30 Femtech Brands to Watch in 2023

Led by managing partner Linda Greub and partner Tracy Dooley, MD, Avestria Ventures invests in early-stage women’s health and female-led life science ventures that leverage technology and data to improve healthcare quality and access, lower costs or empower patients. With women making the majority of household healthcare decisions and comprising the majority of the healthcare workforce, Avestria was founded in the belief that women have the insights needed to successfully solve the industry’s unmet needs, yet female founders are often overlooked. Through investment, support and advocacy, Avestria Ventures is helping to fund the future of female entrepreneurship and women’s health.

Through discussions about their own health journeys, beeya co-founders Yasmin Nouri and Kaya Purohit discovered a problem that no one was talking about: hormonal imbalances. Passionate about providing education and resources to support women in living their most vital lives, Yasmin and Kaya realized it was time to support hormone health in an affordable, accessible and natural way. Their product is inspired by the Seed Cycling method and works to balance hormones through eating specific nutrient-dense seeds throughout the menstrual cycle. This natural, research-backed strategy revealed impressive results, with 94% of users experiencing less cramps and 88% experiencing less PMS symptoms, according to their beta results. Grounded in the belief that food is medicine, beeya is on a mission to bring the body back into balance.

Doveras founder and CEO Nara Lee is reimagining fertility health and pre-pregnancy care. This digital product merges research, science and behavior-change strategies for those actively trying to conceive or wanting to make changes to improve reproductive health. The Pre-Pregnancy Clean Up empowers individuals with the latest science to understand how nutrition and wellness choices enhance their fertility potential. Also, the science behind the product is impressive, with a Fertility Lifestyle Database encompassing over 100,000 clinical studies, so the deep research and work is done for you.

Elvie is creating smart tools for women across every stage of womanhood. Founder and president Tania Boler is a women’s health expert who is breaking the stigma on the once-taboo topics of women’s health. Harnessing world-class technology, the intimate issues women face are now met head-on through innovative products, such as Elvie Trainer, the award-winning Kegel trainer that is connected to a smart app, and the hands-free electric Elvie Pump that allows women to pump anytime, anywhere. Oh, and did we mention it’s the smallest and quietest wearable breast pump?

As “Your Best Friend in Femalehood,” Ema is the app and wellness ecosystem that provides support from fertility to menopause. Founded by Amanda Ducach, Ema is an AI guide designed to act as a friend providing trustworthy wellness advice, while connecting users to other real women for a built-in community of supportive friendship and personal advice. Need help recognizing the signs of postpartum depression or navigating the symptoms of menopause? Give it a try – ask Ema anything and see how your wellness journey gets a dose of positivity and support.

Founded by Jenny Button, Emm is empowering people to leverage technology to better understand their health while revolutionizing menstrual healthcare. Their custom-fit smart menstrual product is an upgrade to period products of the past and uses biosensors to garner key health insights, from cycle length to flow rate and regularity, to gauge when menstrual health is in normal range. Founded on the belief that everyone should be able to understand what is happening inside their body, Emm delivers the knowledge and technology to enable better health outcomes.

Emme is changing the game in birth control pills. Co-founded by Amanda French and Janene Fuerch, this revolutionary system allows you to track birth control pills anywhere, even on the go. Gone are the days of forgetting to take the pill, because Emme offers a way to effortlessly manage your month through a smart birth control pill box. The case tracks the pills taken, or not taken, and pairs with a mobile app to send reminders based on personalized habits. Don’t miss a pill again with the smart case that is always there with a reminder. Emme was recently acquired by Simple Health, where Amanda now serves as Chief Innovation Officer.

Scientist, founder, investor and advisor Dr. Brittany Barreto continues to break barriers in women’s healthcare. A Bolt PR 2022 Femtech 30 leader as host of the FemTech Focus podcast, which creates conversational space for all things femtech innovation, Dr. Barreto recently launched a new organization, FemHealth Insights. Through insights-driven consulting, FemHealth Insights empowers business leaders with valuable information to positively impact female health and wellness. With a team of analysts and advisors with deep expertise in female health, FemHealth Insights offers custom consulting, direct access to the powerful femtech founder network and more to illuminate areas of untapped potential and shape the future of women’s health.

