Women's Health

Why is womens health underfunded in healthtech?

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#367 Journey to becoming the CMO of a billion-dollar femtech company with Anna Klepchukova from Flo Health
Answer

Women's health startups receive roughly 2% of healthtech funding [#367], a disparity rooted in historical research bias. The gap is stark: there's thirteen times more funding for erectile dysfunction research than menopause [#367]. Until recently, the NHS wasn't positioned to reach women early in their health journey, creating a real gap in prevention and support [Ep 26].

The problem runs deeper than numbers. Women receive fewer targeted solutions for conditions affecting them specifically, whether female-only (menopause, menstrual health) or sex-differentiated diseases like diabetes [#367]. Dr Michelle Griffin notes the intention to grow women's health investment exists, but impact remains limited [#298]. The shift toward prevention is happening, and investor attitudes have changed meaningfully in the past five years [Ep 26][#430]. Yet founders still report this sector was historically undersupported simply because no one saw money in it.

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