Ever feel like you’re up to date on all things tech, only to realize you’ve missed a whole revolution? Yeah, me too. Meet Femtech, the tech revolution reshaping (health)care for over half ofthe world’s population. Of course I vaguely knew about period tracking apps but what started as a niche focused on menstrual and reproductive health has become a thriving industry set to be worth more than $100 billion USD in a couple of years. Yes it is rooted in providing more access, knowledge and better care for women,  but it is also a movement challenging tech’s and healthcare´s history of exclusion and is proving that diversity makes for better, more effective and more accessible solutions for all.

What is Femtech?

Femtech (aka Female Technology) is all about tech designed for female-specific health needs.  Ida Tin, co-founder of Clue, introduced the term in 2016, and thanks to her and many others in this space, the world is waking up to the unique needs of women’s health, driven by data and supported by tech innovation. It merges wellness and healthcare, providing tools that support not only physical but also emotional health. Think gadgets, apps, and wearables that support everything from period tracking to menopause, maternal health, hormonal health and female sexual health. But also conditions that affect women disproportionately or differently like cardiovascular disease, osteoporosis  and contraception.

Femtech is also pushing boundaries by bringing in accurate data for better diagnoses, improving healthcare access for women in rural or underserved areas, and breaking down cultural taboos around women’s health. And it tackles the huge gaps in awareness and education around women’s gynecological, sexual, and mental health—delivering personalized, whole-person care to meet women’s specific needs. It’s about moving from one-size-fits-all to holistic, tailored healthcare that actually understands and prioritizes women’s experiences.

It  once started with apps and services focusing on menstrual health and fertility, but now the landscape of Femtech products, services and platforms has expanded to many more areas. There are telehealth services for pregnant people, digital platforms for pelvic floor and incontinence therapy, devices for pain reduction, menopause support, Innovative testing and diagnostic tools for gynecological conditions, platforms and apps focused on sexual education, health, and wellness for women and so much more. Impossible to list them all. Curious to see what kind of products, services and platforms there are, or are you looking for something for a specific condition? FemTech Bot, can guide you to them. Just ask. About anything femtech really 🙂

Built on Activism and Filling Gaps in Care and Tech

Femtech isn’t just about convenient health tracking; it’s about rewriting decades of healthcare and tech neglect toward women and other underrepresented genders. Until 1993, clinical trials weren’t even required to include female participants, resulting in medical standards based almost entirely on male physiology. Only recently has research acknowledged that women’s bodies may have distinct symptoms for conditions like heart disease, which were previously misdiagnosed or ignored (Harvard Heart Publishing). In tech development a “lack of diversity in tech leadership contributes to exclusionary designs” (Data Centre Magazine), leading to products that overlook or misinterpret the needs of women and non-cis male users.

It makes sense—when tech teams lack diversity, innovations become unintentionally biased, a reality that has become glaringly obvious with the recent rise in biased AI models. Femtech, on the other hand, brings in women-led perspectives and designs that prioritize women’s unique health needs, giving them better information, more control, and access to resources that were historically out of reach.

However, it is only recently that we realize the impact of this and importance of diversity in tech dev teams, this has also been spurred by biases surfacing in AI. Femtech steps in to change that narrative by designing tech specifically for (and often by) women. And providing women with better information, greater control over their health, and access to resources and information that were historically out of reach.

The Fight for Funding and Visibility

Femtech is not a niche. It’s a booming industry with an underserved yet promising target market. In 2014, this sector was valued at around $200 million, focusing primarily on fertility and menstrual health. While there are some variations in the projections, various reports show femtech is on its way to be worth over a $100 billion by 2032 with a much broader product and services portfolio. And the potential target audience?  Studies show women spend significantly more money on healthcare needs than men and are more likely to use digital tools.

Despite its success and huge potential target market, Femtech faces unique challenges:

  • Funding Hurdles: Roughly 80% of Femtech startups are female-founded, they face greater VC funding challenges. Multiple reports, for instance Yale Insights, World Economic Forum and Pitchbook to name a few,  prove it is more difficult for women-led ventures in general to receive funding. In addition “investment in femtech stands at just 1-2% of total health technology funding.” (The Guardian).
  • Advertising Bias making it challenging to reach audiences: Femtech ads are often rejected or accounts suspended due to the content being misclassified as “explicit” or “adult” even when they are educational or related to female healthcare. Terms like “vagina” are frequently flagged as inappropriate, while terms like “semen” pass without issue—a double standard that forces brands to rely on euphemisms, reducing the educational value of their messaging. In 2022 the Center for Intimacy Justice (CIJ) filed a letter of complaint to the FTC (made public in 2023) based on extensive research showing how women’s health products and services—especially anything related to sexual wellness—get flagged, blocked, or outright banned far more often than men’s health ads. In 2024 Levlane advertising wrote an open letter to Mark Zuckerberg about bias in women’s healthcare advertising.  So the problem is not yet solved.

Next Level: AI, VR and AR

Of course Femtech is embracing AI, VR and AR. For me one of the most interesting and promising AI trends in Femtech is AI-enabled breast cancer detection. Machine learning algorithms can analyze vast amounts of data from wearables, health apps, and medical records to provide tailored health insights and early detection of conditions.

I also love how VR and AR are maximizing their therapeutic powerhouse abilities in this space, for instance for expectant mothers. One of the happiest times of my life, but also incredibly daunting. With over 70% of pregnant women reporting increased stress and 15-21% experiencing more severe mood or anxiety disorders, immersive technology offers crucial support (Femtech Insider). Programs like NurtureVR give moms-to-be a safe, guided space in VR where they can access essential information, visualize their baby’s growth, and even practice relaxation techniques—strengthening the maternal bond in an entirely new way.

Ethics &  FemTech

While Femtech’s potential is vast, it also raises familiar ethical questions around data and privacy. Femtech apps often collect highly sensitive health data, from menstrual cycles to sexual activity, which can greatly improve personalized care but also heightens privacy concerns. Protecting this data demands robust security, transparency, and adherence to clear regulations. Additionally, the term “Femtech” itself poses inclusivity challenges. As Taylor Wessing points out, “femtech” may unintentionally exclude transgender and non-binary people, given its focus on women’s health needs. As the industry continues to grow, we may see this terminology evolve to better reflect its commitment to inclusive healthcare.

Leading the Way for Inclusive Innovation

While Femtech originated in women’s health, it is showing that diverse perspectives create more effective, inclusive solutions and is leading the charge for a more equitable healthcare system. Femtech isn’t just about better healthcare for women—it’s leading the way for a more inclusive, equitable tech future for everyone. For me, having autonomy over my body and healthcare decisions feels like a right I never have to question. But for many women around the world, this autonomy is far from guaranteed. With restrictive voices on the rise in many places…we need femtech more than ever.

 

Sources and further inspiration

Market research

Femtech trends and barriers

Health and Tech bias

Images created with Midjourney and special thanks to AI-powered writing assistance for helping declutter and refine this post. Sources are important to me, I do my best to include them all with working links. If you feel I have forgotten you, send me a DM on Linkedin