As the fastest-growing online publication in the femtech industry, Femtech Insider was founded by Kathrin Folkendt to drive women’s health innovation. This go-to platform for femtech news, insights, updates and more offers the information needed by founders, investors, researchers and consumers. Through the global media platform, subscribers receive a weekly rundown at no cost, get information on stakeholders in the femtech space, have access to job searching and hiring as well as advertising opportunities, and are invited to book consulting sessions – to name a few. Now you can stay in the know about everything femtech with Femtech Insider.

FemTech Lab is on a mission to improve the lives of women across the globe. Co-founded by Karina Vazirova and Katia Lang, this innovation platform supports early-stage femtech companies through a global ecosystem of startups, experts and investors in women’s health and wellness. Through a 12-week accelerator program, global network of over 200 experts, and partner events, FemTech Lab helps femtech trailblazers raise funding and take their products to market.

Mae is a digital health platform providing pregnancy and postpartum support tailored to the needs of Black women. Founded by Maya Hardigan, Mae is rooted in the belief that all women deserve an equal possibility of safe pregnancy and healthy starts for babies. Mae works in concert with healthcare payers and states to address the significant disparities in maternal health outcomes for Black expectant mothers across the country. Providing pregnancy tracking, culturally relevant lifestyle and care content, and educational resources for Black women, by Black women, Mae is creating a world where high quality, proactive care is the standard.

Founded by Kate Ryder, Maven is advancing care for women through a 24/7 virtual clinic. Offering same-day appointments, care navigation, community tips and more, their virtual care model is setting a new standard of care for women and families everywhere. With their proactive check-ins and human touchpoints, members are able to identify risks early to prevent further complications that can be costly. This global digital health platform made our Women-Founded Unicorns of 2022 feature as the first U.S. unicorn in the women’s and family health sector. Maven is the largest virtual clinic of its kind, supporting members on their unique paths to parenthood.

Midi Health provides expert care for women aged 40 and older through a virtual care clinic specializing in perimenopause, menopause, and more. Without any hidden fees or membership costs, Midi Health visits are covered by major insurance providers. Midi’s customized care plans include prescription hormonal and non-hormonal medications, lifestyle coaching and wellness therapies, supplements and botanicals, and specialized care paths for cancer survivors and those at risk. Midi also integrates with employers and the benefits ecosystem to offer a fully reimbursed medical program, because great care should be accessible and affordable.

MyLÚA Health is a virtual maternal care platform that promotes health literacy, improves health outcomes and bridges access to care through remote-patient monitoring. Co-founded by J’Vanay Santos-Fabian, Michael Conward, Ph.D., Ú-Leea Santos-Fabian, and Aishwarya (Aish) Ravindran, MyLÚA Health is on a mission to reduce maternal morbidity through the use of data analytics, education, and interventional care strategies. Our Bolt PR team was pleased to connect with this forward-thinking brand at CES 2023, where we had the honor of learning more about how they are advancing maternal health care and creating an equitable space where all are supported through pregnancy and postpartum.

Noula is a data-driven platform that provides personalized care for hormonal health. Co-founders Noelle Acosta and Suzie Grange created Noula to be the solution to the system that denies, dismisses and misdiagnoses hormonal imbalances. With comprehensive at-home hormone testing, seamless self-assessments, in-depth analysis of what results mean and ongoing personalized health coaching, Noula has reinvented hormonal healthcare from the ground up. Now women can feel more empowered with the care they deserve, on their own terms.

Founded by Dr. Ilan Baram, MD and led by Keren Leshem, OCON Healthcare has developed advanced and safe intrauterine medical solutions inspired by women’s anatomy, to better the lives of women everywhere. In the past decade, OCON Healthcare has designed the IUB™proprietary platform to carry long lasting hormone-free contraception and other drugs, earning The World Economic Forum Technology Pioneer 2022 recognition for creating new technologies and innovation that are poised to have a significant impact on business and society. The future for women’s health is certainly bright with OCON Healthcare driving positive change with simplicity, safety, cost-effectiveness and groundbreaking innovation.

