FemTech Focus

HITLAB's Women's Health Tech Challenge - Episode 54

On our first ever 3-way interview, we have Abby Stern and Savira Dargar from HITLAB. Abby was the Manager of the Women's Health Tech Initiative & Innovation Research & Evaluation and previously has a maternal and child health background with a Master's Public Health from Columbia University. Savira was the Deputy Director, Innovation Research, Strategy, & Compliance and the Director, Women’s Health Initiatives and has a clinical research background with a Master's degree in Health Policy & Ec...

Portfolia's 2nd Femtech fund & empowering womxn investors- Episode 53

Trish Costello is founder and CEO of Portfolia, which offers a radically different investing process designed for women and other emerging investors. She is also co-founder and CEO Emeritus of the Kauffman Fellows Program, Center for Venture Education, the global educational institute preparing the leaders of the venture capital industry, located in Palo Alto, CA. Portfolia brings investing into the 21st Century, creating entrepreneurial funds focused where women make markets, such as women's...

Hashiona pioneering the first ever app for Hashimoto's disease - Episode 52

Eva Galant is the founder of Hashiona, the first all-in-one app for Hashimoto patients. Hashimoto patients are 90% female. Eva is a serial entrepreneur having co-founded 3 startups and experienced a small exit for one of her companies. She founded Hashiona after her own personal struggle with hashimoto disease at her previous startup. Eva earned her Bachelor of Science from West Pomeranian University of Technology and her Masters in Investment Management from University of London. In this epi...

Debunking the cranberry myth with Uqora - Episode 51

Jenna Ryan is the co-founder & CEO of Uqora, a urinary track health company that creates a range of products to support urinary track health for those fed up with heavy antibiotic rotations. Since 2017, Uqora has helped over 100,000 women get ahead of UTIs. Jenna graduated with a Bachelors of Art from UC Santa Barbara. In this episode Jenna shared her personal struggle with UTIs, we discussed the vaginal microbiome, debunking the cranberry myth and consequences of taking too much antibiotics ...

"Connection" is the emotional food staple of life - Episode 50

Sheri Jacobs is the author of The Friendship Diet, a book about how women use food to cope with relationship troubles. She is a published, award-winning author, a certified and tenured NY teacher as well as a Texas certified teacher with ELA and ESL certification. She's also an active client of Pastorini-Bosby Talent Agency in Houston, TX with an extensive background performing on stage and in commercials and film. Sheri earned her Bachelor of Arts from Binghamton University and her Masters i...

Wild.AI is Unleashing the Beast in Womxn - Episode 49

Helene Guillaume is the founder & CEO of Wild.AI, a training app designed for womxn that is building the largest knowledge base of female datasets, across all ages, life stages and ethnicities. Starting with their B2C app, serving their first cohort of womxn: kickass females doing sports. Helene holds an Master’s Degree in Finance & Financial Risk Management from Audiencia Nantes Ecole de Management and a MBA from Universidad ESAN. She previously had an extensive career in financial services ...

Wild.AI is Unleashing the Beast in Women - Episode 49

Helene Guillaume is the founder & CEO of Wild.AI, a training app designed for womxn that is building the largest knowledge base of female datasets, across all ages, life stages and ethnicities. Starting with their B2C app, serving their first cohort of womxn: kickass females doing sports. Helene holds an Master’s Degree in Finance & Financial Risk Management from Audiencia Nantes Ecole de Management and a MBA from Universidad ESAN. She previously had an extensive career in financial services ...

Oova, your personal fertility translator - Episode 48

Dr. Amy Divaraniya is the co-founder & CEO of OOVA, a fertility tracking kit that allows couples to measure, track and predict ovulation cycles from home. Dr. Divaraniya has a PhD in Biomedical Sciences with a focus in Genetics and Genomics from Mount Sinai School of Medicine. In this episode we discussed how Oova works, the progesterone and luteinizing hormones and empowering women with their own fertility knowledge. Check out Oova at www.oova.life Rate, Review, and Subscribe!

