In this episode, we talk to Irene Laurora, SVP of Scientific Affairs, and Flavia Mason, global VP of women’s health at Perrigo, a consumer health company. Their over the counter birth control, Opill, was the first to receive FDA approval in the US, a significant step towards decreasing barriers for women to access quality healthcare. Join us for a conversation where we discuss the societal role of hormonal birth control, Perrigo’s journey to securing FDA approval for Opill, and whether Opill is right for you.

Remember to like, rate, and subscribe. Enjoy the episode!

Guest bio

Irene Laurora is a pharmacist by training who has spent her career in the pharmaceutical industry working to build solutions that make people’s lives better and healthier. She currently serves as the SVP of Scientific Affairs at Perrigo, where she has played an instrumental role in the development of products like Opill.

Flavia Mason is the Global VP of Women’s Health at Perrigo. She came to this role after many years in corporate America, where she proved herself to be a strong leader and capable operator. She joined Perrigo to help improve women’s experiences when interacting with the healthcare system.

Organization bio

Perrigo is a consumer health company responsible for securing FDA approval for the first over the counter birth control in the US, the Opill. Perrigo is behind many of the personal health brands you may be familiar with and see at your local pharmacy. With the addition of the Opill, consumers are now able to walk into a pharmacy, big box retailer, or favorite e-commerce platform, and access hormonal birth control pills without doctor’s appointment or prescription. It is a massive step forward in reducing barriers to accessing healthcare for women.

FemTech Focus Podcast bio

The FemTech Focus Podcast is brought to you by FemHealth Insights, the leader in Women’s Health market research and consulting. In this show, Dr. Brittany Barreto hosts meaningfully provocative conversations that bring FemTech experts - including doctors, scientists, inventors, and founders - on air to talk about the innovative technology, services, and products (collectively known as FemTech) that are improving women's health and wellness. Though many leaders in FemTech are women, this podcast is not specifically about female founders, nor is it geared toward a specifically female audience. The podcast gives our host, Dr. Brittany Barreto, and guests an engaging, friendly environment to learn about the past, present, and future of women’s health and wellness.

FemHealth Insights bio

Led by a team of analysts and advisors who specialize in female health, FemHealth Insights is a female health-specific market research and analysis firm, offering businesses in diverse industries unparalleled access to the comprehensive data and insights needed to illuminate areas of untapped potential in the nuanced women’s health market.

 Time Stamps

[02:10] Flavia and Irene’s backgrounds

[09:38] Description of Perrigo and explanation of connection to women’s health

[12:45] What is Opill?

[16:02] Other forms of over the counter contraception

[20:20] Stats around unintended pregnancy in the US

[23:48] Effectiveness of OTC birth control

[29:38] The FDA approval process for Opill 

[32:12] How Perrigo is helping increase access to birth control 

[35:10] Is Opill right for you?

[37:12] Is OTC birth control new to the world? Or just new to the US? 

[38:50] Looking ahead: aspirations for Opill and Perrigo

 Episode Contributors

Irene Laurora 

LinkedIn: @Irene Laurora

Flavia Mason

LinkedIn: @Flavia Mason

 

Opill

Website: https://opill.com/

 

Dr. Brittany Barreto

LinkedIn:  @Brittany Barreto, Ph.D.

Twitter: @DrBrittB

Instagram: @drbrittanybarreto

 

FemTech Focus Podcast

Website: https://femtechfocus.org/

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/femtechfocus

Twitter: @FemTech_Focus

Instagram: @femtechfocus

 

FemHealth Insights

Website: https://www.femhealthinsights.com/

LinkedIn: @FemHealth Insights

In this episode, we talk to Gaia Salizzoni, founder of Hale, a community for women suffering from genito-pelvic pain, including vulvodynia. Her community is an important part of the care journey for patients going through treatment or dealing with genito-pelvic pain. Additionally, as an entrepreneur building a women’s health company in the EU, Gaia has a unique view into the advantages and difficulties building in Europe. Join us for a conversation where we discuss the Hale community, genito-pelvic pain, and the current state of women’s health innovation in the EU.

Remember to like, rate and subscribe and enjoy the episode!

Guest bio

Gale Salizzoni is founder and CEO of Hale, a digital platform designed to help people living with genito-pelvic pain improve their quality of life. With a passion for women's health and a background in technology, Gaia founded Hale to provide support and resources for those navigating the challenges of pelvic and gynecologic pain. Through Hale, Gaia aims to empower individuals to better manage their condition and find relief from discomfort, fostering a community of understanding and support along the way.

Organization bio

Hale is a supportive community tailored for women experiencing genito-pelvic pain, offering a safe space for connection, understanding, and shared healing journeys. Through online forums, resources, and expert guidance, Hale provides women with the tools and solidarity to navigate their pain experiences with empowerment and resilience. With a focus on holistic well-being and destigmatization, Hale fosters a compassionate environment where women can find comfort, validation, and hope amidst their challenges.

FemTech Focus Podcast bio

The FemTech Focus Podcast is brought to you by FemHealth Insights, the leader in Women’s Health market research and consulting. In this show, Dr. Brittany Barreto hosts meaningfully provocative conversations that bring FemTech experts - including doctors, scientists, inventors, and founders - on air to talk about the innovative technology, services, and products (collectively known as FemTech) that are improving women's health and wellness. Though many leaders in FemTech are women, this podcast is not specifically about female founders, nor is it geared toward a specifically female audience. The podcast gives our host, Dr. Brittany Barreto, and guests an engaging, friendly environment to learn about the past, present, and future of women’s health and wellness.

FemHealth Insights bio

Led by a team of analysts and advisors who specialize in female health, FemHealth Insights is a female health-specific market research and analysis firm, offering businesses in diverse industries unparalleled access to the comprehensive data and insights needed to illuminate areas of untapped potential in the nuanced women’s health market.

Time Stamps

[02:00] Gaia’s background

[03:42] Founding story of Hale

[05:22] What is vulvodynia? What causes it? 

[08:57] How is vulvodynia treated? 

[10:02] How does physiotherapy help with vulvodynia? 

[13:13] The role of community in treating chronic pelvic pain

[15:18] What is Hale? 

[19:20] Who can access Hale? Where is it 

[22:08] FemTech in the EU

[28:10] Marketing censorship of women’s health companies in the EU

[28:36] Women’s Health trends and access to research funding in the EU vs US

[30:40] Advice for european entrepreneurs wanting to build in women’s health

Episode Contributors

Gaia Salizzoni

LinkedIn: @Gaia Salizzoni

Hale

Website: https://www.halecommunity.com/

LinkedIn: @Hale Community

Dr. Brittany Barreto

LinkedIn:  @Brittany Barreto, Ph.D.

Twitter: @DrBrittB

Instagram: @drbrittanybarreto

FemTech Focus Podcast

Website: https://femtechfocus.org/

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/femtechfocus

Twitter: @FemTech_Focus

Instagram: @femtechfocus

FemHealth Insights

Website: https://www.femhealthinsights.com/

LinkedIn: @FemHealth Insights

In this episode, we talk to Wendy Strgar, Founder and CEO of Good Clean Love, and Vaginal Biome Science. We discuss Wendy's companies, and what led her to create them, an Institute for Women's Health - will they or won't they - and the importance of getting to know your own vagina.

Remember to like, rate and subscribe and enjoy the episode!

Guest bio

Wendy Strgar is an award-winning entrepreneur and the Founder and CEO of Good Clean Love, a woman-owned B corporation and a pioneer in the organic personal care product industry.  She is also the founder and CEO of Vaginal Biome Science, a biotechnology company that develops vaginal microbiota-based therapies to protect and restore microbial health.  She was named in Top 25 Consumer HealthTech CEOs 2020  and has been recognized in the top 100 impact CEOs in 2022, 2021 and 2018.

Strgar's commitment to innovation lead to the development of patented BioMatched technology for women’s health. Strgar holds multiple US patents for Bio-Match technology, a leading scientific approach applying biomimicry to sexual health and hygiene products.

Organization bio

Good Clean Love products are distributed in more than 50,000 stores across the United States and Canada. As a leading sexual wellness brand, Good Clean Love products are found in top retailers such as Target, CVS, Kroger, Whole Foods Market, Walgreens and more. Its best-selling SKU is the #1 organic personal lubricant on the market.

Under Wendy’s leadership, Good Clean Love is a champion of sustainable business practices. In 2018, the company launched a carbon offset initiative; its flagship product, Almost Naked personal lubricant, became the first-ever Carbon Neutral intimacy product in the world. Good Clean Love is also one of the only personal care product brands whose products are packaged using bioplastic, a material made from recyclable sugar cane.

