“There is always going to be a need. Unfortunately, we haven’t addressed it until now”.

Zokaei, a former Oxford researcher and Chief of Science at Brain+, a Danish digital therapeutics firm, is determined to change that. Her venture is on a mission to clear the midlife mental fog by harnessing technology for women’s brain health in an area experts say has been underfunded for too long.

Hormony helps women in perimenopause understand their bodies

Silent brain fog crisis

In a busy boardroom, a 52-year-old executive fumbles for a word she suddenly can’t recall. At home, a tech-savvy mom finds her concentration evaporating by mid-afternoon.

For decades, women’s cognitive struggles around menopause were shrugged off or euphemistically labelled ‘brain fog’. This catch-all term masks a spectrum of symptoms.

Both chalk it up to menopause brain fog, an almost taboo topic that half the population faces, yet medicine has long ignored.

For decades, women’s cognitive struggles around menopause were shrugged off or euphemistically labelled “brain fog”. This catch-all term masks a spectrum of symptoms.

Zokaei emphasizes it is also “a neurological transition state”. The brain is directly affected by fluctuating estrogen. Even classic symptoms like hot flushes stem from the brain’s thermoregulation going awry during hormonal change.

“We reduce it to a simple thing like menopause is all brain fog,” Zokaei notes, “but brain fog is many things, from memory lapses and concentration gaps to motivation loss and fatigue.”

Up to 60–80 percent of women in midlife report these cognitive difficulties. Yet until recently, the medical community paid little attention. Menopause has often been seen purely as a hormonal transition.

Neglecting women’s midlife brain health has consequences far beyond personal frustration. Cognitive symptoms can erode confidence and productivity at work and home. In the UK alone, one in ten women leaves the workforce due to severe menopause symptoms.

Fourteen million working days are lost annually – an estimated £1.8 billion GDP loss attributed largely to menopause-related cognitive issues.

Menopause 2.0 conference was a global wake-up call

Economic toll

Globally, the economic toll of menopause in the form of health costs and lost productivity is pegged at around $810 billion per year.

If women’s brain health needs were better addressed, the gains could be enormous. One analysis estimates that closing the gender gap in brain health could add $250 billion to the world’s annual economic output. It’s a societal challenge as much as a personal one.

According to the World Economic Forum and the McKinsey Health Institute, women, on average, spend nine additional years in poor health compared with men. This hinders their participation in education, the workforce, and society at large” – a gap driven in part by neglected issues like brain health in menopause.

Little wonder that thought leaders call for greater investment in ‘women’s brain capital’ and urge innovators to develop tools and interventions tailored to women’s neurological needs.

Bridging science and Silicon

Nahid Zokaei has spent her career at the intersection of neuroscience and innovation.

“I’m a cognitive neuroscientist by trade,” she says, recounting years running a research lab on ageing and cognition at Oxford.

At Brain+, she helped digitize non-drug treatments for dementia, translating lab insights into app-based therapy. But one finding nagged at her: In virtually every study on brain ageing, women showed distinct patterns – only for researchers to often control for sex differences and ignore them.

“We always ignore it,” she admits of the old approach to research. “You just say, ‘oh, we controlled for it’. Let’s talk about the general picture”.

The general picture, unfortunately, left women’s specifics behind.

Aha moment

Zokaei’s ‘aha moment’ came as she dug into menopause literature. The data were eye-opening. Menopause isn’t just about ovaries but about the brain. As estrogen levels oscillate and plummet, women’s brains undergo measurable changes in metabolism and structure.

Brain imaging studies show healthy women in midlife have significantly lower brain energy use and white matter volume compared to men of the same age, along with more amyloid plaques associated with Alzheimer’s – changes linked to menopause as a critical period.

Two-thirds of Alzheimer’s patients are women, a discrepancy researchers like Dr. Lisa Mosconi and Dr. Roberta Brinton believe is connected to menopause and its aftermath.

“Every woman who lives long enough goes through menopause, but not all women develop Alzheimer’s,” Brinton tells Nature, suggesting midlife interventions could be a window of prevention.

Motivated by this emerging science and a sense of injustice, Zokaei founded Cerebella in early 2025. The startup’s premise is to combine precision diagnostics with personalized, drug-free therapies to support women’s brain health in peri- and postmenopause.

No current solution

It’s a bold departure from the status quo.

“No current solution addresses menopause-related cognitive impairments,” Zokaei observes, noting that too often women are left to cope on their own or given unsatisfactory advice.

In the UK, 30 percent of women over 35 reportedly see a doctor five to ten times before getting a proper menopause diagnosis, a figure even higher for women of color. Even after diagnosis, nearly half wait over a year to receive treatment.

Many are misdirected: One in three women aged 35–60 is prescribed antidepressants for menopause symptoms despite guidelines advising against such off-label use.

“Eighty percent of women report receiving inappropriate treatment post-diagnosis”, Zokaei notes. The frustration in these statistics was fuel for her venture. Cerebella set out to fill this void with a solution that women could trust and access on their terms.

Precision brain health

What makes Cerebella stand out in a sea of health apps is its blend of cutting-edge cognitive science and a deep understanding of women’s lived experience. The platform, currently in prototyping, will offer a two-pronged service: advanced brain health assessment and personalized training exercises, all delivered via a smartphone or tablet.

On the assessment side, Cerebella uses what Zokaei calls “detailed phenotyping of the cognitive landscape” for each user. In plain terms, that means it goes beyond generic ‘How’s your memory?’ questionnaires.

Instead, the app administers gamified cognitive tests, symptom tracking, and even taps into wearable device data to build a rich, individualized profile of each woman’s brain function. Memory, attention, processing speed, mood, and sleep patterns are all measured with greater nuance.

“We’re collaborating with people at the forefront of developing the coolest ways to measure memory and attention,” Zokaei explains, because new digital metrics can capture subtle changes that old paper-and-pencil tests miss.

Data-driven approach

By comparing a user’s performance to peers of similar “cognitive phenotype,” Cerebella can highlight personal strengths and weak points. Crucially, this data-driven approach allows the app to predict which cognitive domains a woman might struggle with as her menopausal transition progresses.

“Once you have large data, you can have some predictive power of what the weak point is and then personalize that intervention,” Zokaei says.

In other words, Cerebella aims to catch emerging issues early and tailor support accordingly – hitting the sweet spot of challenge where tasks are neither too easy and boring nor too complicated and frustrating.

The second prong is intervention: Cerebella delivers a structured, evidence-based cognitive training program that is entirely non-pharmaceutical. Zokaei proudly notes it is the only non-drug therapy explicitly designed for cognitive impairments in perimenopause, co-developed with a leading professor in the field.

“This is like a four-to-six-week program. We’re working on an eight-week one,” she says, describing a curriculum of mental exercises and coping strategies. The program draws on techniques proven in clinical research: mental stimulation tasks to sharpen memory and attention, cognitive behavioral strategies to manage brain fog, mindfulness and relaxation practices to reduce stress, and community features to combat apathy.

Personalized brain fitness

Essentially, Cerebella’s intervention functions like a personalized “brain fitness” coach for midlife women. And while it’s not meant to replace medical care, it can complement treatments like hormone therapy or simply provide an option for those who can’t or prefer not to take medications.

By the end of the program, women are expected to not only feel mental clarity returning in daily life, but also gain tools and habits to sustain their cognitive health long-term.

The ultimate goal is to promote “mental fitness” and “cognitive longevity” for women in midlife, potentially even reducing the risk of future neurodegenerative disorders through early preventive action.

Rooted in science

All of this is grounded in rigorous science. “Cerebella is rooted in science,” Zokaei stresses. She’s assembled advisors from Oxford, Monash, and University College London to bridge the gap between ‘blue-sky’ research and real-world solutions.

“The tools we test and use in clinics are the tools that were developed 40 years ago,” she explains, pointing out how cognitive assessment in both dementia and menopause often relies on outdated questionnaires.

“But our knowledge has shifted so much. The ways to assess cognition have improved a lot”, says Zokaei.

Cerebella’s platform is essentially a vehicle to bring those 21st-century neuroscience advances – from validated brain games to AI-driven analytics – directly into women’s hands.

The timing is apt. A Nature Reviews Psychology article this year highlighted the proliferation of behavioral interventions for menopause symptoms and called midlife “a time of psychological growth” if women get proper support.

By leveraging such approaches, Cerebella aligns with a growing consensus that non-drug, mind-body therapies can greatly help women manage menopausal challenges.

Meeting a market need

Beyond the science and altruism, there is a very real market opportunity driving Cerebella’s momentum.

“Unlike any other thing, menopause is a biological inevitability,” Zokaei quips – meaning an ever-renewing customer base is built into the human life course.