What they don't tell you about postpartum with Cater to Mom - Episode 47

Marsha Stephanson is the founder & CEO of Cater to Mom, a monthly subscription box catered to the needs of moms during their fourth trimester, better known as postpartum. Their subscription boxes include monthly recovery essentials such as beauty or bath products, healthy snacks, books, self care tips and helpful postpartum care resources. Marsha is a veteran of the U.S. Air Force, a degreed HR professional, an entrepreneur and she earned her BA from Ashford University in Human Resources Mana...

Piloting Through Midlife with Terri Hanson Mead - Episode 46

Terri Hanson Mead is an experienced IT consultant, expert witness, angel investor, startup advisor, podcaster, YouTuber, and award-winning author of Piloting Your Life. Her award-winning book Piloting Your Life was written to embolden women over the age of 40 to take the controls and be the pilots in their own lives. Terri has spent over 20 years working in and with biotech, medical device, diagnostic and digital health companies on IT strategy, IT compliance, data integrity, and business/tec...

Lingerie for the beautiful & the brave with Everviolet - Episode 45

Keira Kotler is the CEO & Founder of Everviolet, an adaptive lingerie company that designs with the changes in a woman’s body following treatment for breast cancer and other meaningful life events in mind. Their lingerie are not only comfortable and functional but are also beautiful pieces of intimate apparel. Keira is a creative at heart, with a MFA in painting from the San Francisco Art Institute and has previously worked as a marketing professional. On this episode, Keira shares her journe...

Meet Femtech Pioneer, Women of Wearables - Episode 45

Marija Butkovic is the Founder & CEO of Women of Wearables, a leading global organisation aiming to support, connect and mentor women and diverse groups in wearable tech, fashion tech, health tech and IoT with more than 20,000 members located across the globe. Marija is a digital marketing & business consultant and Forbes contributor who has worked across a range of projects in different industry sectors, including legal, journalism, tech, IoT, wearable tech and fashion tech. She has been fea...

Women And Weed, with Colleen Fisher Tully- Episode 44

Colleen Fisher Tully is a freelance writer and editor. She writes content for magazine media, lifestyle websites, agencies and business clients (B2B and B2C). Her portfolio includes longform articles, web articles, ghostwriting, white papers, advertorial, blog posts, e-newsletters, landing pages, display copy, press releases, product descriptions and SEO. She has contributed numerous articles to Leafly with topics ranging from the history of cannabis in women's health to cannabis as medicine ...

Mira - The AI Fertility Tracker - Episode 43

Sylvia Kang is the Co-Founder & CEO of Mira, a women's health monitoring platform with that tracks cycles, predicts ovulation, monitors fetal health, measures ovarian reserve and detects menopause at home. Sylvia earned her BS in Bioengineering from the University of Pittsburgh, MS in Biomedical Engineering from Columbia University and MBA from the Cornell Johnson Graduate School of Management. She has extensive experience in P&L general management and has worked in product director roles in ...

Pleasure with a Purpose with Lioness - Episode 42

Liz Klinger is the Co-Founder & CEO of Lioness, a sexual health & wellness startup home to the Lioness Smart Vibrator, the first and only vibrator to improve orgasms through biofeedback and data. The Lioness Smart Vibrator was developed from over half a decade of research and development with sex researchers, doctors and analyzing 50,000+ orgasms. It has also won multiple Best of awards at CES, the Women's Health Innovation Spotlight, and was a finalist for Last Gadget Standing. Liz graduated...

KindBody & Fertility for All - Episode 41

Dr. Fahimeh Sasan the founding OB/GYN of Kinbody, a fertility & family-building clinic that is making it more accessible, intuitive, and empowering – for all. They serve patients and employers in New York, San Francisco, Los Angeles, and nationally online and through their partner clinics. Dr. Sasan completed her residency in Obstetrics and Gynecology at Mount Sinai Hospital in NYC and has been practicing and delivering clinical excellence for 12 years. She was rated one of NY Times Top Docto...