Good Clean Love was included in the prestigious Inc 5000 awards in 2022.  

FemTech Focus Podcast bio

The FemTech Focus Podcast is brought to you by FemHealth Insights, the leader in Women’s Health market research and consulting. In this show, Dr. Brittany Barreto hosts meaningfully provocative conversations that bring FemTech experts - including doctors, scientists, inventors, and founders - on air to talk about the innovative technology, services, and products (collectively known as FemTech) that are improving women's health and wellness. Though many leaders in FemTech are women, this podcast is not specifically about female founders, nor is it geared toward a specifically female audience. The podcast gives our host, Dr. Brittany Barreto, and guests an engaging, friendly environment to learn about the past, present, and future of women’s health and wellness.

FemHealth Insights bio

Led by a team of analysts and advisors who specialize in female health, FemHealth Insights is a female health-specific market research and analysis firm, offering businesses in diverse industries unparalleled access to the comprehensive data and insights needed to illuminate areas of untapped potential in the nuanced women’s health market.

Time Stamps

[04:18] Wendy’s background

[16:50] Good Clean Love?

[29:25] Microbiome Sequencing

[34:03] Transfer of bacteria in same-sex relationships

[38:31] Long term goal for Vaginal Biome Science

[41:28] NIH

[44:45] Getting involved with Wendy and Good Clean Love

Episode Contributors

Wendy Strgar

LinkedIn: @Wendy Strgar

 

Good Clean Love

Website: https://goodcleanlove.com/

LinkedIn: @Good Clean Love

Instagram: @goodcleanlove

TikTok: @goodcleanlove

YouTube: @GoodCleanLove  

 

Dr. Brittany Barreto

LinkedIn:  @Brittany Barreto, Ph.D.

Twitter: @DrBrittB

Instagram: @drbrittanybarreto

 

FemTech Focus Podcast

Website: https://femtechfocus.org/

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/femtechfocus

Twitter: @FemTech_Focus

Instagram: @femtechfocus

 

FemHealth Insights

Website: https://www.femhealthinsights.com/

LinkedIn: @FemHealth Insights

FemTech Focus is a 501c3 non-profit organization founded to empower, equip, and bring together healthcare professionals, life-science entrepreneurs, and forward thinking investors to revolutionize women’s health and wellness. FemTech Focus elevates the FemTech industry through increased awareness, providing resources to FemTech founders, & creating opportunities to support FemTech startups through exposure, networking, and access to capital.The FemTech Focus Podcast with Dr. Brittany Barreto is a meaningfully provocative conversational series that brings femtech experts – including doctors, scientists, inventors, and founders – on air to talk about the innovative technology, services, and products (collectively known as femtech) that are improving women’s health and wellness. The podcast gives our host, Dr. Brittany Barreto, and guests an engaging, friendly environment to learn about the past, present, and future of women’s health and wellness.Dr. Brittany Barreto is a scientist, serial entrepreneur, and venture capitalist. While finishing her PhD in Molecular and Human Genetics at Baylor College of Medicine, Brittany founded Pheramor, the first nationwide DNA-based dating app. She then embarked into venture capital as the Senior Venture Associate at Capital Factory and was tasked with launching the fund’s Houston branch. Brittany now has her sights on advancing women’s health. She is host of the FemTech Focus podcast which has 150+ episodes and 30 thousand downloads in 105 countries. Brittany is the co-founding partner of Coyote Ventures, a US-based venture fund investing in early-stage women’s health startups.

FemTech Focus is a 501c3 non-profit organization founded to empower, equip, and bring together healthcare professionals, life-science entrepreneurs, and forward thinking investors to revolutionize women’s health and wellness. FemTech Focus elevates the FemTech industry through increased awareness, providing resources to FemTech founders, & creating opportunities to support FemTech startups through exposure, networking, and access to capital.The FemTech Focus Podcast with Dr. Brittany Barreto is a meaningfully provocative conversational series that brings femtech experts – including doctors, scientists, inventors, and founders – on air to talk about the innovative technology, services, and products (collectively known as femtech) that are improving women’s health and wellness. The podcast gives our host, Dr. Brittany Barreto, and guests an engaging, friendly environment to learn about the past, present, and future of women’s health and wellness.Dr. Brittany Barreto is a scientist, serial entrepreneur, and venture capitalist. While finishing her PhD in Molecular and Human Genetics at Baylor College of Medicine, Brittany founded Pheramor, the first nationwide DNA-based dating app. She then embarked into venture capital as the Senior Venture Associate at Capital Factory and was tasked with launching the fund’s Houston branch. Brittany now has her sights on advancing women’s health. She is host of the FemTech Focus podcast which has 150+ episodes and 30 thousand downloads in 105 countries. Brittany is the co-founding partner of Coyote Ventures, a US-based venture fund investing in early-stage women’s health startups.

FemTech Focus is a 501c3 non-profit organization founded to empower, equip, and bring together healthcare professionals, life-science entrepreneurs, and forward thinking investors to revolutionize women’s health and wellness. FemTech Focus elevates the FemTech industry through increased awareness, providing resources to FemTech founders, & creating opportunities to support FemTech startups through exposure, networking, and access to capital.The FemTech Focus Podcast with Dr. Brittany Barreto is a meaningfully provocative conversational series that brings femtech experts – including doctors, scientists, inventors, and founders – on air to talk about the innovative technology, services, and products (collectively known as femtech) that are improving women’s health and wellness. The podcast gives our host, Dr. Brittany Barreto, and guests an engaging, friendly environment to learn about the past, present, and future of women’s health and wellness.Dr. Brittany Barreto is a scientist, serial entrepreneur, and venture capitalist. While finishing her PhD in Molecular and Human Genetics at Baylor College of Medicine, Brittany founded Pheramor, the first nationwide DNA-based dating app. She then embarked into venture capital as the Senior Venture Associate at Capital Factory and was tasked with launching the fund’s Houston branch. Brittany now has her sights on advancing women’s health. She is host of the FemTech Focus podcast which has 150+ episodes and 30 thousand downloads in 105 countries. Brittany is the co-founding partner of Coyote Ventures, a US-based venture fund investing in early-stage women’s health startups.

FemTech Focus is a 501c3 non-profit organization founded to empower, equip, and bring together healthcare professionals, life-science entrepreneurs, and forward thinking investors to revolutionize women’s health and wellness. FemTech Focus elevates the FemTech industry through increased awareness, providing resources to FemTech founders, & creating opportunities to support FemTech startups through exposure, networking, and access to capital.The FemTech Focus Podcast with Dr. Brittany Barreto is a meaningfully provocative conversational series that brings femtech experts – including doctors, scientists, inventors, and founders – on air to talk about the innovative technology, services, and products (collectively known as femtech) that are improving women’s health and wellness. The podcast gives our host, Dr. Brittany Barreto, and guests an engaging, friendly environment to learn about the past, present, and future of women’s health and wellness.Dr. Brittany Barreto is a scientist, serial entrepreneur, and venture capitalist. While finishing her PhD in Molecular and Human Genetics at Baylor College of Medicine, Brittany founded Pheramor, the first nationwide DNA-based dating app. She then embarked into venture capital as the Senior Venture Associate at Capital Factory and was tasked with launching the fund’s Houston branch. Brittany now has her sights on advancing women’s health. She is host of the FemTech Focus podcast which has 150+ episodes and 30 thousand downloads in 105 countries. Brittany is the co-founding partner of Coyote Ventures, a US-based venture fund investing in early-stage women’s health startups.

FemTech Focus is a 501c3 non-profit organization founded to empower, equip, and bring together healthcare professionals, life-science entrepreneurs, and forward thinking investors to revolutionize women’s health and wellness. FemTech Focus elevates the FemTech industry through increased awareness, providing resources to FemTech founders, & creating opportunities to support FemTech startups through exposure, networking, and access to capital.The FemTech Focus Podcast with Dr. Brittany Barreto is a meaningfully provocative conversational series that brings femtech experts – including doctors, scientists, inventors, and founders – on air to talk about the innovative technology, services, and products (collectively known as femtech) that are improving women’s health and wellness. The podcast gives our host, Dr. Brittany Barreto, and guests an engaging, friendly environment to learn about the past, present, and future of women’s health and wellness.Dr. Brittany Barreto is a scientist, serial entrepreneur, and venture capitalist. While finishing her PhD in Molecular and Human Genetics at Baylor College of Medicine, Brittany founded Pheramor, the first nationwide DNA-based dating app. She then embarked into venture capital as the Senior Venture Associate at Capital Factory and was tasked with launching the fund’s Houston branch. Brittany now has her sights on advancing women’s health. She is host of the FemTech Focus podcast which has 150+ episodes and 30 thousand downloads in 105 countries. Brittany is the co-founding partner of Coyote Ventures, a US-based venture fund investing in early-stage women’s health startups.