Today, women in their 40s, 50s, and 60s are more digitally connected than ever and hungry for solutions. Over 50% of women are actively seeking help for brain-related menopause symptoms, according to market research, yet most do not trust current solutions as they are perceived as non-scientific.

This trust gap is exactly what Cerebella hopes to overcome by branding itself as a science-backed, expert-developed platform. And women appear eager to engage.

“It’s so easy to find women who want to participate,” Zokaei says of the startup’s early user research. The development process – which involves co-creating with perimenopausal women – is “going faster than we predicted” thanks to the enthusiasm, she notes.

Investors taking note

Investors and industry observers are taking note, too. The femtech sector, i.e. technology for women’s health, has exploded in recent years, and brain health in particular is a ripe frontier. Cerebella positions itself as a first mover in cognitive menopause care, with few, if any, direct competitors focusing on the brain side of menopause.

Most menopause startups focus narrowly on hormones or hot flashes, or offer general wellness and coaching. None tackle the brain fog head-on with a dedicated intervention.

By targeting this “white space,” Cerebella has a chance to define a new category – one with meaningful social impact.

“Menopause is a high-need, high-growth segment,” Zokaei notes, pointing out that digital health is now mainstream for women over 30. They are top spenders on health apps. Just in the UK, there are about 13 million women in perimenopause; globally, the number is in the hundreds of millions.

If even a fraction of the market adopts solutions like Cerebella, it represents a multi-billion-dollar market. But more compelling than the return on investment are the human and economic efficiencies a product like this could unlock. Imagine fewer women leaving careers at their peak, or cutting down those repeated doctor visits for elusive answers.

Fundraising and research partnerships

Early evidence suggests that supporting women’s cognitive health could keep them working, thriving, and contributing longer. One internal analysis highlighted that “unlocking women’s brain capital” particularly in midlife might generate $250 billion in global GDP by reducing health burdens and keeping experienced women in the workforce.

Zokaei is careful not to oversell the hype. As a scientist-founder, she is focused on building credibility step by step. The company is in the process of raising seed funding and securing research partnerships.

“We’re applying for a lot of research grants,” she says, to complement investor capital.

Clinical trial on the way

A three-arm clinical trial is planned, with Cerebella’s app as one arm, to validate its effectiveness formally. By comparing women who use the app against those who don’t, and possibly those who get an alternative intervention, the team wants solid data to back their claims.

By addressing an issue so long relegated to whispers and eye-rolls, innovators like her reframe menopause from a private struggle into a public priority.

“We want to validate it properly so that in the long term, we can have Cerebella as part of the reimbursement systems in health care”, Zokaei explains. In other words, the vision is to integrate this solution into standard care pathways – perhaps even get it covered by national health services or insurers as a preventive benefit.

To that end, Cerebella is forging pilot programs with forward-thinking general practitioners and clinics in the UK, and talking to major pharmacy chains that have launched menopause support initiatives.
If these pilots show that Cerebella can reduce GP visit frequency, shorten wait times, or improve women’s reported well-being, it could strengthen the case for broad adoption.

“Once we have calculations in a real life setting with the healthcare system, then we have a stronger case to sell the product to the NHS with solid data,” Zokaei says matter-of-factly.

It’s an unusually measured approach for a startup – more moonshot than quick flip. But it fits the company’s ethos of being optimistic but grounded.

One neuron at a time

Cerebella’s journey is just beginning, but its impact could be profound. It signals a shift in how we think about women’s health and technology’s role in it.

“Brain health in perimenopause affects individuals, their families, employers, and healthcare systems,” Zokaei reminds us.

By addressing an issue so long relegated to whispers and eye-rolls, innovators like her reframe menopause from a private struggle into a public priority.

The work is as much about empowerment as it is about neurons and synapses. Each personalized cognitive exercise and each insightful data point gives a woman agency over a part of life that previously felt out of control or invisible.

Cerebella shows how digital tools can solve a deeply human problem. They can turn what half of humanity endures into a thriving opportunity for wellness, innovation, and even economic growth.

The next time that 52-year-old executive steps into the boardroom, perhaps she’ll have Cerebella in her pocket as a safety net for her brain and confidence.

Zokaei’s favourite mantra captures it well: Embrace change, empower minds.

Indlægget Developing tech to ease menopause brain fog blev først udgivet på TechTruster.

A $1 trillion opportunity in women’s health

Under the title “No longer niche: The $1 trillion femtech opportunity”, the femtech panel debate at the Tech Stage got more questions in the Slido app than there was time to answer. Dr. Vanessa Julia Carpenter, Founding Partner of Femtech Studios, among others, moderated the panel, which consisted of the founder of SheSleep, Erla Björnsdóttir; the co-founder of Sylvia Health, Andrew Stretton; and Ulla Sommerfelt, an angel investor and co-founder of Femtech Studios, among others.

Even though women spend one quarter of their lives in poorer health than men, women’s health is under-researched and underfunded. Society and businesses are not only missing an opportunity to improve women’s lives, but are also missing out on the significant economic benefits of helping women and society at large. Besides all the ways healthier women benefit society, women control the majority of consumer spending. Femtech helps women lead better lives, and there is a big business opportunity here, with numerous opportunities to improve women’s lives.

Women sleep less due to hormonal changes

Erla Björnsdóttir, Ph.D. in sleep medicine and a clinical psychologist, launched her sleep app, SheSleep, in 2024. The app is tailored to women who have insomnia, for example, after giving birth or due to hormonal changes during perimenopause.

“Women need more sleep than men, but we usually get less sleep. At the same time, women more often than men suffer from insomnia”, said Erla Björnsdóttir to the audience filling up the Tech Stage room.

“So many women are suffering in silence with sleep deprivation and with the burnout that follows from that,” continued Erla Björnsdóttir.

According to the SheSleep founder, women’s sleep is more disrupted and of poorer quality three to five days before and during menstruation.

“Poor sleep can cause mental illness and loss of careers. Therefore, we need to develop solutions tailored to women’s needs”, explained Erla Björnsdóttir.

Prolapse affects over 200 million women

While sleep issues not only affect women, Sylvia Health’s device is specifically targeted at women who suffer from pelvic prolapse. In this condition, pelvic organs descend into or outside the vagina.

“More than 200 million women, or one in twelve women worldwide, are affected by pelvic prolapse”, said Andrew Stretton from Sylvia Health, one of the still few men in the femtech industry.

According to Sylvia Health, the actual number may be even higher, due to stigma and underreporting. Sylvia Health writes on their website that they expect the number of women affected by pelvic prolapse to increase. In the US alone, Sylvia Health anticipates an increase of up to 46% by 2050.

A cup to avoid pessary or surgery

To alleviate pelvic prolapse, Sylvia Health has invented a patented device that works similarly to a menstrual cup. The cup is an alternative to a pessary or surgery. While a pessary can cause discomfort or just be ineffective, surgery is outright painful and may require additional procedures, according to Sylvia Health.

The SheSleep app and Sylvia Health’s prolapse cup are just two examples of how technology can help women – and the overall economy.

Billions to earn despite growing attention

“The economy is losing billions of dollars in underserved women’s health, and so many women are suffering without getting the treatment they need”, said Ulla Sommerfelt, explaining what made her start as a femtech angel investor in 2023.

“The awareness of women’s health has grown significantly since the launch of the McKinsey Report in 2024. Celebrities are breaking the taboos and are talking publicly about their menopause or women’s health issues”, Ulla Sommerfelt continued.

Despite the hard-working startup founders solving real problems, the McKinsey report, and female celebrities sharing their stories, femtech and women’s health tech startups are still struggling to get adequate funding to scale their business.

Information and scalability gap

“Only two percent of funding goes to femtech startups”, stated Dr. Vanessa Julia Carpenter while pointing out challenges such as clinical validation and a funding gap.

SheSleep and Sylvia Health also face those challenges.

“Scaling is not easy, and it is hard to get funding for sleep issues, even if you have a scalable evidence-based healthcare solution”, said Erla Björnsdóttir, agreeing with Andrew  Stretton.

“We’re addressing both an information gap and a scalability gap”, said Andrew Stretton, ”You have to work a lot harder to get the stories through.”

Founder community to counter shared challenges

As an example of women’s health being under-researched and underfunded, Ulla Sommerfelt mentioned that it takes eight years to diagnose endometriosis due to a lack of knowledge and dat

At another talk on the Tech stage, Inês Santos Silva also focused on the lack of studies on women’s health and explained how she and AthenaDAO are advocating for the use ATH tokens and IP-NTFs to fund and govern research in women’s health.

Back at the panel debate, Dr. Carpenter added an example of how women’s health data is becoming available for researchers and others.