BONUS #5 - Future of Femtech's Wellness & Self Care Summit

Christina Vanvuren is the Founder & CEO of Future of Femtech, a lifestyle wellness community for women’s health and femtech leaders. Christina is a mother, Navy veteran, and crisis counselor at Crisis Text Line. She is currently studying for a trauma-informed yoga instructor certification, as well as completing an intensive leadership program through Co-Active Training Institute. We discussed pivoting during COVID-19, the Wellness & Self-Care Summit and womxn's mental health. Check out Futur...

Hela Health the one stop shop for women's benefits - Episode 40

Cathy Sebag is the CEO & Co-Founder of Hela Health, the one-stop-shop for employee health & wellness that allows users and their family to choose their own tools to manage their care. Ranging from hundreds of teleconsultation platforms, apps, wearables, products and services, Hela Health features some other well-known femtech brands such as Elvie, Pearl, Joylux, Twentyeight Health and more! Everything that can be found on Hela Health has gone through a rigorous review process by Hela's medica...

Tickle.life, the ultimate sexual discovery ecosystem - Episode 39

Shakun Sethi is the CEO & Founder of Tickle.life, a community based online discovery platform and marketplace which is a one-stop-shop for sexual wellness content, products and services. Their platform has over 300 sex therapists, sex-positive groups, coaches and sex-perts. Prior to Tickle.life, Shakun founded Dizuna Communications, a crisis communication startup. She earned her Bachelor's degree in Psychology & English Literature from Jammu University & Master's degree in International Commu...

BONUS #4 - LactApp, el experto en lactación en tu bolsillo!

Maria Berruezo es la cofundadora de LactApp Women's Health con sede en Barcelona, ​​España. LactApp, la primera aplicación dedicada a la lactancia y la maternidad con consultas individuales con especialistas sin la molestia de visitas en persona o largos períodos de incertidumbre. LactApp tiene 40,000 usuarios mensuales y responde a más de 90,000 preguntas cada semana y fue seleccionada por Apple como una de las 10 empresas dirigidas por mujeres en el mundo para su Campamento de Emprendedores...

WellFemme is breaking barriers with Menopause Telehealth- Episode 38

Dr. Kelly Teagle is the Founder & CEO of WellFemme, a Telehealth service provided by female General Practitioners who specialize in menopause and midlife care. They provide evidence-based menopause information, advice and treatment in collaboration with our clients’ usual General Practitioners. She graduated in Medicine from the University of Queensland in 2001 and worked in the Royal Australian Air Force as a Medical Officer until 2010. As a civilian GP she gained Fellowship of the Royal Aus...

The HabitAware story, from Hiding to Healing - Episode 37

Aneela Idnani is the Co-Founder of HabitAware. Through HabitAware, Keen was invented. It is a smart bracelet that uses gesture detection technology to bring awareness to hair pulling (trichotillomania), skin picking and nail biting disorders. These disorders are part of an umbrella term called Body Focused Repetitive Behaviors (BFRB). HabitAware aims to spread awareness of these behaviors and empowering people to “Retrain The Brain” with healthier coping mechanisms. She’s spoken at TEDxFargo ...

Calling all Femtech investors! with Portfolia - Episode 36

Chantell Preston is a serial entrepreneur, femtech founder & an active investor. She is a lead partner in the Portfolia Active Aging & Longevity fund and has over 20 years of healthcare operations & management. Within her extensive experience in the healthcare industry, she has successfully founded & exited several healthcare companies. On this episode we discussed how healthcare management relates to women's health, how women make 80% of all the healthcare decisions in their household (in th...

Step into the pleasure portal with Dirty Lola - Episode 35

Dirty Lola is the Founder & CEO of Sex Ed A Go Go, a sex Q&A and variety show. It's hosted live in New York City featuring burlesque and go-go dancers to liven up the mood. Dirty Lola is a huge advocate for sex positivity and has a vast experience being a performer and sex educator. She's spent the last 6 years working to end the stigma, shame & lack of accessible sex education. During my interview with Dirty Lola we discussed the female orgasm, pubic hair, butt play and how these relate to w...