FemTech Focus is a 501c3 non-profit organization founded to empower, equip, and bring together healthcare professionals, life-science entrepreneurs, and forward thinking investors to revolutionize women’s health and wellness. FemTech Focus elevates the FemTech industry through increased awareness, providing resources to FemTech founders, & creating opportunities to support FemTech startups through exposure, networking, and access to capital.The FemTech Focus Podcast with Dr. Brittany Barreto is a meaningfully provocative conversational series that brings femtech experts – including doctors, scientists, inventors, and founders – on air to talk about the innovative technology, services, and products (collectively known as femtech) that are improving women’s health and wellness. The podcast gives our host, Dr. Brittany Barreto, and guests an engaging, friendly environment to learn about the past, present, and future of women’s health and wellness.Dr. Brittany Barreto is a scientist, serial entrepreneur, and venture capitalist. While finishing her PhD in Molecular and Human Genetics at Baylor College of Medicine, Brittany founded Pheramor, the first nationwide DNA-based dating app. She then embarked into venture capital as the Senior Venture Associate at Capital Factory and was tasked with launching the fund’s Houston branch. Brittany now has her sights on advancing women’s health. She is host of the FemTech Focus podcast which has 150+ episodes and 30 thousand downloads in 105 countries. Brittany is the co-founding partner of Coyote Ventures, a US-based venture fund investing in early-stage women’s health startups.

In today’s episode, I interview Etta Watts-Russell the Founder and CEO of Lactamo. Lactamo is a specialized ball specifically designed and developed to facilitate and promote breastfeeding. Lactamo harnesses the power of breast massage, compression, heating, and cooling. Breast massage and temperature may be helpful in providing relief for the most common breastfeeding challenges. Lacatamo helps clear blocked ducts, relieve swelling and pain, fight off infection, stimulate milk production and flow and aid the let-down reflex. Check out the lactamo ball at www.lactamo.com

In today’s episode, I interview Lina Chan CEO and founder Parla. Parla is a digital health company revolutionizing reproductive health by providing greater access to diagnostic tests and proactive support. Parla was inspired by Lina’s own experience with fertility. She always felt on the back foot. Like many women, she found it difficult to understand what was going on with her body, get trusted support, and take care of her emotional health. Parla means to speak, and Lina believes it’s time to make women’s health an ongoing informed conversation. She is breaking taboos and making misinformation a thing of the past by creating a space that empowers women as they become the authority of their health, body, and choices. Parla supports women in 3 main ways: It empowers women with knowledge about their bodies through at-home tests, predictive data reports, and health quizzes. Second - It makes women feel supported by connecting them with a community of engaged experts and other women in similar reproductive life journeys. And third It nurtures women’s minds and emotional well-being through audio health guides and mindfulness content. The Parla app includes Free fertility health checks, Free meditation programs, Fertility experts for support, and a Community to share and learn with. The thing I was most inspired by in this interview was Lina’s attention to miscarriages and stillbirths. Both miscarriage and stillbirth describe pregnancy loss, but they differ according to when the loss occurs. In the United States, a miscarriage is usually defined as the loss of a baby before the 20th week of pregnancy, and stillbirth is the loss of a baby at 20 weeks of pregnancy and later. 8 out of 10 miscarriages happen in the first 3 months. 10-20% of pregnancies end in miscarriage. Learn more at www.myparla.com

In today’s episode, I interview Maria Velissaris, the founding general partner of Steelsky ventures. Steelsky is one of only 6 femtech specific venture funds. Their thesis is driven by their belief that women’s healthcare is a global market opportunity in the nascent stage that is primed for exponential growth. They invest across several verticals in women’s health including medical devices, consumer health, digital health, new healthcare delivery models, ePharmacy, and retail therapeutics. As a femtech investor myself it was great to speak with another woman on the same mission. To be considered for investment, submit your startup information at www.steelskyventures.com. Enjoy the episode!

In today’s episode, I interview Claire Coder the Chief Estrogen Officer (CEO) and Founder of Aunt Flow. Aunt Flow is making the world better for people with periods. Aunt Flow is the first full-solution to help businesses and schools stock their bathrooms with freely accessible tampons and pads. Their free-vend, wall-mounted dispenser allows companies to provide 100% organic cotton menstrual products at no charge to their employees, students, and guests. So no more quarters! No more giant metal boxes! No more low quality menstrual products! tampons! Please be sure to visit their website at www.goauntflow.com. Enjoy the episode!

It’s been another year of major growth in the women's health innovation industry. In this annual end of year review with our host, Dr. Brittany Barreto, we cover the major trends, wins, and challenges faced in 2023. We discuss societal shifts affecting our industry, review last year's predictions and see if they materialized, and make predictions for 2024. We look at the key industry influencers of 2023, investments, organizations, conferences, exits, startups that all shined this year and highlight ones to watch in 2024.

We loved doing this episode to wrap up an incredible year for the podcast! Thank you for sticking with us throughout 2023, we can’t wait to talk more about women’s health innovation in 2024!

Remember to like, rate and subscribe and enjoy the episode!

Host bio

Dr. Brittany Barreto is a passionate advocate for advancing female health and wellness innovation. With a focus on building awareness, catalyzing investment and innovation, and providing data-driven insights and strategic advice, Dr. Barreto works tirelessly to positively impact women's lives.

After earning her doctorate in Molecular and Human Genetics from Baylor College of Medicine, Dr. Barreto became a serial entrepreneur, most notably known for founding Pheramor, the world’s first DNA-based dating app. She also served as a senior venture associate at Capital Factor and co-founded Coyote Ventures, gaining valuable experience in the investment space.

Today, Dr. Barreto is a leading voice in the FemTech community. She hosts the FemTech Focus podcast, is a FemTech Forbes contributor, and founded FemHealth Insights, a boutique consulting firm with market research software specializing in women's health innovation.

Episode Sponsor

Good Clean Love

When my vagina is feeling a little off–like a little out of balance–I go for Good Clean Love’s Restore Moisturizing Vaginal Gel. It’s made to help with vaginal dryness, itching and unusual odor; so it’s my go-to before I feel like I should make a doctor’s appointment. And I feel comfortable using it, because of their Bio-Match Technology. Good Clean Love’s patented Bio-Match Technology taps into three factors that can maintain a healthy vaginal microbiome; which are osmolality, a healthy vaginal pH range and lactobacilli. Good Clean Love’s products are iso-osmolar to help you retain moisture and not strip any away. They have a pH range of 3.5 to 4.5 so their products match your vaginal pH range. And they contain lactic acid to help maintain a healthy vaginal biome. Holiday travel and stress always throws me a little out of whack, so if you’re like me, make sure to get yours before you travel! 10% off your first order using promo code FemTech. Shop products that are made to match your vaginal biome at goodcleanlove.com.

FemTech Focus Podcast bio

The FemTech Focus Podcast is brought to you by FemHealth Insights, the leader in Women’s Health market research and consulting. In this show, Dr. Brittany Barreto hosts meaningfully provocative conversations that bring FemTech experts - including doctors, scientists, inventors, and founders - on air to talk about the innovative technology, services, and products (collectively known as FemTech) that are improving women's health and wellness. Though many leaders in FemTech are women, this podcast is not specifically about female founders, nor is it geared toward a specifically female audience. The podcast gives our host, Dr. Brittany Barreto, and guests an engaging, friendly environment to learn about the past, present, and future of women’s health and wellness.

FemHealth Insights bio

Led by a team of analysts and advisors who specialize in female health, FemHealth Insights is a female health-specific market research and analysis firm, offering businesses in diverse industries unparalleled access to the comprehensive data and insights needed to illuminate areas of untapped potential in the nuanced women’s health market.