“We need more data to learn from, and that data is now becoming available outside of clinical trials, such as the latest Oura ring report about perimenopause. The report is based on the wearable data of 100.000 Oura ring users”, said Dr. Vanessa Julia Carpenter.

Ulla Sommerfelt suggested that one way to accommodate the information gap and scalability challenges is to create an ecosystem of existing femtech founders.

“It takes a village to build a startup. So we’re building community. We don’t yet have a powerful ecosystem, but we’re working on it”, said the co-founder of Femtech Studios.

Startup activity at the femtech lounge

SheSleep and Sylvia Health’s pelvic prolapse device are just two of many solutions to alleviate women’s health issues represented at this year’s TechBBQ.

This year, Femtech Studios, in collaboration with the Nordic Women’s Health Hub and the Danish Life Science Cluster, created opportunities for people to learn about femtech by bringing together femtech startups and investors in the femtech lounge.

Both days, the femtech lounge was buzzing with people engaged in conversation. Among them were investors and attendees of the Femtech Startup School, introduced by Dr. Vanessa Julia Carpenter and Ana Andonovska, founder of Even Founders.

At the femtech lounge, a range of femtech startups were showcased, including Minimal App, Oasicare, Body Moody, UVISA, Sula Care, Previto, Lapee, and Caramma, which won the Danish Design Award in 2024, and which TechTruster has previously written about.

Femtech throughout the TechBBQ

Femtech and women’s health spread beyond the Tech Stage and the femtech lounge.

Sylvia Health had a stand in the Life Science area, while the smart jewellery startup all.u.me had a stand in the Longevity area. Similarly, at the Longevity Lounge, Sara Al-Dafaee, CEO of Nordic Women’s Health Hub, moderated a well-visited panel discussing women’s health in the workplac

From fertility to perimenopause

Unlike most other women’s health-based startups, fertility-based startups have been receiving a significant amount of funding, according to Ulla Sommerfelt.

“I think the next focus will be perimenopause, which one billion women are experiencing right now”, said Ulla Sommerfelt.

If Ulla Sommerfelt is right, investors will earn money while making the world a better place for perimenopausal women and the overall society.

Indlægget TechBBQ 2025: Femtech is no longer niche blev først udgivet på TechTruster.

We will be back with new content in September 2025. Here are tips for summer reading with insights on femtech and innovation in women’s health.

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Heartland Festival invites you to talk about menopause

TechTruster editor Vanessa Julia Carpenter discusses taboos, technology and the future of women's health with femtech and menopause experts at Heartland Festival 2025.

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From the archives

Endometriosis: Femtech brands searching for faster and easier diagnosis

In this article, we explain what endometriosis is, how it’s diagnosed, and what treatments are available, considering the newest tech solutions.

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Indlægget TechTruster is taking a summer break blev først udgivet på TechTruster.

1. Dr Vanessa Julia Carpenter went through pre-menopause at 37 while completing her PhD in designing meaningful, smart products. She now applies her PhD research to her work with femtech (female technology) as co-founder of FemtecFemtech Studios. She is also co-founder of the Nordic Women’s Health Hub and editor at TechTruster.

2. Marie Foegh is a medical doctor from the University of Copenhagen in 1969. She is a specialist in gynaecology and obstetrics with a special interest in female sex hormone disorders. She has been an Associate Professor at Georgetown University Hospital in Washington D.C., USA.

3. Dr Brittany Barreto is an advocate for advancing innovation in women’s health and wellness with a focus on raising awareness, catalyzing investment and innovation, and providing data-driven insights and strategic advice.

4. In her PhD thesis, media researcher Katrine Sommer Boysen examines media representations of menopause in women. When she started in 2023, menopause was being talked about – both in the media and in real life – but no one had looked at the portrayal of menopause in TV fiction.

Read more about the event here

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Indlægget Heartland Festival invites you to talk about menopause blev først udgivet på TechTruster.

Chiron was created with a clear mission: to make retention a competitive advantage in digital health. The company offers strategic advisory, workshops, product audits, and tailored growth programs, always with the end-user at the centre.

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Hormony helps women in perimenopause understand their bodies

Hormony co-founder Mayra Hurtado explains how her app-connected device works and helps women in perimenopause. This is the first article in a series where TechTruster interviews femtech founders.
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Menopause 2.0 conference was a global wake-up call

We are no longer whispering about hot flashes but talking about menopause innovation, billion-dollar markets, wearable tech, workplace law, and clinical breakthroughs was the message from the virtual event.
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Retention is the make-or-break factor in women’s health tech

From our Truster Partner Chiron: From period-tracking apps to fertility and menopause platforms, user retention has become the make-or-break metric in women's health. Here are five proven strategies.
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I’m Sara Janasz, a writer for TechTruster who also runs SJ Copywriter. I help FemHealth brands share their customer success stories to reach more women and grow their business. 

Sara: So, Mayra, tell me a little about your background.

Mayra: I started my career in finance, operations, and logistics in Mexico’s manufacturing industry. In 2008, I moved to Singapore to do an MBA. After my MBA, I worked in a biotech startup. During my MBA, I did an internship with Adidas, and then I spent 10 years with them. 

Around 2019, I suddenly gained a lot of weight despite eating healthily. Even when I started exercising, I could not shake it off. During the pandemic, it just got worse. I had anxiety, I couldn’t sleep, and I started having migraines.

I was around 38 at that point. We are very blessed in Singapore because you have all kinds of well-regulated doctors, from Ayurvedic to Chinese and Western medicine. I saw all of them and spent so much money.

I finally met a nutritionist who sent me to do lab tests. But they had to be sent to the US, and I had to send them twice. It was an expensive and lengthy process. Ultimately, I got a piece of paper with a word I had never heard before: Perimenopause. 

Sara: How and why did you start Hormony?

Mayra: After 10 years with Adidas, I was going to take a break. But then, I was introduced to my co-founder, Dr. Sarita, a biochemist with a postdoc from Stanford. 

If you looked at Google Trends two or three years ago, nobody talked about menopause. Sarita was in her early 50s, and I was in my early 40s. Based on our own experiences, we realized there was a huge opportunity, and we just jumped onto it. 

We didn’t plan or think it would be a challenging topic or space. We wanted to fix the problem.

Sara: When you started your business, what were your biggest challenges?

Mayra: The biggest challenge we faced was that people were not aware of perimenopause. Awareness is a big part of solving a problem. The word perimenopause was not very well known. It was a taboo topic, and people were scared to talk about it, even for women. Female investors asked me to remove the word from my pitch deck. So, it was challenging. 

In the last few years, more people have discussed it, and it has started gaining momentum. Now, we have reframed that scary word to be about a club to which all women will eventually belong. So, we’re excited because things have changed very quickly. 

The other thing is that the industry still sees women’s health as a niche issue, even though we make up 50% of the population. Perimenopause is not a choice. We will all go through it. In terms of investment, there’s so little allocated to it. We’re a large group of companies doing really good things, but there’s not enough money in the pot. 

Investors have a checklist, which might not necessarily fit some tech companies. So I think it’s about the industry catching up with the trend. We now have people interested in the solution, but the investment part is still trying to catch up to that demand.

Sara: How have these challenges affected your business? 

Mayra: It definitely took us longer to get there because research and development of a health tech product is very cash-dependent. We’ve been super lucky and are grateful to friends and family who jumped at the opportunity and supported us. 

I tell people who want to enter this space that it’s a fascinating journey. However, they must also be aware that it’s more challenging than a typical startup because there is an additional layer of deeper and more personal conversations. The space is also still very new. 

Sara: Hormony is a hormone -measuring tool. How do you use it? 

Mayra: To use Hormony, you download the app and are prompted to create a profile and do a test. Using a small tube with a sponge, you collect saliva. Once it’s full, you put it into a liquid that separates the hormones from the saliva. You then add a couple of drops of the liquid into something that looks like a COVID test.   

The test strip will show a couple of lines, like a pregnancy test. When you take a picture of the strip, the algorithm shows your hormonal level. With your personal information and test results, Hormony builds your hormone profile over time and creates a personalized protocol. 

Sara: Can you tell me about the app’s AI and privacy aspects? 

Mayra: The femtech industry has a problem with a lack of data. If you search for pregnancy or fertility, you’ll get 1,1 million research papers. If you search for menopause and perimenopause, you’ll get 90,000. So there’s a huge lack of data. 

When you test your base levels at a lab, they will be compared to the base levels of a population. But you might be different. If you’re an athlete, your stress level will be higher, which is normal for you. But not for me if I have a desk job. 

The AI helps us to understand your profile. It’s personalized. Using anonymized data across many users, we can inform the algorithm to help us deliver better outcomes. 

