The burgeoning femtech sector, devoted to advancing technology for women's health, has seen remarkable growth in recent years, yet the women behind these innovations continue to face significant obstacles. Despite increasing demand for female-centric health solutions, femtech entrepreneurs often struggle with gender bias, censorship, and financial exclusion, which limit the potential of their groundbreaking work.
Rising Demand for Female Health Solutions
The femtech market, which addresses a wide range of health conditions unique to women, including menstrual, maternal, sexual, and reproductive health, is rapidly expanding. With an estimated market value of $28 billion, expected to grow to $60 billion by 2027, femtech is on track to become a dominant force in healthcare. However, even with these promising projections, the sector still receives just 1-2% of total health technology investment.
Women’s health conditions have been historically under-researched, leaving many crucial needs unmet. The rise of femtech companies, such as those offering menstrual health solutions, fertility aids, and devices for women’s sexual wellness, demonstrates the growing recognition of this gap. Despite the undeniable demand, these companies often struggle to secure funding or gain market traction.
Gender Bias in Funding and Market Access
A pervasive issue faced by female founders in femtech is gender bias in the investment landscape. Mo Carrier, cofounder of MyBliss, recounts a frustrating experience where a male investor dismissed her product—a lubricant for menopausal women—calling it too niche to fund. Despite presenting thorough research, the funding was directed toward a generic workplace productivity app. For many women in the industry, this is a familiar tale, as access to capital remains a significant barrier.
Even once femtech companies manage to secure funding, they encounter numerous other hurdles. Take the case of Béa Fertility, which struggled with Amazon’s refusal to list products using terms like “vagina” or “vaginal canal.” The word "semen" was acceptable, highlighting the stark double standards applied to women’s health products. Similarly, Hanx, a sexual wellness brand, faced difficulties securing payment providers and suffered scrutiny far beyond what male-oriented health products typically endure.
Censorship and Operational Challenges
One of the most insidious barriers for femtech companies is online censorship. A campaign called CensHERship, aimed at fighting the silencing of women’s health content, reports that 100% of the 35 femtech companies surveyed had faced censorship issues, with many experiencing account closures, increased fees, and delays. The frustration extends to online advertising, where companies like Daye, a pioneer in menstrual health products, struggle to maintain an online presence. Founder Valentina Milanova reports spending up to £100,000 per month on platforms like Meta, Google, and TikTok, only for ads to be blocked or shadow-banned regularly.
Such censorship hinders the growth of femtech companies and stifles progress. With search engines, social media platforms, and even e-commerce giants like Amazon limiting visibility for women’s health products, the sector is at a distinct disadvantage compared to other health-focused industries. For many female entrepreneurs, navigating these systemic challenges has become an exhausting and costly ordeal.
Support for Femtech: A Call to Action
Despite the obstacles, female founders in the femtech space are fighting back. The UK, in particular, has become a leader in the femtech movement, with government funding and increased innovation helping to foster a supportive ecosystem for women’s health startups. Organisations such as Femtech Lab and the Oxford Femtech Society are playing pivotal roles in supporting and nurturing the growth of femtech companies globally.
Tara Attfield-Tomes, founder of The 51% Club, emphasizes the importance of collective support for female innovators. "We’ve got this wave of women who feel empowered to invent and innovate, despite all these issues they’re suffering," she says. "It’s on all of us to support them so they can reach their full potential."
In addition to financial support, increasing female representation in leadership roles and addressing the gender bias in investment will be crucial for the future of femtech. As Rachel Bartholomew of Femtech Across Borders notes, "The UK in particular has leaned into women’s health, and with more targeted funding and a strong ecosystem, the future looks promising for femtech."
A Path Forward
The femtech sector holds immense potential, but the challenges it faces—particularly the gender bias in funding, market access, and censorship—must be addressed. As awareness grows and more people support the industry, there is hope that femtech will thrive, providing women with the health solutions they’ve long been denied.
For women in leadership positions, overcoming these barriers is not just about creating innovative solutions but about ensuring that women’s health is no longer an afterthought. The success of femtech depends on a collective effort to lift up female entrepreneurs, break down the stigma, and empower women to lead the charge in shaping the future of health technology.
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