Origin offers a new way to experience physical therapy for the pelvic floor and whole body, treating commonly overlooked health issues related to pregnancy, postpartum, menopause and sexual health. Founded by Carine Carmy, Nona Farahnik Yagedar and David Yadegar, Origin has treated thousands of women through this powerful platform offering in-person care at locations in California and Texas, virtual physical therapy options for patients in several states, and nationwide pelvic floor coaching. Origin continues to grow, with a mission to make pelvic floor physical therapy part of the standard of care for every woman across the U.S. Trusted by over 1,000 OBGYNs, Origin is the place for women to seek refuge, and they firmly believe every woman should have access to the care they need to feel good in their bodies, through every stage of life.

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Oula makes maternity modern by combining the best of obstetrics and midwifery care to deliver a more evidence-based and personalized pregnancy experience. Co-founders Adrianne Nickerson, Elaine Purcell and Joanne Schneider DeMeireles make a powerful trio of innovators who work tirelessly to ensure the platform takes a “middle ground approach,” where modern medicine meets human intuition and provides a space for all mothers to feel seen and heard throughout their pregnancy journey. They have truly redesigned maternity care from the ground up with a collaborative medical team, warm and welcoming clinic and a streamlined remote-care platform. Oula recently closed a $19 million Series A funding round dedicated to advancing its full-service maternity care model.

Digital platform Ovia Health is transforming complete family care into continuous support while improving well-being for the family journey, from family planning to children’s health and every stage in between. Co-founders Alex Baron, Gina Nebesar and Rory O’Connor are driven to help parents grow their families while reducing healthcare costs and fostering positive clinical outcomes. Ovia Health’s popular consumer apps, Ovia Fertility, Ovia Pregnancy and Ovia Parenting, further serve the mission by helping women and families make important life and health decisions on the parenthood journey.

Oya Femtech Apparel, led by CEO Mitchella Gilbert, is leading positive change for fem fierce athletes, with a line of apparel that is engineered for feminine health and comfort. Featuring countles sports bras, leggings and more, each piece of sportswear is physician-tested and athlete-approved to fix the issue many athletes face in the dark – health problems related to sweat and moisture. Gilbert simply wanted leggings designed with women's vaginal health in mind, and a brand with an abundance of health-positive products was formed through Oya.

The largest nonprofit support and advocacy organization for people with polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) globally, PCOS Challenge provides educational resources to people with PCOS and the entire medical community while also raising public awareness about the condition. Founder & Executive Director Sasha Ottey has led the charge towards the long-term vision of creating a cure for PCOS and reducing the risk for life-threatening diseases linked to PCOS, such as diabetes, cardiovascular disease and cancer. Sasha has grown the organization to over 55,000 members, built a coalition of over 70 major national and international health organizations, and led the first successful legislative advocacy effort in the U.S. Congress to recognize the need for further research and improved treatment and care options.

Founder & CEO Simmone Taitt sought to create a centralized location for pregnancy and postpartum support. Taitt founded Poppy Seed Health with the passion of ensuring every parent has on-demand support for their pregnancy journey, with 24/7 text access to doulas, midwives and nurses. From her personal experiences navigating gaps in emotional and mental support on the journey to parenthood, Taitt set out to restructure pregnancy and postpartum care rooted in accessibility, equity and radical empathy. Recognizing that no path is the same, Poppy Seed Health provides unflinching support through loss, pregnancy and beyond.

This digital health company is on a mission to put the power of health back where it belongs – in the patient's hands. Co-founded by Zachariah Reitano, Saman Rahmanian and Rob Schutz, the Ro platform makes high-quality healthcare available to anyone, anywhere through online pharmacy services, telehealth and in-home care. Providing direct-to-patient solutions, from fertility and mental health, to sexual health and skincare, Ro brings healthcare home through a personalized, end-to-end experience from diagnosis, to delivery of medication, to ongoing care. Since 2017, Ro has facilitated more than eight million digital healthcare visits across the U.S.