One of the things that we need to ensure as humanity is that data is used well and that users have the power to decide what happens with their data. You have the choice to share your data to inform this universal algorithm. Your data will be anonymized and not used for anything that could be harmful to you. 

Sara: Would you include data from wearables like watches and rings in the future?

Mayra: Yeah, absolutely. This is quite interesting. When we use any health app, we get asked questions. Now, we also have wearables that have a degree of certainty. But what is really exciting is that when we marry this data from these data points with the questions, they’re actually biomarkers. We can have really interesting correlation points to confirm or deny things. 

Sleep is a great example. We can now track our sleep, but we don’t understand what it means or what it is related to. Once we start adding more data points, we can identify which hormones are the problem and what we can do to fix it. I think that’s a fascinating part of it.

Sara: How accurate is the Hormony test compared to sending the saliva to a lab?

Mayra: We realize that spitting is troublesome because many people lack saliva. Then, you still need to clean that saliva. Our tube collects enough saliva very quickly. It is much more accessible and helps us filter out the dirt in the saliva to have more precise measurements. That’s the first step. 

The second step is to put the saliva into a liquid. Once it enters the liquid, it enters the second separation process. This allows it to be pure, which is very important for accuracy. Saliva is very hard to test because it’s very dirty, so it’s usually preferred to go to the lab. 

With Hormony, there is lower sensitivity because it’s an at-home test, but not by much. But because you’re testing more often, the margin of error decreases because you have more data points. Not only that, it’s also your data and not the population’s data. We’re basically using a method that athletes have used for years. 

Sara: Can you tell me how it works when you take a picture of the line?

Mayra: Athletes use a point-of-care device, which they put on top of a strip, to read a line and measure hormones. The reader has a specialized camera that removes shadows, light, etc. Then, it reads how dark or light the line is compared to the benchmark line. It’s been used for many years, but it’s not very accessible, and it’s an expensive device. 

We built this reader into your phone, so our AI does the same. The algorithm helps you clean the image and then provides the results. It looks at the line and how dark or light it is compared to the baseline. Then, it gives you a value—not a yes or no, but an actual value.

Sara: When you have the results, what guidance do you get through the app?

Mayra: First of all, we map your hormones, and education is a big part of it. We want to help you understand the connection between the hormones and how they impact your overall system. Studies have shown that just knowing improves outcomes significantly. 

Based on your profile, you will receive lifestyle management recommendations. We create a nutrition plan with foods you can eat at specific times of the month. For example, certain foods can help you process estrogen faster when you need to flush it out.

Then, there is exercise routine. Different times of the month require different intensities. Then, there is stress management. Sometimes, we must teach ourselves how to manage stress again because it significantly contributes to hormone changes. Then there are supplements. A lot of us spend so much money and effort taking supplements, but we don’t know if they work and if they’re what we need. So we help you understand what you actually need and for how long. 

Sara: What’s your dream outcome for Hormony?

Mayra: My dream outcome is that Hormony is available in every pharmacy. I want women to have the choice to learn more about their bodies and what to do, and take action. Right now, there’s a lot of action when things are already bad. Like when women are already in the hospital, have cancer, Alzheimer’s, or osteoporosis. My dream is that there will be less of that and more preemptive care so women can live healthier lives.

Hormony will be released later this year.

TechTruster has no association with Hormony, and this interview is written independently.

Indlægget Hormony helps women in perimenopause understand their bodies blev først udgivet på TechTruster.

One message rang out across keynote talks and panel discussions: women over 40 are demanding better—and they’re not waiting quietly.

A market investors can’t ignore

The standout session, “Menopause: The Billion-Dollar Market Investors Can’t Ignore”, featured speakers from McKinsey, Progyny, Alloy, Nova Design, and Spark Growth.

Jeanette Numbers of Nova explained how menopause wearables like Embr Labs are pioneering real-time interventions powered by predictive algorithms.

McKinsey’s Anna Koffel called menopause “a real felt need”, with a total addressable market exceeding $100 billion.

Monica Molenaar of Alloy emphasized that only 2–4% of women are properly treated today, underscoring the urgency and opportunity for innovation and access.

“Going direct to consumer and making women and not insurance companies our customer, we can focus on what she needs, which is a long term relationship with a provider that answers her.” said Molenaar from Alloy.

She added that solutions must go beyond hot flashes to include sexual health, sleep, skin, and brain health.

See our recent article on tech for perimenopause.

R&D without hormones

A keynote from Bonafide Health’s Dr. Alyssa Dweck focused on science-backed, hormone-free care. While not yet in Europe, Bonafide is investing deeply in research and development to validate alternatives like Thermella, a neurokinin 3 receptor (NK3R) antagonist shown to reduce vasomotor symptoms within two weeks. Bonafide focuses on giving women real options outside of HRT.

Bonafide’s approach includes double-blind, placebo-controlled trials and full data transparency.

Thermella was developed in response to the demand for faster, non-hormonal relief, outperforming older products like Relizen.

According to Bonafide’s consumer research, joint pain, sexual function, and sleep disruption are emerging as top menopause concerns.

Menopause at work: Legal blind spots and best practices

Legal experts from Covington & Burling LLP, including Dr. Nadine Kramer, mapped out the international employment landscape.

In Germany, menopause-related discrimination is not yet clearly protected, though recent surveys reveal that symptoms like sleep disturbance and mental exhaustion have serious impacts on workplace performance. Kramer highlighted a new national menopause strategy based on international models, flexible working models, inclusion of menopause in workplace and health management programs.

In the UK, new guidance from ACAS and the Equality and Human Rights Commission (2024) helps employers understand obligations under existing anti-discrimination and workplace laws.

However, as Covington’s team pointed out, no menopause-specific legislation currently exists. Tribunal cases, however, are rising sharply, showing a need for urgent legal reform and employer education.

Innovation in focus

The Innovation Showcase introduced emerging players like “Hello Inside“, “mycelsius“, and “NNABI“, spotlighting biomarker-driven diagnostics, personalized health insights, cooling wearables, and holistic care models.

From silence to solutions

From clinical research and investment strategies to employment law and wearable innovation, Menopause 2.0 proved that real change is happening. But as several speakers reminded the audience, we’re only at the beginning.

As one participant put it in the chat: “It’s wild how little I knew before 40, and now it’s all I talk about.”

The tone of the conference was clear: this is no longer a niche women’s health issue, it’s a global challenge with societal, workplace, and economic implications.

Indlægget Menopause 2.0 conference was a global wake-up call blev først udgivet på TechTruster.

Trusted Partner Jens Stensgaard Jakobsen, CEO of Chiron, is the author of this article.

See Trusted Partner: Chiron

Investors in digital health and women’s health tech have grown weary of “brilliant” platforms that gain users quickly, only to see usage plunge within weeks. Conversely, consistent engagement leads to better health outcomes for women and proves that a product works.

Become a Trusted Partner

From outcomes to investment, engagement is key

High retention isn’t just a vanity metric. It is directly tied to health outcomes and business success. Many women’s health issues – whether managing a chronic condition or tracking a pregnancy – require sustained interaction with a digital tool to see benefits.

If users quit a menopause coaching app after a week, they likely won’t see any improvement in symptoms. Likewise, healthcare payers and providers are more inclined to support solutions that patients stick with. Continued use translates to measurable outcomes (for example, better medication adherence or symptom tracking over time).

For startups, demonstrating strong retention means gathering the real-world evidence (and revenue) that investors demand. In an era where venture funding in femtech is growing but scrutinized, products showing active, returning users and robust outcome data stand out.

In short, retention has become the lifeblood of digital health products targeting women’s well-being—the new game everyone must win to avoid being quickly overshadowed.

Five evidence-based practices to boost retention

The good news is there are proven strategies to keep women engaged with health tech platforms. I recommend the following practices to improve retention:

1. Deliver Quick Wins: Ensure the user gets value from the product immediately. Early benefits or insights (a more transparent fertility window, an immediate health tip) give users a reason to return. A fast “Time to First Value” makes people feel their time is well spent and builds trust from day one.

2. Build Habit Loops: Design the app to fit a woman’s daily routine. Whether a gentle morning reminder to log mood or a nightly prompt to record symptoms, consistent cues and rewards help turn usage into a habit. This habit formation is grounded in behavioural science – small, regular interactions can solidify long-term engagement.

3. Personalize and Nudge: Tailor the experience using personal data and AI-driven insights. For instance, an app might notice if a user skips logging and then send a friendly, relevant prompt or tip. Personalized coaching feedback and timely nudges – rather than generic push notifications – re-engage users by showing that the platform “gets” their needs.

