FemInnovation’s Post

An interesting article on the impact women and women-focused venture capital investors can have on the women's health sector https://lnkd.in/gHG287M9 Mythili Sankaran #nff #neythrifuturesfund #southasianwomenfounders #femalefounders #diversefounders #venturecapital

Let's unlock the power of women investors! Investment in women’s health innovations is on the rise, and Portfolia's efforts to empower women to invest in this sector have been a huge factor. Since its first fund in 2015 and the pioneering FemTech fund in 2018, Portfolia has driven significant investment into traditionally underfunded areas, creating wealth and addressing unmet needs. “To get more dollars into women’s health, we just have to keep telling the story,” says CEO Trish Costello. “Educating and evangelizing to other VC firms to invest and take some risk by investing at the early stage.” FemTech, defined as health tech catering to female biological needs, has seen remarkable growth. However, challenges remain, including inadequate funding from VCs and regulatory barriers that could hinder progress. Read more to see how you can join the conversation! #WomensHealth #DigitalHealth #FemTech #WomenInvestors https://lnkd.in/dCbxBMBc

The future of women’s health investment looks promising but requires concerted efforts to unlock its full potential. Portfolia’s mission, spearheaded by Trish Costello, is a testament to the power of diverse investors in shaping a more inclusive VC landscape. By encouraging women to invest in health tech innovations, Portfolia has helped diversify the investor base and increase the gender diversity of VC-backed founders. As more women realise the power of their wealth and investment capital, the potential for groundbreaking advancements in women’s health will continue to grow, fostering a healthier and more equitable future. #Femtech #Investing #HealthTech

Great piece as always Sorina Mihaila and Femtech World. There's a hidden gem in all the comments but my absolute favourite is cut to the chase by Priya Oberoi 👏 ➡ "I think it is important to focus on old fashioned profitability, who is your customer, how do I penetrate this market whilst also keeping your eye on the longer-term goals: growth trajectory and the size of your exit market." 🏹 Building a business is an old-fashioned game with new rules and evolving context of market, competition and product relevance. Here's how I have been navigating after saying goodbye to an illustrious career at a Big 4 because #femalehealthequity is worth investing! 🏆 Raised $200K of non-dilutive grant funding within 6 months of incorporation in early 2023 while maturing #angelinvestment conversations that started converting from Q3/Q4/2023. #SEISApproved. 1. Be smart on how you make the glitz and glamour of social media work for you instead of being 100% absorbed. 2. Detractors: Investor readiness bootcamps, equity asking early stage accelerators, zillion people who will claim to know your business better and charge you for advice, can detract if not employed cautiously especially as an #earlystageFounder where time is your biggest asset and liability. 3. Keep your head down and eyes on the ball, listen, listen, listen - every feedback can teach you something. 4. Sleep, eat healthy, still prioritise those that love and care for you regardless of a high or low tide. 5. If you are an experienced professional, design how you will leverage your experience, accomplishments and networks #earlystageinvesting.

Love the insights in this piece from Femtech World --- Femtech funding: what investors want you to know in 2024. Thank you Sorina Mihaila for including me and Bread and Butter Ventures. Per the piece: "Women are massively under-represented among both venture-backed entrepreneurs and VC investors, with companies founded solely by women receiving less than three per cent of all venture capital investments and women accounting for less than 15 per cent of check-writers. The gender health gap, which refers to the wide gaps in medical research and treatment ability for areas that are unique to women, doesn’t help either. However, we are here to tell you that there are people out there who want to support women and dismantle inequalities." Read on for a compilation of insights and tips for the year ahead. It is a PHENOMENAL time to be investing in women's health. 🎉 https://lnkd.in/ga5shckS #femtech #femalefounders #venturecapital #earlystage

Funding Women's Health: Women Investors Are Crucial Did you know women's health innovation is on the cusp of a boom? Read my latest article in Forbes about how Trish Costello, CEO of Portfolia, has been educating #WomenAccreditedInvestors to invest as #limitedpartners (#LPs) in #VentureCapital funds focused on #WomensHealth and #FemTech. Portfolia's FemTech funds specifically target women's health ventures. This focus unlocks a wealth of opportunity for both investors and the millions of women seeking better #healthcare solutions. Investing in FemTech allows women to invest in their own well-being and the future of women's health while building wealth. They identify gaps in the market and larger #VCs follow suit. Government policy is also catalyzing Investment in women's health. The Biden administration allocated $300 million for research, and a bipartisan Women's Health PAC is keeping politicians focused on women's needs. However, challenges remain. Regulatory hurdles and limited access to capital can stifle progress. Trish emphasizes the importance of educating and involving more women investors to overcome these obstacles. Women hold the power to shape the future of women's health! Consider becoming an #LP in #venturecapital and explore the exciting world of FemTech. https://lnkd.in/eKvM4QKy