Organizations featured (in alphabetical order):

AIVF, Amboy Street Ventures, Aveta Medical, BD, Cranberry, Daye, Ema, Essence, Evvy, FathomX, FemTech Association Asia, FemTech Canada, FemTech France, FemTech India, Fermata, HERA Biotech, Hertility, HLTH, HyIvy Health, iSono Health, kegg, Magee Women’s Institute,MedFemTech Congress, Midi Health, Milkify, MiM Fertility, MobileODT, Mosie Baby, National Institutes of Health (NIH), Rosy, Unfabled, Vitala Globa, We Seek Care, Women of Wearables, Women’s Health Innovation Summit (WHIS)

Individuals featured (in order of feature):

Rachel Bartholomew, Susan Stover, Lindsay Davis, Navneet Kaur, Oriana Kraft, Valentina Milanova, Gila Tolub, Jamie White, Joanna Strober, Priyanka Jain, Dr. Helen O’Neill, Dr. Natalie Getreu, Deirdre O’Neill, Carli Sapir, Hannah Samano

Episode Contributors

Dr. Brittany Barreto

LinkedIn:  @Brittany Barreto, Ph.D.

Twitter: @DrBrittB

Instagram: @drbrittanybarreto

 

FemTech Focus Podcast

Website: https://femtechfocus.org/

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/femtechfocus

Twitter: @FemTech_Focus

Instagram: @femtechfocus

 

FemHealth Insights

Website: https://www.femhealthinsights.com/

LinkedIn: @FemHealth Insights

 Resources

FemHealth Insights Database

FemHealth Insights Mentor Network

FemHealth Insights Slack Community

FemHealth Insights Deals Newsletter - Investor Signup

FemHealth Insights Investor Newsletter - Founder/CEO Deal Submission Form

AI Breast Cancer Article

Silicon Valley Bank Report on Women’s Health

In today’s episode, I interview Isharna Walsh, the CEO, and founder of Coral. Coral is a venture-backed app that shows you how to have your best sex life through personalized lessons, guided exercises, real stories, and more. Coral is here to challenge sexual complacency and wake people up to the wonders of investing in their sex life - because sexuality is an integral part of happiness, health, and identity. Coral is an app that facilitates sexual education, acceptance, and connection, to improve happiness and impact lives, relationships, and society. The founder, Isharna Walsh is an investor turned founder. At one point she was even the Economic Advisor to the Australian Prime Minister and Cabinet. She is a global woman who was born and educated in Australia but has also lived in Indonesia, Italy, Sri Lanka, and the US. Over 300K individuals and couples have used Coral’s science-based app to learn and play their way to less stress, better sex, and deeper intimacy. Learn more at www.getcoral.app. Our listeners get a 20% membership discount. Go to www.trycoral.app/podcast and get 20% off your membership. Enjoy the episode!

In today’s episode, I interview Joni Hanson Davis the CEO of Beli. Beli is a prenatal vitamin system designed to help women, men, and babies reach their full potential from day one. Together, Beli for Women and Beli for Men is a winning combination to help increase chances for conception and a healthy baby. Beli for Women offers nutrient-rocking supplements that nourish the female body from preconception to increase chances of fertility, once pregnancy occurs to boost energy and comfort, and post-birth when a woman’s body is recovering. Our listeners get a special discount. Go to www.BeliBaby.com and use promo code Femtech15 for 15% off your order. Enjoy the episode!

In today’s episode, I interview Cheryl Campos the head of venture growth and partnership at Republic. Republic is a private investing platform. Republic curates private investment opportunities with high-growth potential across startups, gaming, real estate, and crypto. Investing in startups was previously available to only the wealthiest 3% of the US population. With Republic, everyone both accredited and non-accredited individuals can invest in private startups for a chance to own equity and hopefully a future return. Republic gives people the power to invest in the future they believe in by providing access to investment opportunities. Focused on creating a diverse, sustainable, connected world, Republic has facilitated over $250 million in investments from over one million global community members. In this interview, we review some very successful femtech deals that fundraised using Republic and discuss why we think crowdfunding could be the right choice for many women’s health consumer products and services. Enjoy the episode!

In today’s episode, I interview Rory Staton, the Founder and CEO of Aila Health. Aila Health is tackling autoimmunity. They are on a mission to improve the healthcare experience for autoimmune patients which are disproportionately female. Aila Health uses data to bring the "invisible" into view, to support shared decision-making with a care team that listens to the patient, and to develop a personalized care plan that works for the patient’s life. Aila empowers its users to understand & manage their symptoms with online education, supportive communities & expert care from their board-certified doctors. To learn more visit www.ailahealth.com Enjoy the episode!

In today’s episode, I interview Dr. Fazila Seker co-founder and CEO of MOLLI Surgical. MOLLI Surgical has developed a device that creates a better treatment journey for breast cancer patients. The device is a cutting-edge magnetic technology that shows surgeons where to remove tissue inside the breast, either a lumpectomy to test for cancer or to remove a cancerous mass. The current procedure is called a wire-guided excision biopsy which includes putting a thin wire into the breast tissue to show a surgeon the exact area to remove. The other end of the wire hangs outside the body and is taped to the woman’s side for up to 1 day before surgery. MOLLI on the other hand is a small magnetic bullet that is inserted into the breast into the target surgical site. No wires are hanging outside the body and there's no rush into surgery within the next 24 hours. The radioactive seed also helps surgeons remove lesions more efficiently and accurately. MOLLI is approved for use in Canada and the US. Fazila hosts a weekly Facebook Live show called “Breast Practices” where experts and patients discuss topics in patient-centered care. Learn more about MOLLI and check out the show breast practices at mollisurgical.com. Enjoy the interview!

In today’s episode, I interview Megan Pearson the Founder and Executive Director of PCOS Awareness Association. PCOS Awareness Association is a non-profit organization dedicated to the advocacy of polycystic ovarian syndrome or PCOS. The organization and its volunteers are dedicated to raising the awareness of this disorder worldwide, providing educational and support services to help people understand what the disorder is and how it can be treated. The Association also provides support for people diagnosed with PCOS to help them overcome the syndrome and decrease the impact of its associated health problems. Public awareness of PCOS is necessary because although 10M people are affected, over half of them are unaware of it. Awareness helps the public understand that symptoms like irregular periods and pelvic pain are not something to be ignored and getting it checked is necessary. While there is no cure for PCOS, there are treatments that can help ease the stress and complications of specific symptoms. The exact cause is unknown, but it is considered a hormonal problem. Genetics and environmental factors are believed to be involved in the development of PCOS. It is a leading cause of female infertility and is responsible for a number of symptoms that can affect the body physically and emotionally. Despite the name, many people do not have cysts on their ovaries. The hormones involved in PCOS include androgens, insulin, and progesterone. This was a fascinating interview and I'm sure you’ll love it. Enjoy!

In today’s episode, I interview Alyx Coble-Frakes, the CEO and Co-founder of The Agenda Period. The Agenda Period is a new type of period tracker that tells, you based on your menstrual cycle, what kind of work you should be doing. The idea is that today’s work life is based on a 24-hour cycle, which is the hormonal cycle of males. Females have an approximately 28-day cycle. Depending on which of the 4 menstrual phases a female is in, certain tasks should be performed. Such as pitching your startup while ovulating and cleaning out your inbox while bleeding. Download their app for free on the App Store. If you’d like their physical agenda book, go to TheAgendaPeriod.com and use promo code AGENDA10 for 10% off your order.

In today’s episode, I interview Marina Pavlovic Rivas CEO and Co-founder of Eli Health. Eli Health enables women to take control of their health across their lives, by providing them with powerful information on their daily hormone profile. They are creating a small at-home device to monitor hormones in your saliva on a daily basis. This data then syncs with their app to provide personalized insights into your daily hormone fluctuations. With this powerful information, users know their precise fertile days which is useful for couples who want to conceive and women who want a safe contraceptive method that’s hormone-free and non-invasive. The long-term mission goes beyond fertility and contraception. Hormones are at the very root of women’s health for diet, mental health, bone health, you name it! Yet, no solution allows for daily monitoring of the fluctuations of multiple hormones over many years. This lack of data has led to women’s health needs being poorly understood and thus poorly addressed. Learn more at https://www.eli.health

In today’s episode, I interview Heather Bowerman, the CEO, and founder of DotLab. DotLab is a women’s healthcare technology company with a breakthrough, non-invasive, blood test that aids in the diagnosis of active endometriosis. Today, 1 in 10 women and people with menstrual cycles suffer from endometriosis. But it takes an average of 7 to 10 years to receive a diagnosis. That’s 120 excruciating periods. The lack of innovation in this space is because painful periods have been normalized for far too long and there aren’t enough tools to catch the disease early. DotLab measures microRNAs in the blood that acts as a unique signature to identify active endometriosis across all stages of the disease, regardless of hormones, cycle, or symptoms. Learn more at https://www.dotlab.com

Ok femfans, in today’s episode I interview Leah Sparks the CEO and founder at Wildflower Health. Wildflower Health is a healthcare software tool that accelerates virtual and value-based care between physicians, insurance companies, and the patient. They engage patients with a combination of high-tech and high-touch support. Telehealth and healthcare software that connect doctors, patients, and insurance may seem like old news especially after this past year with Covid-19. But Wildflower has been doing this for women’s health since 2012 with their maternal health app. Today, they support the entire ecosystem - the provider, the payer, and the family - with a clinically-integrated solution that is purpose-built to advance more effective, efficient care, as well as the payment models that fuel it. Learn more at https://www.wildflowerhealth.com

This episode is a bonus episode, brought to you in partnership with Nyoo ("New") Health. Nyoo hosts the "What's Nyoo!" series, with monthly events that bring together women and experts to have engaging, honest, and educational conversations about women's health, and this one is all about Pelvic Health. This event blew us away, and we knew we had to share it. Special thanks to Priya Bathija - CEO of Nyoo - for allowing us to share this recording. We hope you enjoy it just as much as we did!