The Google of women's health, Hertility Health - Episode 34

Dr. Helen O'Neill currently serves as the Founder & CEO of Hertility Health while also being the Programme Director, Reproductive Science and Women's Health at University College London and Lecturer in Reproductive and Molecular Genetics. Hertility Health is creating an easier way for women to get personalised insights into their digital biological clock, whenever they need it. Their Hertility Health Test is a proactive hormone test that gives insights into egg count, ovulation and how genera...

Springboard Enterprise supporting Femtech innovation - Episode 33

Kristen Comer is a program manager at Springboard Enterprises who carries out their signature accelerator programs, focusing on the Tech and Health Innovation Hubs. Springboard's mission is to accelerate the growth of entrepreneurial companies led by women through access to essential resources and a global community of experts. Since 2000, over 800 Springboard portfolio companies seeking financial and human capital for product development and expansion have created over $20B in value, are rev...

Taking a pulse on Femtech Trends - Episode 32

Dr. Alice Zheng is a women's health practice leader at McKinsey in the Pharmaceutical and Medical Device and Global Public Health practices. She leads women’s health efforts at the Firm, including internal research on industry sub-segments such as FemTech and pharma. Previous to McKinsey, she worked in women’s health as a clinician and also as a public health practitioner in reproductive health in East Africa and Asia. Alice holds an MBA from Harvard Business School and MD/MPH from the Univer...

Stress does not equal Success, with Bask + Being - Episode 31

Brionna Ned is the Co-Founder & Lead Facilitator of Bask + Being, a mental health startup on a mission to reduce workplace stress, anxiety & burnout. She co-founded Bask + Being to help others and organizations understand and remove the institutional barriers to employee success and well-being. Prior to Bask + Being, Brionna received her MA & BA from Stanford Sociology with a focus on Organizational Behavior & International Relations, respectively, and her J.D. with honors from the University...

Perinatal Access - bridging the gap to pregnancy care - Episode 30

Greg Linton is the founder & CEO of Perinatal Access, a cloud-based digital health platform that leverages telemedicine and live ultrasound streaming to enable OB/GYN physicians and other specialists in the Obstetric space to be more effective. Greg was inspired to start Perinatal Access by his past 9 years working in the high-risk obstetrics business and he and his wife’s personal experience with the premature birth of their twin sons. Greg believes Perinatal Access will help healthcare faci...

"Clean up in aisle V" with Come & Gone - Episode 29

Femtech FOMO with Portfolia - Episode 28

Dr. Faz Bashi, M.D is the lead investor at the Portfolia Femtech Fund and is also one of Femtech Focus's advisors. One of their investment funds, The Portfolia FemTech Fund, focuses on emerging technologies, products and services improving women’s health and wellness. From fertility solutions to menopausal care and overall fitness, the fund will invest in high-potential opportunities that can be both profitable and grant women greater health and wellness. Faz has a background in Immunology an...

Bra + Robe = Brobe - Episode 27

Allison Shickel is the CEO, founder & inventor of Brobe, a bra & robe combination for women after mastectomies or any kind of chest surgery. Allison's company specializes in post-surgical adaptive clothing company that focuses on developing apparel and accessories for women recovering from major surgeries that are comfortable yet chic. Allison has won multiple awards namely, the Women's Chamber of Commerce 2016 "Blazing Star" award and Austin's 2015 InnovateHer Award. Among her accomplishment...

BONUS #3 - Black Women's Health in the United States

Dr. Teriya Monick Richmond is a board certified family medicine physician and has been practicing for over 10 years. Dr. Richmond was the first physician in the Harris Health System to facilitate Centering Pregnancy, she also served as an Assistant Professor at the University of Texas-Houston and currently serves as the Chief Medical Officer of the AIDS Foundation in Houston. Dr. Richmond recently opened Your Essential Healthcare and DaySpa (YEHD), which is a dedicated women’s health center a...