4. Foster Community Support: Many women benefit from knowing they’re not alone. Integrating community features – like forums, group challenges, or mentor matching – can create accountability and emotional support. Meaningful social accountability encourages users to return, share progress, and stick with the program, whether a fitness goal or a health journey.

5. Smart Reactivation: Don’t write off users who lapse. Use data to identify when someone disengages and implement thoughtful reactivation campaigns – for example, a special update, a new feature announcement, or a personalized message checking in. Strategic re-engagement efforts can win back users by addressing whatever barrier caused them to drop off, turning fleeting interest into sustained use.

The payoff is twofold

Women’s health tech companies can better prove their value by focusing on retention through these evidence-based practices. The payoff is twofold: users achieve healthier outcomes, and startups build a loyal, active user base that attracts investors and partners.

In a digital health market where hype is high but scrutiny is higher, retention is emerging as the ultimate credibility test—one that femtech innovators are increasingly intent on passing.

Indlægget Retention is the make-or-break factor in women’s health tech blev først udgivet på TechTruster.

By designing meaningful menopause jewellery inspired by interviews with their mothers, students can help all women.
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Smart jewellery to help in cases of harassment

all.u.me is a piece of smart jewellery to help in harassment cases. It's mainly aimed at young women who feel harassed in public places and at private parties
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Bias in tech and healthcare disadvantages women

Interdisciplinarious collaboration can help bridge gender bias in health tech and narrow the knowledge gap in women’s health.
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“Text me when you’re home” is a message that has become all too ingrained in the lives of notably young women in recent years as more accounts of violence against women reach the general public.

WHO estimates that around 736 million women around the world aged 15 or older have experienced physical and or sexual intimate partner violence, non-partner sexual violence, or both at least once in their lives. That is the equivalent of almost one in three women.

 If you or your daughter or girlfriend has ever felt unsafe on the street, on a train, or even in someone’s home, an all.u.me piece of jewellery might be a comfort tool for you and them.

”Women spend an insane amount of mental capacity avoiding violence and harassment. We consider which way to go, whether it is too dark to go for a run, and how some men may interpret our clothes choices. Sometimes we walk the streets with our keys between our fingers or pretend to be talking on the phone to protect ourselves when we feel unsafe,” says Dorte Knudsen, the founder of all.u.me, and continues,

“We become smaller versions of ourselves when we repeatedly get comments about our appearance. I want to turn things around. all.u.me is a way to express that we are all responsible for people being free to do and wear whatever they want.”

Turning good intentions into actions

Most bystanders witnessing harassment don’t intervene for various reasons.

“We may not notice the signs of harassment, or be unsure if the victim wants our help. But even if we are certain of these factors, most of us are uncertain how to intervene efficiently and safely,” Dorte Knudsen points out. That is precisely the obstacle she wants to remove with all.u.me.

As the first European-based smart jewellery to help in harassment cases, all.u.me can solve all three obstacles to helping a person who feels harassed.

The jewellery is not only for situations of violence or rape. It can also be a means of prevention if you feel unsafe about how a harasser will react if you object to the harassment. The smart jewellery to help in cases of harassment is mainly targeted at teenage girls and young women. However, all.u.me also makes jewellery targeted at minorities, teenage boys, and young men.

A web of volunteer helpers

When the person wearing the all.u.me feels unsafe, she can press a hidden button on the smart jewellery to help in cases of harassment. This alerts nearby volunteer backups via an app on their smartphones. The sooner you intervene, the easier it is – if you know how to de-escalate safely.

“Pressing the jewellery three times sends a message to the 20 geographically closest people who have downloaded the app to be backups. The first five people in proximity who accept to help you get out of the situation will receive information about your location. They also get a picture of you so they can recognize you,” explains Dorte Knudsen, to TechTruster.

You can sign up as a jewellery user or as a backup in the app. When you register as a backup, you must complete a three-minute training in the app. The training will show you how to help safely and securely for you and the person who activates the alarm.

The volunteer tool – the 5 D’s

The backbone of the backup training consists of the so-called “5 D’s” – distract, delegate, document, delay, direct. The 5 D’s is an invention of ‘Right To Be,’ an NGO enabling bystander intervention.

“By distracting, you intervene in a de-escalation manner. You can ask for directions or pretend you know the person who called for help so the two of you can safely walk away from the situation. For example, you can say, “Hi, [the caller’s name] – wow, I haven’t seen you in ages! Do you have time to grab a quick cup of coffee?” explains Dorte Knudsen.

She acknowledges that de-escalating doesn’t come naturally for most people and takes practice.

If you don’t feel safe intervening alone, you can delegate by finding someone to act for or with you, for example, someone next to you or working at the location. If necessary, you can delegate to the police.

Acknowledge what you saw

If you see harassment from your window or on the street, for example, you can document the situation using your phone. Dorte Knudsen points out that it must be up to the caller to decide how or whether to use the documentation you provided.

Delay refers to what you can do after a harassment incident.

“Most harassment victims would greatly appreciate it if you acknowledged what just happened to them. Tell them you saw what happened and that it was completely unacceptable. Just a caring, “Are you OK? Shall we go sit for a bit?” and ask how you can help will help the victim stop feeling shame and guilt about what happened,” says Dorte Knudsen.

The last D – direct – refers to expressing your disapproval in a short but direct confrontation. “Say “stop” or “that’s not OK,” and then exit,” says Dorte Knudsen. She hopes that people will improve at acting in social situations or at work if someone, for example, shares jokes about blondes.

An effective tool in cases of harassment

Dorte Knudsen underscores that it is important not to take chances.

”Observe and consider your options. Some days, you have more surplus than others. You can always use one of the other Ds and ask others for help. It is not just one D for any given situation. It can be a combination or any of the other D’s,” says Dorte Knudsen.

Knowing the 5 D’s method has proven to be an effective tool for bystanders to intervene and help turn good intentions into actions.

Since December 2024, 80 pre-launch volunteer men and women between 15 and 25 have been testing all.u.me in Copenhagen, and several hundred are backups on the app.

In a follow-up survey with the participants with Right To Be, 98.8% of people being trained in the 5 D’s felt there was at least one thing they could do the next time they witnessed harassment. Similarly, the follow-up survey showed that 76% of participants who saw harassment after attending the training reported that they intervened.

“I expect our training and workshops to show the same results,” says Dorte Knudsen.

A norm-changing goal

With the slogan “The beauty of feeling free,” Dorte Knudsen’s goal with all.u.me is to help create a world where everybody feels free to be who they are.

The primary purpose of all.u.me is to prevent escalations when someone feels harassed and to make people act when they see another person being subject to threats or harassment. Not only when a jewellery user activates the alarm on the smart jewellery to help in harassment cases.

“I hope that all.u.me will be a tool to change people’s perception and habits in society in general, and minimize situations where someone feels threatened. I would much rather work with the culture. Today, many bystanders are passive when witnessing transgressive behaviour,” says Dorte Knudsen.

Beauty meets practicality

The beauty of it all is that all the good intentions and actions behind all.u.me are wrapped in a beautiful, relatively small piece of jewellery. It comes in silver or gold, with a gemstone functioning as the distress button while masking the Bluetooth antenna. It is waterproof, so you don’t have to worry about forgetting to put it on. The battery lasts for three to four years. It is currently not possible to replace the battery.

”I got the idea when I was investigating the market for assault alarms. They were all ugly and made of plastic. Some of them even hung from a conference lanyard. Not a living soul wants to wear that,” exclaims Dorte Knudsen, “We want to create something beautiful people want to wear. We actually claim that an all.u.me jewellery is the first real wearable in the world,” says Dorthe Knudsen.

The pieces will cost between 599 Danish kr and 999 kr. The app subscription costs 19 DKK a month. If you buy the jewellery and app as a present for someone, you can prepay for the subscription for either six or twelve months, or choose a lifetime subscription. The subscription covers the costs of maintaining the IT system, supporting the call button, and expanding the all.u.me community nationally and internationally.

all.u.me can be bought from mid-May 2025 at https://all-u-me.com/collections/sll.

Dorte Knudsen encourages companies, organizations, or brands interested in workshops, volunteering, or design collaborations to reach out. Not surprisingly, Dorte Knudsen also attended the annual exhibition Meaningful Menopause Jewellery at Copenhagen Business Academy earlier this year.

Read more articles about smart jewellery here.

Indlægget Smart jewellery to help in cases of harassment blev først udgivet på TechTruster.

This year, the Meaningful Menopause Jewellery exhibition at Copenhagen Business Academy (KEA) went further than last year’s designs.