Remember to like, rate and subscribe and enjoy the episode!

Guest bios

Priya Bathija is a nationally-recognized healthcare leader, attorney, and policy expert. She is currently Founder and CEO of Nyoo Health, an organization dedicated to improving health and healthcare for women. Previously, she was at the American Hospital Association where she led policy efforts and strategic initiatives on value, health equity and maternal health. She started her career as a healthcare attorney and served as in-house counsel and a member of the leadership teams at ProMedica and MedStar Health. Priya is also a Distinguished Practitioner in Residence at The Ohio State University Moritz College of Law and an adjunct professor at Loyola University Chicago School of Law. In addition, she serves as a public board member for the American Board of Medical Specialties, the largest physician-led specialty certification organization in the U.S.

Carine Carmy is CEO and Co-Founder at Origin, the leading provider of pelvic floor and women’s physical therapy. She has focused her career on increasing access to products and services that improve lives, from healthcare to 3D printing. Carine's passion for women's health started in her twenties, when she struggled with painful sex for nearly a decade.  Following years of misdiagnoses, ineffective treatment options, and hearing “that’s just the way it is,” Carine discovered the power of pelvic floor physical therapy to treat, not only pelvic pain, but dozens of conditions and symptoms that impact some 40 million U.S. women and individuals with vaginal anatomy, every year. Already a go-to-market leader in healthcare and technology — with leadership roles at Amino, Shapeways, MarketspaceNext and Monitor Group — she felt compelled to help make pelvic health the norm for women across the country. Outside of Origin, Carine is an avid writer and has been published in MIT Technology Review, Forbes, Ad Age, and PSFK, and serves as an advisor to startups and nonprofits in support of diversity and economic equality.

Dr. Somi Javaid is a board-certified OB/GYN, leading women’s sexual health thought leader, and menopause advocate. She is the Founder and Chief Medical Officer of HerMD, a team on a mission to make women’s healthcare exceptional by educating, advocating for, and empowering patients to take control of their health concerns. Dr. Javaid has been featured in Forbes, Vogue, Well+Good, InStyle, Parents, Refinery29, Mashable, Adweek, and Popsugar. In August 2020 Dr. Javaid spoke about Gender Bias and the Female Sexual Health Revolution on the TEDx mainstage, and in January 2021 she was featured in Women on Topp for her work as a trailblazer and pioneer in women’s sexual health.

Dr. Rachel Rubin is a board-certified urologist and sexual medicine specialist. She is an assistant clinical professor of Urology at Georgetown University and owns her private practice in the Washington DC region. She is one of only a handful of physicians fellowship trained in male and female sexual medicine. Dr. Rubin is a clinician, researcher, and vocal educator in the field of sexual medicine. In addition to being education chair for the International Society for the Study of Women’s Sexual Health (ISSWSH), she also serves as an Associate Editor for the Journal Sexual Medicine Reviews. Her work has been featured in the NYT and PBS.

Emma Schmidt, PhD, is a doctor in Clinical Sexology, a Professional Clinical Counselor, Supervisor, and Certified Sex Therapist, Supervisor through the American Association for Sex Educators Counselors and Therapists (AASECT) as well as the American Board for Christian Sex Therapists (ABCST). She is the owner of Emma Schmidt and Associates in Cincinnati, Indian and Kentucky, a therapy group practice which focuses on sex and relationship therapy. Dr. Schmidt received her Bachelor of Arts in Biblical Studies and Psychology as well as a Master of Arts in Counseling from Cincinnati Christian University. She received her Doctorate from Modern Sex Therapy Institutes. Her research and publications have focused on female sexual pain.

Organization bio

Nyoo Health provides strategic and advisory support to startups, investors, providers, and others as they grow and scale new ways of delivering health and healthcare to women. Beyond that, Nyoo Health is building a movement that will redefine women's health and investing in women as they advocate for themselves in the healthcare system.

FemTech Focus Podcast bio

The FemTech Focus Podcast is brought to you by FemHealth Insights, the leader in Women’s Health market research and consulting. In this show, Dr. Brittany Barreto hosts meaningfully provocative conversations that bring FemTech experts - including doctors, scientists, inventors, and founders - on air to talk about the innovative technology, services, and products (collectively known as FemTech) that are improving women's health and wellness. Though many leaders in FemTech are women, this podcast is not specifically about female founders, nor is it geared toward a specifically female audience. The podcast gives our host, Dr. Brittany Barreto, and guests an engaging, friendly environment to learn about the past, present, and future of women’s health and wellness.

FemHealth Insights bio

Led by a team of analysts and advisors who specialize in female health, FemHealth Insights is a female health-specific market research and analysis firm, offering businesses in diverse industries unparalleled access to the comprehensive data and insights needed to illuminate areas of untapped potential in the nuanced women’s health market.

Episode Contributors

Priya Bathija

LinkedIn: @Priya Bathija

 

Carine Carmy

LinkedIn: @Carine Carmy & @Origin

Instagram: @carinerachelle & @theoriginway

 

Dr. Somi Javaid

LinkedIn: Somi Javaid, MD & HerMD

Instagram: @somijavaidmd & @hermdhealth

 

Dr. Rachel Rubin

LinkedIn: @Rachel Rubin

Instagram: @drrachelrubin

 

Dr. Emma Schmidt

LinkedIn: @Dr. Emma Schmidt

Instagram: @heyemmatherapy

 

Nyoo Health

Website: https://www.nyoohealth.com/

LinkedIn: @Nyoo Health

Instagram: @nyoohealth 

 

Dr. Brittany Barreto

LinkedIn:  @Brittany Barreto, Ph.D.

Twitter: @DrBrittB

Instagram: @drbrittanybarreto

 

FemTech Focus Podcast

Website: https://femtechfocus.org/

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/femtechfocus

Twitter: @FemTech_Focus

Instagram: @femtechfocus

 

FemHealth Insights

Website: https://www.femhealthinsights.com/

LinkedIn: @FemHealth Insights

Funk It Wellness is a cycle support company that builds products and community to support menstruators through their hormonal journey. Their products include a seed cycling kit to support PMS symptoms and an organic maca concentrate for increasing libido. The founder and CEO, Kate Morton, is a Registered Dietitian with a Master’s Degree in Human Clinical Nutrition and a passion for talking about periods & hormones. A little over 4 years ago she got off birth control after years and years and experienced all of the side effects of hormonal imbalance which lead her to create Funk It. Funk It is a 100% food-based hormone support company with its star product being their Seed Cycling Kits. Don’t know what seed cycling is? Tune in to find out more! Use promocode "femtech" at https://www.funkitwellness.com for 20% off your order.