Breastmilk delivery! with Milk Stork - Episode 26

Kate Torgersen is CEO and Founder of Milk Stork. The first and only breast milk delivery service for business traveling moms. They provide refrigerated overnight shipping of your milk to your baby while you are away. Milk Stork is on a mission to help moms continue to nourish their babies while they continue to nourish their careers. In 2015, Milk Stork was recognized as one of Business Insider's "19 Coolest New Businesses in San Francisco" and has shipped over 3.6 million ounces of breast mi...

MiddleSexMD, your trusted menopause sex guru - Episode 25

Dr. Barb DePree is CEO and Founder of MiddleSexMD, a sexual health resource for women in perimenopause and beyond. They provide medically accurate content, and suggest products that have been proven to help women continue to have great sex even after menopause. Dr. Barb DePree has been a practicing gynecologist for over 30 years and has been specializing in menopause for the last 10 years. We discussed sex after menopause, the role of estrogen for comfortable sex, and the importance of mainta...

BONUS #2 - Britt & Julie review Femtech pitches, dismantling the biases in women’s health & Julie launches SOMOSGYN

The founders of Femtech Focus, Drs. Brittany Barreto and Julie Hakim, sit down in sesh-coworking (no dogs this time) to talk about the Femtech Focus podcast and what the femtech industry needs as a whole. In this episode they touch upon their observations in recent pitch competitions to how they can help future Femtech founders. Julie expands her reach by launching SOMOSGYN in both English & Spanish to help young girls out there. The duo drops little teasers on future episodes and interesting...

Menstrual Mates Dispelling the taboo of menstruation - Episode 24

Cindy Belardo is CEO and Founder of Menstrual Mates, a community to discuss periods and normalize menstruation. They are committed to uplifting their community, especially those experiencing period poverty. This lack of access to menstrual care products greatly affects people who are homeless and people in prison. We discussed the history of menstrual cups and the biology of toxic shock syndrome. Support their initiatives by visiting www.menstrualmates.com Rate, Review, and Subscribe!

Period Health & Gender Equality with Menstrual Health Hub - Episode 23

Milena Bacalja is the Co-Founder & Chief Innovation and Research Officer at Menstrual Health Hub, a female health nonprofit and social impact business. They have particular efforts around menstrual health, gender equality, and women-centered design. We speak about period equity around the world, what really is women-centered design, and the difference between women's health and female health. Support their efforts and learn more at www.mhhub.org Rate, review, and subscribe!

Bras that fit with Missfits - Episode 22

Charlotte Chiang is the Founder and CEO of Missfits, a lingerie company that helps women find a bra that uniquely fits them. Missfits has a data-driven approach which includes breast height, projection, and how much support they require. All these dimensions impact which bras will make a woman feel her best. We speak about the history of bras, bras in space, and what women around the world prioritize in their bras. Check out their products at MissFits.co Rate, review, and subscribe!

Making Menopause Mainstream with Lisa Health - Episode 21

Ann Garnier is the Founder and CEO of Lisa Health, a science-backed platform that empowers women to manage their menopause journey. Lisa Health helps women make small changes to prepare for menopause, manage symptoms, and improve their midlife well-being. Women can select from over 100 science and expert-backed challenges to create a personalized journey and join community groups to find support and advice. Rate, review, and subscribe!

BONUS- Britt & Julie review OBGyns a friend or foe, birth control a miracle or mask, and Asian vaginas

The founders of Femtech Focus, Drs. Brittany Barreto and Julie Hakim, sit down to talk all things femtech. They have a casual conversation on Brittany's coach surrounded by her rescue pups. The conversation was live-streamed in May on Facebook and Instagram. Don't wait for these behind the scenes discussions to drop on the podcast. Follow Femtech Focus on social to watch them (and their dogs!) live!