The annual exhibition showcases prototypes of functional wearables crafted by students at the KEA Jewellery, Technology, and Business Institute. Combining engineering and jewellery design, the students create prototypes to alleviate 34 menopause symptoms and challenge conventional thinking.

With a particular focus on designing for unmeasurable conditions like anxiety or brain fog, the students’ designs show how haptic, app-free jewellery can help women experiencing menopause symptoms.

A wearable for women wearing headscarves

As the first smart jewellery design at the KEA exhibitions, one of the jewellery prototypes broke new ground by targeting women wearing headscarves.

“Women wearing a headscarf risk getting scalp fungus from the heat retained by the headscarf,“ explained one of the students behind the design of the Haya hair or scarf pin to TechTruster on the day of the expo. “Our device helps cool the women down. It should be placed by the temple for optimal effect,” the student continued.

She got the idea after one of her friends recently started wearing a headscarf.

From necklaces to ear cuff

All five pieces of jewellery at this year’s exhibition merged creativity, beauty, and function, relieving various symptoms of menopause.

Embla is a bold necklace that uses EMS technology to alleviate neck and shoulder pain. With a discrete, twirling movement, the Interlude ring reminds you to take short breaks and offers sensor-guided breathing meditations. The necklace pendant Målely (Moon shelter) helps you fall asleep and stay asleep as you activate the soothing sound of rain. The ear cuff, Ronja, uses acupressure to relieve restlessness, anxiety, and mood swings, activated by a matching finger ring.

Menopause and femtech are getting more attention from Danish media. For that reason, two of the students behind Månely and Ronja were interviewed on Danish national TV about their designs.

Similarly, TechTruster has written about some of the prototypes from last year’s exhibition here and here.

Eight focused weeks of work

The jewellery exhibited at KEA is the result of eight weeks of focused study and work under the guidance of Vanessa Julia Carpenter, PhD, a PhD in Designing for Meaningfulness in Future Smart Products, and Mette Laier Henriksen, a senior lecturer in jewellery design. Lab Specialist Luke Julius Frost and Technical Assistant Albert Møbius assisted the students with the technical solutions.

During the ‘Designing for Meaningful Menopause Jewellery’ course, the students worked methodically. They dove into the subject of menopause by conducting in-depth interviews with their mothers and creating questionnaires to learn about the issues and needs of menopausal women. They then prototyped solutions using various materials and electronics and built the final jewellery with functional electronics for the exhibition.

You can read about each of the prototypes here (in Danish).

Designing with constraints

“The students have created jewellery that aims to solve some of the 34 symptoms of menopause. However, they were not allowed to work with hot flashes, as devices for this already exist. It is much more difficult to create solutions for the other symptoms, such as brain fog, fatigue, or anxiety. And herein lies the challenge. They were also to avoid self-tracking via an app since so many app solutions already exist,” explains Dr. Vanessa Julia Carpenter, who has taught the course since 2021.

The last constraint was that the jewellery had to use shape-shifting in some way. The purpose of that is to further challenge the form that jewellery typically takes and to encourage students to look more thoroughly into the effect of the digital jewellery on the menopausal person and how it could help them, be perceived by others, and contribute to a sense of self.

Design constraints are a way to focus on design and be creative within a particular framework, in this case, by both using the Designing for Meaningfulness methodology, and by learning from and applying Dr. Homewood’s paper “ Inaction as a Design Decision: Reflections on Not Designing Self-Tracking Tools for Menopause ”, Dr. Carpenter was able to guide students to explore how their designs could benefit people experiencing menopause in impactful ways without becoming a burden in their everyday life.

Attention from femtech investors

Serial entrepreneur and Co-Founder of Femtech Studios, among others, Ulla Sommerfelt, opened the exhibition.

“I’m excited that you students are using your superpowers to invent this meaningful menopause jewellery. You can design a whole company with design-driven innovation – even a whole culture,” exclaimed the femtech investor.

“Fifteen years ago, even three years ago, no one talked about menopause. Now, there’s a lot of global attention to it. For example, Halle Berry and Ophray Winfrey are breaking the taboo,” continued Ulla Sommerfelt, as she mentioned that one billion women are about to enter menopause.

The communications lead from the newly founded Nordic Women’s Health Hub, Kicki Bajlum, also spoke to the students about how the Nordic Women’s Health Hub connects stakeholders to accelerate innovation for women’s health.

Dorte Knudsen, owner of the smart jewellery company all-u-me, also attended. She finds the students’ designs promising. All-u-me will launch in mid-May 2025.

If the students’ jewellery were to go into production, many could help menopausal women.

See also what Techtruster has previously written about menopause tech.

The students

Haya by: Alberte Lund Hansen, Freja Silke Hansen, Stine Marie Kjer, Caroline Eriksen.

Ronja by: Vicky Wadmuang Nyskjold, Marie Amalie Høegh, Johanna Sophia Højland, Louise Cehofski, Anne-Sofie Fossum Christensson.

Interlude by: Annie Sander, Ketil Billett, Tuva Handeland, Olivia Hovmark Møller, Sine Marie Harwits.

Månely by: Eva Kim Rasmussen, Didde Najmeddini Gindesgaard, Josephine Tønder Rasmussen, Ann-Sophie Folker Christensen & Lucie Sonja Hirschauer.

Indlægget Haptic jewellery connects mothers and daughters blev først udgivet på TechTruster.

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Not all things “smart” are useful

“Technology goes in wonderful and weird directions. Back when I started, when the Internet of Things was brand new and hot, there was a heavy put-a-chip-in-it-mentality – let’s make it smart,” recalled Dr. Carpenter.

Interdisciplinary collaboration can help close the knowledge gap in women’s health while incorporating meaningfulness and attention to data safety.

For example, she mentioned an egg tray that tells your phone when you run out of eggs. Another example was the smart wine bottle with a screen that tells you all you want to know about the region, etc.

“Unfortunately, such a bottle produces a lot of electronic waste. There were even smart condoms letting you know how much you’re thrusting and being able to compare with your friends,” said Dr. Carpenter.

A critical point in tech and design

“Technology is fast, cheap, and easy to create. AI can help us write, draw, create, and code. But convenience and surveillance go hand in hand,” Dr. Carpenter pointed out.

While apps on our devices make our lives easier, they also know a lot about us, gathering data on us.

“In an age of increasing AI and interconnection with the digital, and where we don’t know what information we can trust, it is especially relevant now to ask why,” underscored Dr. Carpenter. “This is why I work with designing for meaningfulness.”

Meaningful design incorporates personal development, identity, values, priorities, purpose, and value over function. For example, Dr. Carpenter mentions a step counter—a smart wearable that encourages walking at least 10,000 steps daily.

“It could tell me how many steps I’m walking. But it doesn’t actually matter. It matters whether or not I’ve reached my goals of becoming a healthier version of myself,” Dr. Carpenter explained.

As humans are biased, AI is biased

Dr. Carpenter pointed out that AI is based on data fed by humans. And as humans become biased throughout our lived experience, AI will inadvertently inherit the same bias. Bias in AI arises in different ways depending on how we train it.

“We have three main types of data bias. One is called standard or training bias, based on what the AI has seen. Another is algorithmic bias, based on what the developer has seen. The third is cognitive bias – how our own experience and preference leak into everything we do, ” explained Dr. Carpenter.

Inventions based on data from men

In her book Invisible Women—Exposing Data Bias in a World Designed for Men, Caroline Criado Perez names several examples of data bias that result in things being designed for men and thus not being fit—or even safe—for women.

As AI voice assistants are trained on male-biased data, female voices are less likely to be accurately processed, according to Dr. Carpenter. “Fx voice recognition often doesn’t recognize female voices because they are on a different frequency than male voices, which the AI has been trained on,” said Dr. Carpenter.

On average, men’s voices operate at 100-120 Hertz, whereas women’s are at 200-220 Hertz.

Medicine made for men

This bias also appears in health research. The description inside a medicine package usually distinguishes between grown-ups and children. However, as children metabolize medicine differently, women don’t react the same way to medicine as men.

“Women metabolize some medicines differently from men,” said Dr. Carpenter.

As an example, she mentioned that the recommended dose for women of the sleep medicine Zolpidem, also known as Ambien, is too high.

“That can lead to dangerous side effects like impaired driving and memory issues. This error shows that there’s a critical need for sex- and gender-specific medical research. Drugs must be tested and dosed appropriately for women to prevent harm and improve healthcare outcomes,” underscored Dr. Carpenter.

Unknown female heart attack symptoms

The knowledge gap in men’s and women’s health caused by bias can have dire consequences when it comes to recognizing health issue symptoms in women. There is much less research on what symptoms women experience compared to those of men, for example, symptoms of a heart attack.

