Indian femtech startups listen to women

The term “femtech,” short for “female tech,” was first coined in 2016 by entrepreneur Ida Tin, founder of Clue, a Berlin-based period-tracking app. Femtech companies provide diagnostic tools, products, services, wearables, and software that use technology to address women’s health issues: menstrual health, reproductive health, sexual health, and maternal health, as well as menopause. It also encompasses general health issues that affect more women disproportionately or differently.

Removing stigma

When Shaili Chopra, journalist and founder of She The People TV Network, decided to start Gytree, a “one-stop women’s health platform,” as her website quotes her, the primary issue she and co-founder Swarnima Bhattacharya decided to focus on was takan or exhaustion. “We started Gytree because we understood that while women have many pain points or pain points — from breast cancer to vaginal infections — their biggest pain point is that they’re (always) tired,” Chopra says. While the idea of ​​building a company around a seemingly simple and ubiquitous problem may seem laughable, the idea of ​​helping women deal with this “constant state of exhaustion” led Chopra and her team to design programs and develop health products for preventive healthcare.

“Our products and programs are regimented and routine-based, designed to not just address the symptom but to get to the root of the problem,” Chopra says. Gytree’s nutritional products, launched a year ago, include plant-based protein powders and gummies that address women’s health symptoms, including skin and hair concerns, weight and gut issues, and other midlife and menopause-related issues. The company offers at-home lab test kits and expert consultations on weight management, cholesterol, and diabetes, among other things.

While women’s nutrition is an important segment, femtech companies also aim to address topics like menstrual, sexual and reproductive health, which are usually stigmatized. Bengaluru-based co-founders Nidhi Panchmal and Dipalie Bajaj quickly realised that most women are unaware of their fertility issues, and when they do, it’s often too late for them to consider their options. They founded Arva Health to ensure that everyone has access to the information and expertise they need to make smart decisions about their fertility, through a combination of fertility testing, expert advice, consultations, coaching and ongoing support.

“Our goal is to make fertility awareness easier to understand so that individuals can confidently plan for their future, on their terms,” says Bajaj. “By addressing key areas like fertility awareness, preconception health, and family planning, we create solutions that resonate with real-life experiences across the gender spectrum. Our data-driven tools and insights empower individuals and couples to take control of their reproductive health and make informed decisions about their family-building journey,” Bajaj explains.

Women’s healthcare enables better outcomes for consumers by enabling self-care. Personal hygiene and menstrual products are among the other femtech solutions that help women take more responsibility for their health. Pee Safe, a Gurugram-based company that manufactures personal and feminine hygiene products, started out by creating a toilet seat disinfectant spray, a revolutionary feminine hygiene product, about seven years ago. Then, sensing a gap in the needs of women during their periods, Pee Safe entered the menstrual hygiene market with sanitary napkins, tampons, menstrual cups and complementary products like menstrual cup steam sterilizers, menstrual cup holders, cramp relief patches and more.

“We have created products that help women decide which product is best for them. To provide women with comprehensive support in their period care, we also have a WhatsApp app for period tracking and an AI chatbot on the website that caters to our customers by recommending products as per their requirements,” says Rithish Kumar, co-founder, Pee Safe. The company also focuses on building an online community for its customers.

McKinsey & Company in its 2024 report Femtech is the future of women’s health stated that public awareness, the emergence of new companies, and the availability of funds have led to an increase in the production of healthcare products designed for women. They estimated the current market size of the femtech industry at between $500 million and $1 billion and predicted that the market would grow even more.

Bengaluru-based Elda Health is another digital healthcare platform that aims to provide comprehensive healthcare services for women. What sets it apart from other ventures in the industry is that it is one of the few companies that cater to menopausal women in India. According to the Indian Menopause Society (IMS), 150 million women in India go through menopause. “Women’s gynecological health, the most unspoken issue and the largest untapped market in the world, requires a multidisciplinary approach, with the right blend of medical and technological expertise,” says Elda Health co-founder and CEO Swathi Kulkarni.

By addressing key areas such as fertility awareness, preconception health and family planning, we create solutions that speak to the real experiences of all members of the gender spectrum. – Dipalie Bajaj, Co-Founder, Arva Health

Democratize health for all

Dr. Garima Sawhney, gynaecologist and co-founder of Pristyn Care, a health technology company in Gurugram, can’t stress enough why women’s health requires special attention. “Every woman goes through hormonal changes at different stages of her life. Right from teenage years to reproductive years and post-menopause, there is a delicate interplay that affects a woman’s well-being. Hence, the development of femtech and advancement in women’s health is essential. Femtech provides women with equal access to healthcare innovations,” says Dr. Sawhney.

Chopra says the emergence of more companies in the femtech space will only increase. “More women will join the workforce and enjoy purchasing power. With greater awareness of health and self-care, they will look for functional nutrition solutions that will help them survive. So, functional nutrition for women will be important in the next few years,” says Chopra, adding that for companies to succeed, they need to understand the nuances of women’s well-being and offer solutions that can be implemented effectively.

Kulkarni believes femtech will democratize health for all. “Femtech has the power to change the way women around the world can access healthcare, education, and interventions efficiently and in a way that we can all afford,” she says.

Aditi Sarawagi is a freelance writer covering health, travel and food.