At The Impact Seat Foundation, we're on a mission to empower women to thrive as business leaders. A recent article by Sorina Mihaila offers a goldmine of insights for #femtech entrepreneurs looking to make their mark in women’s health. It's a tough field, with women vastly underrepresented among venture-backed entrepreneurs and #vc investors. Yet, the article shines a light on the path forward, echoing our commitment to breaking down barriers and fostering inclusivity. Investors share critical advice on building resilient businesses, the significance of storytelling backed by data, and exploring diverse funding avenues. These insights are invaluable for anyone striving to make a difference in the femtech space. Let's take these lessons to heart and work together to support the visionaries shaping the future of women's health. The Impact Seat Foundation is here to champion these efforts, inspired by the courage and innovation of femtech entrepreneurs! Read here: https://lnkd.in/dJyde4-B #femtech #empowerment #womenlead #investinwomen

A Female Healthcare Start-up Should Only Have Female Founders..Logical? Recently there was much furore on #linkedin over Flo Health Inc. being the first #femtech company to reach #unicorn status - they raised $200 million from General Atlantic on a valuation of $1 Billion. Flo Health is a UK based company that offers app based period tracking, ovulation prediction and personal insights. Now - The controversy? The Founders of Flo Health are Male. Many women startup founders were up in arms with arguments such as this: 1) How do men know about women's health? 2) How can a Femtech company be headed by Men? 3) Why do Men helmed companies get all the funding? (historically only 2% of #VC funding goes to women helmed #startups) and so on. I think: 1) The funding bias is a real problem. It needs societal and outlook change. 2) Men also can care about women and can build for them or work for their health. Many caring #gynaecologists that I know of are men. 3)Let's not spear a #femtech startup just because it is headed by men and got funded. We sorely need MORE products being bulit in the Female Healthcare space - let these be built by Men OR Women. I know of KPR MILL LIMITED KP Ramasamy who owns textile and sugar mills and created a college just so his women employees could complete a college education. He's put close to 30000 women through college. Free of cost. You don't have to always be a Woman to help Women! #womenshealth #womenshealthmatters #womenshealthfirst #healthcare #startup #entrepreneurship #inclusion #diversity #genderequality #menforwomen #mensadvocacy #challengestereotypes #breakthebias #empowerwomen #womensupportingwomen #leadership #innovation #socialimpact #healthtech #care #compassion Women in Tech Women@BCG Padmini Janaki GAIA - die FemTech-Allianz Women Deliver

🚀 Women's Health Startups Receive Unprecedented Investment Surge! 🌟 Exciting trends in venture capital reveal a monumental 314% increase in funding for women's health startups since 2018! Dive into my latest blog post to discover why women's health is attracting attention and dollars like never before, despite facing lower valuations compared to the broader healthcare sector. 🔬 Key insights include: - The investment boom extends to critical and underserved areas such as menopause, pelvic health, and mental health. - Biopharma leads the charge, outpacing healthtech in 2023. - A striking 76% of these trailblazing companies are spearheaded by female founders! The landscape is shifting. Let's explore the opportunities in creating a healthier future for women everywhere. #WomensHealth #VentureCapital #HealthTech #Innovation #FemaleFounders Read the full article for more on this vital conversation! 📈🩺 [Link to blog post]

I read an incredible article by Forbes this week on FemTech start ups and the uphill battle of raising funds in women's health. It's all things we generally know, but it's been written concisely and with some great comments from leaders in the space. It tied in well with a post by Kesi Johnson on the importance of women-only spaces in business to encourage open and honest conversations and Debbie Wosskow, OBE on the need for men to support women leading start-ups (particularly as 98% of VC partners are men!). Personally, I'm a big fan of women-only meets up and initiatives as there is undeniably a different 'feel'. Men have always been great at networking, offering up favours and generally being supportive in an "old boys club" style (that isn't a criticism btw!). Whereas women are often less likely to ask for favours or introductions from others beit men or women. This is something we discussed at a recent the old girls club x Parity mixer. However, I also completely see that if men are engaged in women-lead businesses (note here 70% of FemTech's are founded by women) then it will benefit the masses. We need to let men into the women-only spaces where we talk freely for them to feel engaged and 'write the checks'. Gina Bartasi, founder of Kindbody quoted in the Forbes article; “Not enough female investors who can write multi-million dollar checks. There are more female investors, but very few are General Partners of funds capable of writing a $5M check.” Ultimately, for FemTech's to thrive like they absolutely should, women need men as allies and need male-dominated VC's to understand the nuances and benefits of FemTech businesses. I've linked the Forbes article in the comments below if anyone else would like a read and would love to hear others thoughts on the topic.