Unlike men, it turns out that women do not experience the same symptoms as men when they experience a heart attack. Rather than getting chest pains and discomfort in the left arm, symptoms in women range from upper back, neck, or jaw pain, indigestion, heartburn, nausea, or vomiting to extreme fatigue, dizziness, and shortness of breath.

“The neck or jaw pain is really the big signifier in women,” said Dr. Carpenter.

Most people don’t know about this difference because most research has been based on men. According to Dr. Carpenter, 20 to 25 percent of participants in clinical trials related to heart attacks today are women.

Interdisciplinary collaboration needed

“Addressing bias in tech can benefit everyone, and innovation through interdisciplinary teamwork can resonate far beyond health,” said Dr. Carpenter.

Dr. Carpenter explained how interdisciplinary collaboration can help bridge gender bias in health tech and narrow the knowledge gap in women’s health caused by bias in research, development, and treatments. One example is using the health data collected by smart wearables.

“Smart wearables are revolutionizing how we monitor health and fitness, presenting exciting opportunities in women’s health—an area historically overlooked in medical studies,” said Dr. Carpenter.

By creating health devices designed using the meaningful mechanics method, women can learn more about their health and share the knowledge with their doctors. For example, Dr. Carpenter mentioned a course she teaches at Copenhagen Business Academy (KEA). In the course, students combine technical engineering with jewellery design to prototype beautiful yet functional wearables for some of the 34 known menopause symptoms. The purpose of the designs is to make a tangible impact on women going through menopause.

“Addressing bias in tech can benefit everyone, and innovation through interdisciplinary teamwork can resonate far beyond health,” said Dr. Carpenter.

Indlægget Bias in tech and healthcare disadvantages women blev først udgivet på TechTruster.

The alliance has hosted several events to support and foster dialogue around this critical agenda. You can read more about one of the events here: Women’s health at Christiansborg: Roccamore sparks national dialogue – TechTruster

But who are the other key players in the Nordics – and how do we make sure they’re seen, heard, and connected?

New version of women’s health map

The new map from Nordic Women’s Health Hub offers a comprehensive overview of the players in the field of women’s health.

The map highlights the companies driving innovation and provides a platform to showcase the dynamic developments within the field. It clearly illustrates what is happening in femtech and women’s health and gives visibility to a field that is evolving rapidly and making significant strides.

This visibility is crucial for supporting and promoting the work of companies in the field, helping them secure the recognition and opportunities.

Transparency is important

In a recent LinkedIn post, the Hub emphasized the importance of transparency and highlighted the remarkable growth of women’s health innovation across the Nordic region. Responses to the map’s launch suggest that being featured offers a strategic advantage – unlocking partnerships, growth, and influence opportunities.

Katalin Karolyi from ReproUnion highlighted that the Nordic region has considerable potential to lead in women’s health innovation. Similarly, Uvisa Health commented; “As first-time female founders entering the medical device and hardware industry, our journey can inspire and encourage more women to step into these spaces with confidence and bring their innovative ideas to life.”

By positioning women’s health as an active and innovative field, the map also challenges outdated narratives and reinforces its relevance to strategic discussions and investment decisions.

The Nordic Women’s Health Hub aims for the map to not only reflect the current landscape but also to foster new conversations, encourage collaboration, and drive lasting progress within the sector.

Indlægget Map shows innovation in women’s health blev først udgivet på TechTruster.

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This was the key message from TechTruster editor Vanessa Julia Carpenter, PhD, in a roundtable discussion about apps that track women’s health.

Watch the entire session here

A young journalist, Iben Marie Ryberg, who suddenly discovered that her data had been sent to a company in China, illustrated the challenges of using women’s health apps without knowing how and where the data is used.

Privacy and Wearables – opportunities and ethical challenges in tracking your intimate data

“Be aware of your data. If a product is free, your data is the currency. Always read the fine print, understand what you’re sharing, and choose apps that respect your privacy”, Vanessa Julia Carpenter underlined.

The feature was aired on April 10, 2025.

Indlægget TechTruster editor on national TV blev først udgivet på TechTruster.

From left: Editor Cecilie Helm Darling, journalist, editor Vanessa J. Carpenter, PhD, Helle Baagø, founder and administrator.

Women’s health at Christiansborg: Roccamore sparks national dialogue

On March 14th, women’s health took center stage at Christiansborg, where Roccamore and the Alliance for Women’s Health hosted an event uniting politicians, experts, business leaders, and advocates.

The aim of the event was to highlight the urgent, often-overlooked need for research, innovation, and funding in women’s health. TechTruster Femtech News was there to capture the day’s key messages and insights.

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Perimenopause tech: More solutions for women’s health in mid-life

Do you want to know which tech is available for perimenopause and menopause? Perimenopause is the transitional period all people with ovaries experience before menopause.

We at TechTruster want to continue to highlight perimenopause. In this article, we’ll introduce you to technologies that can help relieve symptoms.

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Non-profit focusing on women’s health launched 20 February 2025

The launch of Nordic Women’s Health Hub event sold out on the first day, a sign that women’s health is a red-hot issue on the public agenda.

The knowledge gap regarding women’s health is much larger than that regarding men’s health. To change that, three women have formed the non-profit Nordic Women’s Health Hub.

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Innovation is key to reducing cervical cancer

HPV testing and self-sampling kits can turn the vision of significantly reducing cervical cancer cases by 2030, into reality.

Beginning in 2025, all women over the age of 30 in Denmark will be offered HPV (human papillomavirus) testing as part of an enhanced strategy to prevent cervical cancer.

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By redefining infant feeding, Caramma wins a Danish Design Award

Caramma’s patented bottle has transformed infant feeding. Designed to closely mimic natural breastfeeding, it ensures a slow, natural flow, allowing babies to feed at their own pace.

The Danish Design Award recently celebrated innovation and impact across a range of industries. This year, one moment stood out: the recognition the recognition of Caramma

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This contribution to Tech Truster: Femtech News was written by Hanna Harkawy, creator of Ouli.

Femtech is necessary for women’s health

Ouli is a system for home-based post-c-section scar therapy featuring software for both patients and physicians and a therapeutic device to treat the scar tissue.

What is a c-section?

The c-section is one of the oldest medical procedures, having significantly evolved over the centuries – from a method used only after the mother’s death to a widely accepted alternative to natural childbirth. 

In many cases, a c-section saves lives. But it should not be treated as a voluntary substitute for vaginal birth due to the numerous serious health complications it can cause for both mother and child. 

During a c-section, a surgeon must cut through five layers of tissue to reach the uterus: first the skin, then the subcutaneous tissue, and then the abdominal muscle fascia.

By separating and pulling the abdominal muscles to the sides, they cut or tear through the parietal peritoneum before making the final incision in the uterus. This means women may have multiple internal scars within their abdomen.

In Poland, almost 50% of children are born via c-section every year, making it one of the highest rates in Europe. Common factors behind the increasing trend of c-sections include an increase in the number of mothers who choose to have children later in life alongside the fear and potential trauma of natural birth.

Why is c-section scar therapy so important? 

A scar is pathological tissue formed after deep wounds that penetrate the dermis (beneath the outer layers like the epidermis) and is the final result of the healing process. This tissue is distinct due to its structure, consisting of densely packed collagen fibers. When discussing deep surgeries, it is crucial to mention fascia – a type of connective tissue that wraps around various structures in the body, keeping them separate while allowing proper movement.

When fascia is cut during a procedure, such as a c-section, it can disrupt normal tissue movement and lead to adhesions, where tissues improperly stick together. This can cause discomfort in the abdominal area and distant body parts, such as the arms. 

Many women who have a cesarean section can experience problems, including pain from tissue pulling, muscle contractures, loss of sensation near the scar, restricted movement, keloids, and even a loss of self-confidence due to the scar’s appearance.

Two main categories

Current scar treatment options fall into two main categories: those that improve health and, as a side effect, enhance the scar’s appearance and those that focus solely on aesthetics. The first approach aims to break down the collagen fibers, making the scar almost invisible and adhesive-free. Physiotherapists typically use manual massage techniques for this.

Unfortunately, a lack of awareness about the complexities of scar tissue has led to the greater popularity of treatments like laser scar removal, which focus only on appearance.

On the other hand, even women who are aware of the importance of proper scar therapy often abandon it due to the time commitment and costs associated with regular physiotherapy sessions. It can be a huge challenge for a new mother to attend physiotherapy appointments regularly while she is entirely focused on her newborn.

Revolutionary home-based therapy for new mothers

Ouli responds to these needs with a system that includes software for patients and physiotherapists, as well as a therapeutic device.

This system enables women to receive the same quality of care in a physiotherapy clinic but in the comfort of their homes, allowing them to focus on their newborns.