Meet the newest women's health and wellness venture fund, Coyote Ventures. Coyote Ventures is a Seed-stage venture fund in the United States investing in companies innovating in women’s health and wellness. Jessica Karr is the General Partner and Dr. Brittany Barreto is the co-founding FemTech Partner of Coyote Ventures. As scientists (MS in Biochemistry and PhD in Genetics) with entrepreneurial (Impossible Foods) and venture experience (Capital Factory), Jessica and Brittany are uniquely positioned to empower our portfolio companies in the women’s health and wellness space. https://www.coyote.ventures

Crave aims to make buying and using a sex toy an elevated experience. One that leads to fulfillment and thoughtful conversations about sexuality. All of Crave’s products are designed and developed by our women-led team in their advanced R&D center and micro-factory in San Francisco. Ti Chang is an award-winning industrial designer committed to creating innovative products with years of experience working in designing products for women. At Crave, Ti leads the design vision of the company’s full line of products and has been the leading voice in bringing modern sex toys into the mainstream. Use promocode FEMTECH for a free engravement on your sex toy, www.lovecrave.com

AOA is a team of entrepreneurs and experts that bring innovative, impactful and cost-effective medical technologies from research and development into the hands of providers and patients. AOA's mission is to bring to market the first accurate early stage ovarian cancer diagnostic test that will improve clinical practice, help reduce patient mortality and deliver cost savings to payers.Their first product, is the first liquid biopsy test that accurately enables early diagnosis of ovarian cancer through the analysis of tumor marker gangliosides. This episode features an interview with Oriana Papin-Zoghbi, the CEO and Co-Founder of AOA Dx. She has global experience creating and leading teams and organizations resulting in successful strategic exits. ​Oriana brings a wealth of knowledge and expertise from women's health startups and large life science companies, and a passion for entrepreneurship and solving problems that disproportionately affect women.

Carli Sapir is a Founding Partner of Amboy Street Ventures, a venture capital fund investing in Seed and Series A sexual health & women’s health technology startups that are progressing the industry in America and Europe. She is also the Founder of the Female Founded Club (FFC), a global platform that introduces VC investors to high-quality female founded startups. Carli has an affinity for startups in the sexual health and women's health technology landscape due to personal health experiences. While running the FFC, she recognized that the lack of venture capital flowing to the SH&WHT market is stunting the growth of startups that tackle significant health problems for all genders. Prior to Amboy Street Ventures, Carli worked in private equity and engineering. We discussed VICE clauses, FemTech startups Carli is excited about and the Healthy Pleasure Group. Check out Amboy Street Ventures at www.amboystreet.vc Rate, Review & Subscribe!

Rosemary Morgan, PhD, is an Associate Scientist at Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health in the Department of International Health. Dr. Morgan has expertise in gender, gender analysis, and intersectionality within health and health systems. Some of her current work includes: Leading the Sex and Gender Analysis Core for the NIH funded Sex and Age Differences in Immunity to Influenza (SADII) Center; co-primary investigator on a project exploring the gendered effects of COVID-19 in Bangladesh, Kenya, Nigeria, DRC, and Brazil; co-primary investigator for the project Risk and Resilience in the Health Workforce: Understanding and Supporting the Experiences of Women Health Workers during COVID-19 in British Columbia, Canada; and Gender Equality and Social Inclusion (GESI) advisor for Learning, Acting and Building for Rehabilitation in Health Systems Consortium (ReLAB-HS). She also coordinates an international Gender and COVID-19 Working Group. We discussed differences between gender and sex, how gender bias is embedded in the healthcare system, how COVID-19 and vaccines affect women differently. Rate, Review & Subscribe!

Marissa Fayer is the Founder and CEO HERHealthEQ, a social enterprise non-profit on a mission to close the gap in health equity around the world by provide medical devices to detect non-communicable diseases in developing countries. Marissa is a 20-year medtech executive, entrepreneur, and philanthropis and also serves as the president of advisory firm Fayer Consulting LLC, Executive Vice-President of Women’s Health at DeepLook Medical, and Venture Partner at Assiduity Capital. Marissa has also previously served as an executive at Hologic, Olympus, Maquet-Gettinge, Providien Medical, and Accumed Innovative Technologies. She serves on the board of medtech companies Welwaze Medical, DeepLook Medical, and PMD Medical. Marissa graduated from Boston University with a BS in Manufacturing Engineering and from University of Connecticut with an MBA and is a TEDx Speaker (2019 at TEDxLugano), and has been listed as one of the Top 100 Women in Medtech in 2018, a Top Woman Activist to Watch, awarded the 2018/9 Africa Development Award, a Wonder Women in Medtech in 2017, has spoken globally and been published widely. We discussed how HERHealthEQ came about, barriers to donating medical equipment and barriers to care in developing countries. Check out HERHealthEQ at www.herhealtheq.org Rate, Review & Subscribe!

Melanie Goldey is the COO & CFO at TMRW Life Sciences, a fertility tech company bringing safety, security, and automation to the long-term care and storage of the frozen eggs and embryos at the heart of nearly every IVF birth. Before TMRW, Melanie was CFO at Refinery29, where she led the company’s merger with Vice Media Group, creating the largest digital media company in the world, valued at over $4 billion. Prior to Refinery29, Melanie was an executive at Everyday Health, a multi-platform digital healthcare company using data and technology to service patients, professionals, payers, and providers. There, she helped grow the company’s capabilities through acquisitions, a $100 million IPO, and ultimately to acquisition by J2 Global/Ziff Davis for nearly $500 million. Melanie was previously a technology banker at J.P. Morgan. Melanie graduated with her BA in Economics from Wellesley. We discussed the power of community combined with technology, the egg freezing and thawing process, democratizing IVF and fertility services and women in STEM. Check out TMRW at www.tmrw.org Rate, Review & Subscribe!

Dr. Amrita Karve is the Co-Founder and Co-Director of Women's Heart Program at Mount Carmel Health System. Dr. Karve, MD, FACC, is a cardiologist at Mount Carmel Health System, a large private community health system in Columbus, Ohio. The Women's Heart Program was created to increase awareness of heart disease in women, reduce gender disparities in diagnosis and treatment, and to provide a concierge experience for women of all socioeconomic classes to be more engaged in their health. Dr. Karve is a member and guest speaker for the American Heart Association and is board-certified in internal medicine, cardiovascular disease, and echocardiography. Her special interests include women's health and innovative clinical approaches to obesity medicine. She graduated Magna Cum Laude from George Washington University's BA/MD program in 2004, completed her residency in internal medicine at the University of Michigan in 2014, and cardiology fellowship at Ohio State University in 2017. We discussed underdiagnosis for women's heart diseases, risk factors for women's heart diseases and the women's heart program at the Mount Carmel Health System. Check out The Women's Heart Program at the Mount Carmel Health System at https://www.mountcarmelhealth.com/find-a-service-or-specialty/womens-heart-program/ Rate, Review & Subscribe!

Kaitlin Christine is the CEO & Founder of Gabbi, a FemTech company aiming to solve delayed diagnosis of preventable diseases that affect women, starting with breast cancer. Kaitlin is a breast cancer survivor and ovarian cancer previvor who has made it her life's mission to empower women to understand their bodies and advocate for themselves. Kaitlin has spent over 9 years in women’s health--working for leading nonprofits, as a sought after national speaker, was the youngest hire for the world’s leading genetic testing company where she led sales and eventually transitioned to a role as a hereditary cancer specialist, and most recently was the VP of Growth for an e-commerce marketing startup. Kaitlin earned her Bachelor of Arts from the University of Denver. We discussed Kaitlin's personal journey with breast cancer, barriers to entry in healthcare, gaps in awareness and innovation for breast cancer. Check out Gabbi at www.begabbi.com Rate, Review & Subscribe!

In this episode, we talk to Jiwon Park, Founder of the SAIB & Co. We discuss the past, present and future of women’s health in South Korea, how Korean culture has impacted the birth rate there, and unique challenges for femtech founders in Korea.

Remember to like, rate and subscribe and enjoy the episode!

Guest bio

Jiwon Park is an award-winning designer, serial entrepreneur, and educator. She graduated from the Rhode Island School of Design(RISD), was a Fulbright Scholar, and has over 15 years of experience in design.

In 2018, Jiwon founded the sexual wellness company SAIB & Co. in Korea, after witnessing persistent misrepresentation and patriarchal stances towards women's sexual activities. Since then, she has dedicated herself fully to challenging these stereotypes and empowering women to embrace a positive attitude toward their own sexual health.

Before embarking on her entrepreneurial journey of founding SAIB, she served as an Assistant Professor at UT Austin in Texas.

Organization bio

SAIB & Co. is a Korea-born FemTech company providing women with safe-to-use contraceptives and intimate hygiene products helping them to maintain their sexual wellness. The brand name SAIB flips the word BIAS, signaling the company's mission to overturn negative and patriarchal biases toward women exercising sexual agency.

Our female-friendly brand provides a safe space for women and delivers high-quality sexual wellness products using only healthy and natural ingredients.

With our discreet yet stylish design and shame-free experience, SAIB aims to normalize the perception of sexual wellness, redefining them as a natural and healthy part of life.

