Sifted is a big supporter of femtech. Not only is it a vastly underdeveloped segment, but the companies are solving problems that half the population has long had to deal with.
Inspired by our conversation with Ida Tin, cofounder of the menstrual tracking app Clue, here is Sifted's (subjective) list of the top femtech companies in Europe in 2019.
Sifted’s European femtech list 2019:
Elvie is a UK-based maker of a connected breastfeeding pump and a pelvic trainer. Having raised a wopping €45m since 2013, it obviously deserves a spot on our list. It has also done wonders sparking a public debate about something as stigmatised as pelvic floor weakness.
Ava, founded in 2014 in Switzerland, has raised an also-massive €42m to date. Its multi-sensor bracelet allows women to predict fertile days. No more temperature testing or counting days. If Ava could use the same technique as a certified contraceptive, then it would become a real competitor for the next company on our list...
Natural Cycles is impressive as it's still the only mobile application cleared for marketing as a certified contraceptive in Europe. The company helps women track body temperature to predict when they are the most fertile and when they are not. Founded in Sweden in 2013, it has had some problems convincing the world that it should be a trusted contraceptive, but it now boasts 800,000 users (as of June 2018) and has raised €34m.
Clue is a menstrual tracking app founded in 2012 that we think is doing a fantastic job at combining being a menstrual tracker as well as a platform for testing different femtech products, showcasing academic research and promoting conversations about female health. The company, based in Berlin, has so far raised $29.7m.
Also read: Clue's founder Ida Tin's favourite femtech companies
Bonzun is a Swedish pregnancy app which is interesting because it was developed together with midwives. It's designed to give women answers to questions quickly and easily. Founded in 2010 it was first released in China where it was downloaded 2m times and has recently moved its head office to Stockholm.
Bloomlife is a Belgian-American digital contraction monitor helping women due to give birth with the information they need before going into labour. Founded in 2014, it has raised $14.4m to date. Although not necessary for most women, it's a useful tool for some.
LactApp is a breastfeeding startup founded in Spain in 2016. Amazingly, it’s used by one in four breastfeeding mothers in Spain, according to the company. LactApp helps women deal with the problems that breastfeeding can cause — such as cracked nipples and breast pain — and answer any questions users have. The app is now available in Spanish and English.
Grace Health is a Sweden-based period and fertility tracker for women in emerging markets. Founded in late 2017, it has already attracted well-known angel investors such as Atomico’s Sophia Bendz, Blossom Capital’s Louise Samet and Nordic Makers' Hampus Jakobsson. This is no small feat.
KaNDy Therapeutics is developing a non-hormonal treatment for menopause symptoms. Based on medical research, the company was founded in the UK in 2017 and raised £25m in 2018. Post-menopausal hot flushes affect up to 75% of women going through the menopausal transition, so the need for the treatments that KaNDy Therapeutics is developing is sorely needed.
Steadysense previously developed, among other things, bladder control underwear. Now the company has developed a connected fertility patch that updates you on your most fertile days through an application. It was founded in Austria in 2016 and is continuously developing new products within femtech.
Pregnolia is a Zurich-based startup that develops a device to measure cervical stiffness that may cause premature births. A spin-off from the technical university ETH, it was founded in 2016 and by bringing a new kind of instrument to the market, the company hopes it can lessen the number of premature births.
Ferly is a UK-based startup founded in 2018 with the goal to help normalise the conversation around sex and promote the importance of female pleasure for individual well-being. Similarly to OMGyes, it has stepped into a pretty new space which has sparked a lot of interest after #metoo.
Moodz is a French menstrual underwear startup, similar to its American forerunner Thinx. It was only founded in 2019, so the company has still much to prove, but it is nice to see a European startup in this space.
Have we left you off the list? Let us know! Email mimi@sifted.eu