Work & Mother - Lactation Suites for the Office Building

Abbey Donnell is the Founder and CEO of Work & Mother, a network of fully equipped lactation facilities that not only supports working mothers but makes it easy for employers to be in compliance with FLSA regulations. W&M helps prevent workplace attrition associated with childbirth, while also helping mothers reach their breastfeeding goals and keep their children happy and healthy. W&M operates much like a building gym. So, rather than every company trying to create individual solutions to s...

Maternal Care during the Pandemic with Zaya Care - Episode 19

Leoni Runge is the Founder and CEO of Zaya Care, providing maternal and newborn expertise in your pocket and in-home. Zaya Care is a network of licensed nurse midwives, doulas, and lactation consultants with the mission to help moms have the most pleasant motherhood experience possible. The vision was inspired by the European methods of treating pregnant women pre-, during, and post-birth. We discuss why this access to healthcare is even more important now during the pandemic. Check out Zaya ...

Mosie Baby, the 'Turkey Baster' of the 21st Century - Episode 18

Maureen Brown is CEO and Co-Founder of Mosie Baby, an at-home insemination kit. Mosie Baby has helped thousands of women get pregnant at home with their patent-pending, nature-inspired syringe. Designed by women specifically for conception, Mosie is a safe, simple, affordable option worth trying before intrauterine insemination at a fertility clinic. And it’s as familiar to use as a tampon. Mosie is MD-endorsed with a patent-pending design that's simply perfect for making a baby at home. We s...

Pelvic Floor Stretch with Materna Medical - Episode 17

Tracy MacNeal is CEO of Materna Medical. Materna is a powerful leader in transforming women’s pelvic health. It is the outcome of years of research and development which began at Stanford University’s Biodesign program, and continues as part of the Fogarty Institute for Innovation in Silicon Valley. Materna has one product commercially available since 2018 called Milli for consumer purchase on www.milliforher.com. Their secondary product, the Materna Prep medical device, is in clinical trials...

Estrogen and Your Diet with Tammy Karni - Episode 16

Tammy Karni is a registered dietician and certified coach in metabolic balance. She specializes in holistic nutrition that take four key factors into account; insulin, microbiome, acidity, and inflammation. We speak about how all of these factors directly affect estrogen in women. Rate, review, and subscribe to the podcast!

The Motherhood Center - Episode 15

Gabriela Gerhart is the Founder and CEO of The Motherhood Center in Houston, Texas. The Motherhood Center supports expecting and new moms and their partners through the journey of birthing. Gabriela has been assisting moms for over 20 years in the Houston area and we speak about why this type of center is not present in every city. We cover topics like baby doulas, birthing positions, baby yoga, and what improvements should be made to the delivery room in hospitals. Check out their services (...

Gennev wishing you a Happy Menopause Day! - Episode 14

Jill Angelo is the CEO and Cofounder of Gennev, first online clinic for women growing through menopause.  Due to social stigma and lack of innovation, less than 7% of women get the help they need in menopause. Gennev set their vision on being the go-to health and wellness solution for women in menopause. They offer products, coaching, telemedicine through their platform. Rate, review, and subscribe to the podcast!

Social Mama ending isolation for moms - Episode 13

Amanda Ducach is the Founder and CEO of Social Mama, an app that matchmakes moms for friendship and support. Part of that support includes experts like OBGyns, business coaches, and therapists. With over 20,000 moms already on the platform, Social Mama is ending isolation for mothers everywhere. Community is a key to women's mental and emotional health when they become a mother. Rate, review, and subscribe to the podcast!

Femtech down under! Aussie Edition - Episode 12

Megan Capriccio is a Femtech consultant and Femtech Collective Chapter Director in Sydney, Australia. In this episode, we discuss how women's health and wellness are addressed in the land down under. We had several project ideas during our conversation and Megan initiated one when we finished recording! Follow @FemtechFocus to access the open google sheet that's collecting a list of femtech technologies, products, and drugs that need updating or new clinical trials. This list is for all you a...