Episode Sponsor

Good Clean Love

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Good Clean Love’s patented Bio-Match Technology taps into three factors that can maintain a healthy vaginal microbiome; which are osmolality, a healthy vaginal pH range and lactobacilli. Good Clean Love’s products are iso-osmolar to help you retain moisture and not strip any away. They have a pH range of 3.5 to 4.5 so their products match your vaginal pH range. And they contain lactic acid to help maintain a healthy vaginal biome.

The holidays are coming up, and it’s not too late to get your stocking stuffers, like their travel-size Balance wash! 10% off your first order with promo code FemTech.

Shop products that are made to match a vaginal biome at goodcleanlove.com

FemTech Focus Podcast bio

The FemTech Focus Podcast is brought to you by FemHealth Insights, the leader in Women’s Health market research and consulting. In this show, Dr. Brittany Barreto hosts meaningfully provocative conversations that bring FemTech experts - including doctors, scientists, inventors, and founders - on air to talk about the innovative technology, services, and products (collectively known as FemTech) that are improving women's health and wellness. Though many leaders in FemTech are women, this podcast is not specifically about female founders, nor is it geared toward a specifically female audience. The podcast gives our host, Dr. Brittany Barreto, and guests an engaging, friendly environment to learn about the past, present, and future of women’s health and wellness.

FemHealth Insights bio

Led by a team of analysts and advisors who specialize in female health, FemHealth Insights is a female health-specific market research and analysis firm, offering businesses in diverse industries unparalleled access to the comprehensive data and insights needed to illuminate areas of untapped potential in the nuanced women’s health market.

Time Stamps

[05:52] Jiwon’s background

[08:20] Differences between US and Korean culture towards sex

[11:22] SAIB & Co. 

[16:00] Response to the product in Korea

[19:56] Unique challenges as a femtech founder in South Korea

[25:30] History of women’s health in South Korea

[32:40] Women’s attitudes

[33:26] Changing attitudes in society

[34:38] What would you change if you had a magic wand?

[36:36] Fertility rates in South Korea

[43:23] The future of SAIB

Episode Contributors

Jiwon Park

LinkedIn: @Jiwon Park  

 

SAIB & Co.

Website: https://www.saib.co/

LinkedIn: @SAIB & Co.

Instagram: @saib.global, @saib.official

Twitter: @SAIBnCo

 

Dr. Brittany Barreto

LinkedIn:  @Brittany Barreto, Ph.D.

Twitter: @DrBrittB

Instagram: @drbrittanybarreto

 

FemTech Focus Podcast

Website: https://femtechfocus.org/

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/femtechfocus

Twitter: @FemTech_Focus

Instagram: @femtechfocus

 

FemHealth Insights

Website: https://www.femhealthinsights.com/

LinkedIn: @FemHealth Insights

Catherine Hendy is Co-founder of ELANZA Wellness, a behavioral health coaching platform that helps fertility clinics easily provide lifestyle and emotional support to patients, for better experiences and outcomes. ELANZA was recently selected for Techstars New York, an accelerator program for the world’s most promising startups. Catherine and her cofounder, Brittany Hawkins, started the company after their own experiences of gaps in fertility care and have just launched the ELANZA Wellness Whole Patient Care Initiative - asking clinicians who care about diversity, equity and inclusion, emotional support and patient-centric operations to sign the pledge, as well as past and current patients to share their experiences of care. We discussed types of fertility-related issues, fertility clinics and egg freezing. Check out ELANZA Wellness at www.elanzawellness.com Rate, Review & Subscribe!

Somer Baburek is the CEO, President and Co-Founder of Hera Biotech. Hera Biotech is a biotechnology company that was formed to address unmet needs in the field of women’s health and specifically, in reproductive medicine. Hera’s initial goal is to commercialize the MetriDx™, a non-surgical method for the definitive and early diagnosis of endometriosis. Prior to founding Hera, Somer spent 7 years with the largest life science venture capital fund in San Antonio assisting with due diligence activities and served in 2 of the fund’s sister companies as the Director of Clinical Operations. During her time with the companies, she was part of the senior management team that took them from a single investigator-initiated IND to 4 open INDs, saw the successful license of a 5 sku product line to the largest industry participant and successfully managed an End of Phase 2 Meeting with the FDA before they were acquired for $250M USD. Somer took a short break following the exit, while she looked for available technology in her field of passion, women’s health. We discussed menstrual reflux, the stages of endometriosis and endometriosis diagnosis. Check out Hera Biotech at www.herabiotech.com Rate, Review & Subscribe!

Sophie is the Co-founder and CEO of Nabta Health, a Hybrid Healthcare company for women headquartered in the United Arab Emirates. Prior to co-founding Nabta, Sophie worked for Accenture as a technology consultant and then founded several impact startups including myZindagi (a doctor-finding platform based in Pakistan) and Le Plastics (a plastic recycling company based in Sierra Leone). Sophie’s lifetime ambition is twofold: to empower women to manage their health with privacy, autonomy and convenience, and to make healthcare affordable and accessible for all women. Sophie read History at the University of Cambridge and completed an MBA with Quantic School of Business and Technology. We discussed the differences between healthcare systems between the United Arab Emirates and the United Kingdom, what the ecosystem for women's health is like in emerging markets and Sophie's journey with fundraising for Nabta Health thus far. Check out Nabta Health at www.nabtahealth.com Rate, Review & Subscribe!

Michelle Egger, CEO & Co-founder of BIOMILQ, is a diversely experienced food scientist with an eye to global food systems change. She looks to combat global food security and malnutrition in everything she does. Inspired by upstream solutions for infant nutrition at the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, she became obsessed with advancing human nutrition through better infant feeding options. Michelle seeks to harness the capacity to drive environmental and social change through creative food solutions with a consumer-first design. Her entrepreneurial expertise in social impact and sustainable business models drives her commitment to seeking mission-aligned partners. Michelle believes that providing all infants with optimal nutrition in their first 1,000 days of life should be a human right for every parent on the planet. We discussed Michelle's mission to advance society through nourishment, how BIOMILQ produces the breastmilk, Michelle's fundraising mandate for BIOMILQ. Check out BIOMILQ at biomilq.com Rate, Review & Subscribe!

Christine Goudie is the Co-Founder and CEO of Granville Biomedical, an all female tech company specializing in the design and manufacturing of women’s health anatomical simulation models for surgical training around the world. Cow tongues, orange peels and car wash sponges are being used as vulva simulation models for medical trainees, Christine and her partner at Granville Biomedical aspire to offer trainees to practice and learn on life-like 3D printed models that reflect the real human body and offer opportunities for hands on training that reflect real world, culturally respective, situations that the current simulation models don't offer. Granville Biomedical is also the first female-led company to receive Health Canada approval to begin clinical trials for their COVID-19 testing product. Christina has a background in Industrial Design and Biomedical Engineering. We discussed vaginal models, normalizing the aesthetics of vulvas, vaginas and making women's health devices less invasive. Check out Granville Biomedical at www.granvillebiomedical.ca Rate, Review & Subscribe!

Dr. Fatima Ahmed is a physician entrepreneur and an ObGyn from the UK with 10 years’ experience working as a doctor. Her passion for improving women’s health on a global scale led her to working at ORCHA, a game changing & world leading company in health and care app evaluation, as their clinical lead in maternity & women’s health. Her strive to improve women’s health and wellbeing globally is what lies behind her motivation to support Femtech founders develop the best products they can to solve some of women’s most urgent needs. How digital health can increase accessibility, app review requirements and making digital health apps safer for everyone. Check out ORCHA at www.appfinder.orcha.co.uk Rate, Review & Subscribe!

Jane Sagui is the co-Founder at Pollie, a personalized telehealth marketplace that matches people with ovaries to hormonal health specialists. They make it easier to manage reproductive hormonal conditions like PCOS and endometriosis, as well as hormonal imbalance symptoms like infertility, acne, hair loss, irregular periods, blood sugar imbalances, PMS, cramping, and more. Jane holds a Bachelor of Arts in Government from Georgetown University. Femtech Focus listeners can participate in Pollie's pilot PCOS program for 20% off with the code "FEMTECH21" by signing up at the following link: https://www.pollie.co/pcos-eligibility Check out Pollie at www.pollie.co Rate, Review & Subscribe!