The software tracks progress for both the patient and the therapist. By collecting data through the device and user input via the app, the physiotherapist can personalize the treatment plan, adjusting parameters such as session duration, frequency, and intensity according to the patient’s current condition. 

The patient places the scar between the rollers of the device tip, which rolls inward and then back to the starting position. This movement prevents the skin from being pinched. Additionally, the entire tip rotates in both directions, simulating key massage techniques used by physiotherapists.

The device is equipped with sensors that measure the pressure applied by the patient. If the pressure is too low or too high, the device signals the user with an indicator light. To further enhance the therapy, vibration generators are integrated into the rollers.

Personalized treatment based on data

Vibrotherapy is a common method used by physiotherapists to support manual massage. It stimulates mechanoreceptors in the skin, aiding in the remodeling of collagen fibers. 

The software consists of a mobile application for the patient and a web application for the physiotherapist. Its primary function is to create a personalized treatment plan based on input data, manage the therapy process, and monitor progress.

At the start of the therapy, the patient submits relevant information, such as a photo of the scar, through the app. This data is sent to the physiotherapist, who then prepares a tailored treatment plan. The patient can only adjust device settings as recommended by the therapist.

The software collects data during each therapy session, such as pressure levels and session consistency, and the patient fills out forms to help the therapist assess their well-being. Both the patient and the therapist can track progress, and adjustments to the therapy can be made as needed.

Once the therapist determines the treatment is complete, typically after several months, the patient receives a notification through the app. 

The future of postpartum care 

The introduction of Ouli marks a significant shift in how postpartum women can care for their scars. Making scar therapy accessible, measurable, and effective improves physical well-being and enhances self-confidence and overall quality of life for many women.

With growing awareness of the importance of postpartum care, innovations like Ouli have the potential to reshape the standard of care for mothers worldwide. 

Hanna Harkawy is an industrial designer specializing in HealthTech and FemTech, currently pursuing a PhD in biomedical engineering. She founded Ouli with the mission of helping postpartum women take care of their health through effective scar therapy.

Indlægget Ouli creates home-based device for c-section scar therapy blev først udgivet på TechTruster.

Personal stories that set the stage

The event opened with Louise Dreisig sharing her journey with endometriosis — a condition where tissue similar to the uterus lining grows outside of it. Often misunderstood, endometriosis causes chronic pain, fertility issues, and disrupts everyday life.

Dreisig’s personal account underscored the event’s central message: the need for deeper attention and gender equality in healthcare.
(Read our deep dive on diagnosing endometriosis here.)

Political perspectives on women’s health

Christina Egelund, Minister of Research, presented a forward-looking political vision, emphasizing equality in healthcare access and research.

She highlighted that Denmark is actively taking steps towards improving research equality, specifically by increasing women’s participation in clinical trials – an area historically dominated by male subjects.

Egelund stressed that this inclusion is critical, underlining the urgent need for continued political action and prioritization to properly address women’s unique health needs and ensure fair representation in medical research.

The Alliance for Women’s Health followed with a striking statistic: women spend 25% more of their lives in poor health than men. They introduced a proposal for a Knowledge Center for Women’s Health, built on three pillars:

• A holistic approach to women’s health advancement

• Mapping priority research areas

• Guiding national healthcare priorities

Calling it a “fællessag” (common cause), not a party-specific agenda, the Alliance urged long-term political commitment. Politicians across parties echoed their support for this cross-sector effort.The Alliance has been formed including Monika Rubin (Moderates), MP and health spokesperson, Camilla Fabricius (Social Democrats), MP and spokesperson for women’s health, Marianne Lynghøj (Venstre), alternate MP, and Anne Sophie Callesen (Radikale Venstre), former MP.

They emphasized that this alliance belongs not to any single party, but to everyone committed to women’s health. The Alliance aims to promote investments in research and innovation in women’s health, break down existing taboos, and improve healthcare conditions for women.

One significant goal is securing funding through the national budget for establishing a national knowledge center, and fostering partnerships with companies and foundations to advance projects promoting women’s health.

Funding the future of women’s health

Isabella France Jarsmer, a PhD student in Biomedicine, posed a critical question: Why is women’s health research still underfunded? Using vivid imagery, including her own menstrual blood as a presentation backdrop, Jarsmer addressed societal taboos and outdated scientific norms.

She highlighted how research excludes female lab mice (80% are male), and how even within academia, women face structural challenges. She advocated for extending PhD timelines to accommodate caregiving responsibilities and complex women’s health studies.

Jarsmer took the audience on a historical journey, highlighting the potential hidden within menstrual blood and drawing parallels with the medieval witch hunts, illustrating society’s persistent discomfort and taboo surrounding menstruation.

She pointed out the paradox that even researchers who study feces are reluctant to work with menstrual blood though the potentials it hides on. Sharing her personal experience being a carrier of BRCA gene, Jarsmer described its profound impact on her life and detailed the systemic challenges women face in healthcare. 

She recalled the tragic consequences of prescribing anti-nausea medication to pregnant women in the 1970s, resulting in children born with deformities, resulting in historical neglect in women’s healthcare research due to intentions to “protect” women from complications in future (you can read more about it here: Why we know so little about women’s health | AAMC).

Panel: Ensuring equal access to research

A panel with Isabella France Jarsmer, David Westergaard, Birgitte Baadegaard, and Lasse Gliemann explored how to build more inclusive research environments. Baadegaard emphasized the need to rethink healthcare systems so they are not built on male norms.

Gliemann and Westergaard highlighted the significant difficulties researchers face when applying for funding focused on female-specific conditions. They called for reforms to ensure easier and equal access to funding, promoting unbiased and inclusive research opportunities in women’s health comparable to other areas.

Roccamore’s commitment to women’s health

After a networking break, Roccamore founder Frederikke Antonie Schmidt shared how her own misdiagnosis — resulting in lifelong medication for a condition she doesn’t have — drives her passion for supporting women’s health. Roccamore’s partnership with the Alliance is rooted in a clear mission: to drive awareness and change.

Investing in women’s health innovation

Charlotte Nørgaard Langer, Director of the Nordic Women’s Health Hub, brought the conversation into the innovation and investment space. Citing McKinsey’s report on the trillion-dollar opportunity in women’s health, she argued that Denmark could see a $4.5 billion annual GDP boost by closing the gender health gap. Drawing on her extensive experience working exclusively with women’s health, she elaborated on opportunities from both investment and innovation perspectives.

She proposed four action areas:

• Entrepreneur support (soft funding, mentorship, accelerators)

• Investor education to overcome bias

• Translating research into innovation (BioInnovation Institute as model)

• Building a national women’s health innovation ecosystem

(Learn more about the Nordic Women’s Health Hub on TechTruster.)

Menopause, work, and the cost of silence

Sanne Gottlieb, founder of Menokonsult, spoke about menopause as a workplace issue, not just a health one. With nearly half of women hiding the real reason for sick days, and only 3% speaking to managers about symptoms, Gottlieb warned of poor business practices and lost talent.

Gottlieb stressed the importance of recognizing how these symptoms profoundly impact women’s work capabilities and productivity. Ignoring or overlooking them, she argued, becomes poor business practice for employers. She presented a striking study showing that 47% of women currently lie about their reasons for absence, while only 3% disclose their menopausal symptoms to their managers. This data highlights a critical need for workplaces to foster understanding and provide supportive environments addressing women’s health issues effectively.

You can read more about menopause and workplace here: Structural workplace changes to factor in menopause challenges – TechTruster. To learn more about platforms, tech and apps for supporting symptoms, and treatment, read: Perimenopause tech: More solutions for women’s health in mid-life – TechTruster.

Panel: Women’s health and workplace inclusion

The final panel featured Camilla Winther, Senior Diversity and Inclusion Manager (Global D&I Learning Lead) at the LEGO Group, influencer Matilde Trobeck, Cathrine Widunok Wichmand, influencer, founder and CEO of Flow Intimates and Christian Sand Horup, Business Development Manager at Maternity Foundation.

They shared concrete workplace strategies and emotional stories on infertility, healthcare barriers, and the importance of breaking taboos so women no longer feel isolated or ignored. They strongly encouraged healthcare systems to better support women proactively, without forcing them to loudly advocate for their symptoms and become exhausted before receiving help.

Closing remarks and artistic reflections

Louise Dreisig returned to wrap up the event, emphasizing the need for continued, cross-sector dialogue. Artist Marianne Pihl Larsen, “the woman who is drawing,” live-sketched the day’s themes into a single visual narrative — a powerful reminder of the work still ahead.

Indlægget Women’s health at Christiansborg: Roccamore sparks national dialogue blev først udgivet på TechTruster.