Saalt is an innovative provider of sustainable, comfortable and reliable menstrual care products. Co-founders Cherie and Jonothan Hoeger developed a product line that includes menstrual cups, period underwear, reusable pads and tampons that cater to all diverse needs. Saalt started when Cherie learned from an aunt in Venezuela that period care products had not been available for years. Staying awake at night thinking about the dependence on disposable care, Cherie set out to make cleaner, more sustainable period care accessible to everyone. A certified B Corp, Saalt commits 2% of revenue to donate period care to regions with the most need, and helps fund initiatives in menstrual health, education and sustainability.

When it comes to the future of women’s health, SteelSky Ventures is at the helm of driving opportunity and growth for seed stage businesses. The venture fund invests across a wide spectrum of industries, from medical devices, digital health and new healthcare delivery models, to innovations in consumer health, ePharmacy and retail therapeutics. Managing Partner Casey Albert joins Founding Partner Maria Velissaris, a Bolt PR 2022 Femtech 30 leader, to lead SteelSky’s investments in companies that create better access, care and outcomes in women’s healthcare. With prior experience investing in early-stage digital health and consumer health startups, and founding and leading a maternal health tech platform that was acquired in 2018, Casey serves as an advisor to a number of venture-backed women’s health startups and advocate for entrepreneurs in the space.

Teal Health is on a mission to empower women when it comes to their health, starting with at-home cervical cancer screenings. Co-founders Kara Egan and Dr. Avnesh Thakor, MD, Ph.D. believed it was time for women’s health to be designed for women, their preferences and their experiences. With this core focus in mind, Teal Health is working to eradicate cervical cancer in the U.S. through timely screenings and critical care when it is needed most. This powerful startup has raised over $9 million in funding and is backed by passionate and committed investors who share Egan's and Dr. Thakor’s vision, including Felicis Ventures, Emerson Collective, Metrodora and Serena Ventures.

Personalized at-home fitness program Wellen was founded by Priya Patel with the goal of helping women fight osteopenia and osteoporosis with customized fitness plans, nutrition consulting and lifestyle advice from a team of experienced health experts. All workouts within the platform are designed by a team of medical and physical therapy specialists and incorporate science-backed strategies for building bone mass. Research has found that one out of two women over the age of 50 will break a bone due to osteoporosis, and Patel works tirelessly with her team to combat this troubling statistic by helping women get stronger and live life actively.

Marija Butkovic founded Women of Wearables (WoW) with the mission of providing women innovators with community, connections and knowledge to grow their businesses and accelerate their careers. By becoming a WoW member, women from every walk of life get a seat at the table and have an inclusive space to gain visibility for their unique ideas and brands. From 100+ key industry events, webinars and conferences, to a members-exclusive job board, countless startup programs, a marketplace and so much more, Butkovic has ensured that no woman’s bright idea is left behind and that they have every tool imaginable to succeed in their venture.

XbyX is dedicated to offering natural, scientific and holistic solutions for menopause and healthy aging. Founder and CEO Peggy Reichelt and Co-founder Monique Leonhardt developed services that include personalized coaching sessions with experienced menopause coaches, access to online courses and educational resources, and a range of products designed to alleviate symptoms commonly associated with menopause, such as hot flashes and mood swings. Additionally, the platform offers an assessment tool so women can discover and create personal nutrition plans for their specific menopause stage, and a community forum where women are empowered to connect and share advice and support.

When it comes to maternity services, Zaya Care Founder and CEO Leoni Runge is dedicated to establishing a new standard for care. Zaya Care’s advanced platform connects parents with insurance-covered pregnancy and postpartum specialists that meet their precise needs. The specialists complement routine OB/GYN visits to effectively address critical care needs throughout the maternity journey, so that no woman is left without the assistance she needs. From lactation consulting and nutrition counseling, to pelvic floor therapy, mental health therapy and so much more, Leoni has brought maternity services out of the dark into a place where mothers can feel as cared for as the little ones they care for.

At Bolt PR, our eye is on the future – and the future is femtech. Our expert team of PR, digital marketing and content development professionals is proud to partner with the brands that are putting women’s health and wellness at the forefront where it belongs. Are you ready to put your tech in the spotlight? Connect with the team with the proven track record of driving powerful results.