Wendy Anderson and Cristina Ljungberg are the Co-Founders of The Case for Her, a philanthropic investment portfolio addressing the key women’s health issues of menstruation and sexual health and pleasure through grants, investments, convenings, and advocacy. Founded in 2017, The Case for Her brings together decades of experience working and investing in women’s health and rights. This dynamic and flexible portfolio spans the globe and includes investments in product companies, tech innovations, research initiatives, and grassroots organizations. Wendy is a graduate of Queen’s University in Ontario, Canada. Wendy Anderson spent over a decade working in the financial industry before transitioning to strategic philanthropy. In 2009, she became founder and director of Futura Foundations, Social Initiatives. Wendy chairs the board at Be Girl, a mission-driven menstrual products company, is an active board member of Women Moving Millions and sits on the advisory board of Saral Designs. Cristina Ljungberg has a Master’s in Biotechnology from Northwestern and an MBA from Dartmouth College and this combined expertise in business and healthcare has propelled her nearly two-decade journey in health and philanthropy. Before The Case for Her, Cristina spent five years on the Board of Directors for Global Grassroots and established the nonprofit foundation Giving Wings in 2010. In 2016, Cristina became a founding member of the Maverick Collective, an initiative to eliminate extreme poverty created by Population Services International (PSI) in partnership with the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation. In addition to her work with women’s health, Cristina is also a Partner at Influence Film—a foundation, investment fund and online platform that supports feature-length documentary film production. She is also an active board member of Acumen, a leader in the impact investment space and AFRIpads, a Ugandan manufacturer of reusable menstrual pads. Check out The Case for Her at thecaseforher.com Rate, Review & Subscribe!

Valentina Milanova is the CEO and Founder of Your Daye, a female health research and development company on a mission to bridge the gender gap in product innovation. She founded and scaled the company through its clinical validation, regulatory approvals, proprietary in-house manufacturing, the creation of our unique brand, and the launch of our tampons in D2C and retail. She also developed the company’s product portfolio across period care, vaginal health screening and improved contraception. Prior to Your Daye, Valentina worked in Techstars UK and Founders Factory. She earned her Bachelor of Science in Economics, Business & Law from University of Buckingham and also her Master of Laws in International and Commercial Law from the University of Buckingham too. We discussed Valentina's personal story with painful periods, what Daye is doing to fight menstrual pain, the process of using CBD for feminine care products and convincing physicians about other solutions for menstrual pain. Check out Your Daye at yourdaye.com Rate, Review & Subscribe!

Nnenna Umelloh is the Founder and CEO of Black Hair Management, a wellness brand with hair care at the center. They function as a trusted guide in the natural hair care journey and ship high-quality hair care and wellness products based on their hair texture and lifestyle. Their goal is to help women grow healthy hair. Prior to launching B.H.M, Nnenna was a Higher Education Consultant and taught students how to go to college, grad school, or trade school with scholarships based on personal experience. She has earned over $100,000 in scholarships to graduate debt-free in the United States and in the United Kingdom with her bachelors and masters. She also has created a 2 hours online scholarship course and published a book on scholarships. We discussed Nnenna's personal experience with her own hair care, confidence of knowledge for hair care and pubic hair care. Check out Black Hair Management at www.blackhair.management Rate, Review & Subscribe!

In this episode, we talk to Katie Schubert, President and CEO of the Society for Women's Health Research, or SWHR. We discuss the 3 pillars of SWHR’s work, the potential for an Institute for Women’s Health and methods of increasing the participation of underrepresented populations in clinical trials.

Remember to like, rate and subscribe and enjoy the episode!

Guest bio

Kathryn (Katie) Schubert joined the Society for Women’s Health Research (SWHR) as President and CEO in April 2020. Under Katie’s leadership, SWHR developed a strategic plan focused on fulfilling the organization’s mission of promoting research on biological sex differences in disease and improving women’s health through science, policy, and education.

She has served in multiple Board roles, including as Chair of the Board of the Maternal Mental Health Leadership Alliance, advisor to the John E. Lewy Fund for Children’s Health, and past president of Women in Government Relations. She previously worked for the Society for Maternal-Fetal Medicine (SMFM), CRD Associates, and on Capitol Hill. She received her BA from Mary Washington College and her Masters of Public Policy from George Washington University. Katie lives in Virginia with her husband, three children, and dog George.

Organization bio

The Society for Women’s Health Research (SWHR) is a national nonprofit and thought leader dedicated to promoting research on biological sex differences in disease and improving women’s health through science, policy, and education. Founded in 1990 by a group of physicians, medical researchers, and health advocates, SWHR is making women’s health mainstream by addressing unmet needs and research gaps in women’s health. 

Episode Sponsor

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FemTech Focus Podcast bio

The FemTech Focus Podcast is brought to you by FemHealth Insights, the leader in Women’s Health market research and consulting. In this show, Dr. Brittany Barreto hosts meaningfully provocative conversations that bring FemTech experts - including doctors, scientists, inventors, and founders - on air to talk about the innovative technology, services, and products (collectively known as FemTech) that are improving women's health and wellness. Though many leaders in FemTech are women, this podcast is not specifically about female founders, nor is it geared toward a specifically female audience. The podcast gives our host, Dr. Brittany Barreto, and guests an engaging, friendly environment to learn about the past, present, and future of women’s health and wellness.

FemHealth Insights bio

Led by a team of analysts and advisors who specialize in female health, FemHealth Insights is a female health-specific market research and analysis firm, offering businesses in diverse industries unparalleled access to the comprehensive data and insights needed to illuminate areas of untapped potential in the nuanced women’s health market.

Time Stamps

[04:26] Katie’s background

[08:32] What is SWHR?

[13:44] Should there be an Institute for Women’s Health at the NIH? 

[22:20] Is tech and investment involvement helping the conversation at Government level?

[26:54] Organization pillars:  policy, science and education

[30:38] SWHR Resources

[33:25] Policy Pillar

[29:20] Methods of getting lactating & pregnant women into clinical trials

[42:15] Education Pillar

[46:15] Upcoming Events and vision for the future of SWHR

Call to Action!

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Episode Contributors

Katie Schubert

LinkedIn: @Kathryn Godburn Schubert

 

Society for Women’s Health Research

Website: https://swhr.org/

LinkedIn: @Society for Women’s Health Research (SWHR)

Twitter: @SWHR

 

Dr. Brittany Barreto

LinkedIn:  @Brittany Barreto, Ph.D.

Twitter: @DrBrittB

Instagram: @drbrittanybarreto

 

FemTech Focus Podcast

Website: https://femtechfocus.org/

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/femtechfocus

Twitter: @FemTech_Focus

Instagram: @femtechfocus

 

FemHealth Insights

Website: https://www.femhealthinsights.com/

LinkedIn: @FemHealth Insights

Suzanne Sinatra is the CEO and Founder of Private Packs, a New York City based FemTech company. A former Event Planner turned Accidental Entrepreneur. Private Packs has reimagined the therapy pack and sculpted it for the intimate areas to deliver discrete wearable and reusable comfort. Private Packs was born out of a traumatic Brazilian waxing incident that prompted Suzanne to design a product that currently was an unmet need in the marketplace and aims to transform the healing process for women in their most sensitive areas, specifically after childbirth, bikini waxes, intercourse, and surgery. We discussed her personal journey launching Private Packs, prototyping for her product, secret sauce compared to competitors and transforming the sex lives of women. Check out Private Packs at privatepacks.com Rate, Review & Subscribe!

Katie is the Founder & CEO of Viv for your V. Katie grew up in Tampa, Florida with a big Egyptian-American family. She graduated from Boston College where she studied Marketing and Managing Social Impact. Katie combined her passion for women empowerment and sustainability to create Viv for your V. Katie’s experiences in marketing, creative strategy, and nonprofit work have shaped her to build this mission-driven brand. Both Katie & Viv for your V have been featured in Forbes, Her Campus, Medium, Ramona, The Boston Globe and Harness magazine. We discussed building a mission-driven brand, FemTech supply chain management advice and patenting your idea. Check out Viv for your V at vivforyourv.com Rate, Review & Subscribe!

Celeste Mergens is the founder and CEO of Days for Girls International, an award-winning NGO that works to shatter stigma and limitations associated with menstruation for improved health, education and livelihood outcomes. To date, Days for Girls has reached more than 2.1 million women and girls in 144 countries on 6 continents with quality, sustainable menstrual care solutions and health education. Celeste is a sought-after speaker who has been featured in Oprah’s O Magazine and Forbes, among other top-tier publications. She was recently named an AARP Purpose Prize Award winner, a Conscious Company Global Impact Entrepreneur of the year and Women Economic Forum’s Woman of the Decade. We discussed the lack of proper feminine menstrual products for many menstruators around the world, the menstrual shame, menstrual education and advocacy. Check out Days For Girls at daysforgirls.org Rate, Review & Subscribe!