the full picture of this dynamic landscape.
So, whether you’ve been a subscriber of FutureFemHealth since day one or whether you’ve joined along the way – thank you. This newsletter continues to be my passion (alongside a busy full-time job and parenting two small children). Your support, engagement (and those lovely feedback emails I get) always mean a lot. And to the new readers joining from FemHealth Insights – welcome! We can't wait to continue this journey with you.
Here's to the future of women's health – a future shaped by your incredible work and innovation, which I’m honoured to write about each week and amplify, one newsletter at a time.
Founder, FutureFemHealth
Co-Founder, CensHERship
💰 Funding, deals and investment news
📌 EUROPE: VC funding for European FemTech reaches record heights. Improved awareness around women’s health is fuelling growth in European investment. Around €339.4 million (around $366.3 million) has been invested across 47 FemTech deals so far this year, according to PitchBook data, beating 2021’s previous peak of €325 million with almost two months still left in the year. That said, over half of the funding went to just two start-ups with Flo Health securing $200m and Natural Cycles $55m. Nevertheless, at the current pace, European femtech deal value is expected to reach €436.7 million for the year—more than double the amount raised last year. (Continue reading: Pitchbook)
🌟 Industry news from this week
📌 UK: iGii and Prymexa to partner on at-home menopause diagnosis toolkit. Scottish tech company iGii produces a highly sensitive alternative to traditional carbon and metal-based sensors, making it particularly effective for accurate assessment of menopause symptoms. Health monitoring company Prymexa meanwhile is working on smart wearables, an app and a clinicians portal to support early identification of perimenopause. This multi-million pound agreement sees a partnership between the two which aims to “bring individuals closer to a simple, clear understanding of their menopause journey and how best to manage it.” (Continue reading: FutureFemHealth)
📌 UK: National retailer Tesco pilots in-store and virtual menopause support with Stella. With the NHS squeezed, could the local supermarket be the new point-of-care for women’s health? Retail giant Tesco is piloting a new store concept to allow customers to access health services conveniently and easily while they shop. Included in the offering will be consultations with a clinician on managing menopause symptoms, via a partnership with online menopause clinic Stella. (Continue reading: FutureFemHealth)
📌 UK: OVA launches egg health supplement to 600+ Boots stores. Frustrated with the women’s health supplement space, Net-A-Porter Alumnis Danielle Fox-Thomas and Kat LeStage created their own brand - OVA. The supplement will now debut in the UK across the major pharmacy / health store Boots. (Continue reading: FutureFemHealth)
📌 INDIA: Flo Health and FemTech India partner on 'Pass it on' project launch. India is at the heart of Flo Health’s 'Pass it on' project which offers free premium subscriptions to women in 22 countries where access to safe and credible health information is limited. To mark an official launch in India, Flo Health has partnered with industry network FemTech India to raise awareness. (Continue reading: FutureFemHealth)
📌 US: Online sales of Plan B and birth control are surging after Trump’s election, retailer says. Women may be stockpiling reproductive healthcare products ahead of Donald Trump returning to the White House. Online pharmacy Wisp has said sales of its emergency contraception soared 1000% from 5 November to 6 November. (Continue reading: Business Insider)
📌 GE HealthCare eyes AI breast cancer detection with DeepHealth partnership. GE Healthcare has been busy forging partnerships with AI specialists recently. This time it’s with DeepHealth, making use of its AI-based Smart Mammo for more personalised, patient-centred and accurate breast cancer diagnosis. (Continue reading: Medical Device Network)
📄 Govt & policy news
📌 UK: NHS ‘ping and book’ screening to help save thousands of women’s lives. Phone app alerts and online bookings will help replace outdated postal letters in a new drive from the NHS to encourage more screening appointments. Invites for breast screenings will begin next month through the NHS app, followed by cervical screening next year. It’s aimed to save the NHS £130m over five years and improve uptake. (Continue reading: NHS England)
📌 UK: New NICE guidelines for menopause draw mixed response. The National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) has updated its guidelines on menopause identification and management to prioritise HRT as a first line treatment. Draft guidelines published last November saw criticism for suggesting cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT) could be an alternative or used alongside HRT, as it was perceived as belittling symptoms. These new guidelines have also faced criticism, with campaigners asking for more nuanced detail on the safety of specific types of HRT taken. (Continue reading: The Guardian)
📆 Save the date
Save the date for Tech4Eva’s Conference on 9 December 2024 – in partnership with CHUV and Innovaud
The 2024 Tech4Eva hybrid conference is once again bringing together industry stakeholders from around the world including: corporates, investors, entrepreneurs, innovators, academic researchers, students as well as ecosystem builders to discuss the current and the future of technologies for women’s health – with a focus on maternal health. Register here
✅ Jobs
📌 UK: Employer branding manager, Flo Health
📌 GERMANY: Product Designer (senior / principal), Clue
Thanks for reading and see you next time!
If you’ve missed any previous newsletter issues catch them all at futurefemhealth.com and do make sure to follow us on LinkedIn.
PS. Before you go: Would you like to support FutureFemHealth through sponsorship and get your brand in front of thousands of professionals, founders and investors in women’s health? I’m taking bookings from December onwards. For more info and a copy of our media pack drop me a line: anna@futurefemhealth.com