Femtech stands at an exciting inflection point. What was initially perceived as a niche category focused on period-tracking apps has evolved into a comprehensive ecosystem addressing women's health needs with individualized solutions for all stages of life. For founders and investors in consumer and healthcare spaces, the opportunities are vast and largely untapped, representing one of the most promising sectors for innovation and growth.
For New York Tech Week 2025, Fenwick brought together innovators in this space to discuss trends and opportunities. Moderated by Fenwick’s Kristine DiBacco, this incredible group of women and men included Joylux founder and CEO Colette Courtion, Ema co-founder and CEO Amanda Ducach, Avila Science founder Jesse Argon, GingerBread Capital partner Ita Ekpoudom, and innovative Health Science Strategies founder and CEO Jamie White. Here are the key takeaways from their discussion:
The femtech landscape has undergone a dramatic transformation since its early days. Previously, venture capital firms would dismiss potential investments by claiming they had already backed "[one] women's health company," as if the needs of 51% of the population could be addressed by a single solution. This narrow thinking has given way to recognition that women's health encompasses everything from reproductive wellness, maternal and post-partum care to perimenopause/menopause management, mental health services, and longevity solutions.
Femtech's shift in perception has created rich ground for innovation. The market has expanded far beyond reproductive health to include comprehensive and long-term wellness solutions that address women's unique physiological and psychological needs throughout all stages of their lives. Investors now understand that women's health is not a single category but rather an entire ecosystem of interconnected opportunities.
One of the most significant opportunities lies in addressing the massive knowledge gap that exists in women's health research. Until 1993, women were largely excluded from clinical studies, with approximately 97% of research conducted on men. The National Institute of Health only started requiring investigators include female animals and cells into preclinical research in 2014, although many preclinical trials still don’t include female animals. This historical oversight has created an enormous opportunity for companies that can generate and leverage women-specific health data.
Today’s data-collection capabilities far exceed anything previously possible. Modern femtech companies are accumulating datasets with hundreds of thousands of data points, dwarfing traditional clinical studies that might include only a few thousand participants. This wealth of information creates opportunities to develop more targeted, effective solutions based on real-world evidence rather than assumptions or male-centric research.
For founders, this represents a chance to build solutions grounded in actual women's health data. For investors, companies that can effectively collect, analyze, and apply this data represent tremendous value-creation opportunities as the healthcare industry largely moves toward precision medicine.
The convergence of AI and women's health presents extraordinary potential for innovation. Unlike many healthcare applications where AI has struggled to demonstrate clear value, women's health offers a perfect use case due to the historical lack of data and research in this space. AI can help fill knowledge gaps, provide personalized recommendations, and scale care delivery in ways that were previously impossible.
The key to successful AI implementation in femtech lies in integration rather than disruption. Companies that embed AI capabilities into existing workflows and products that women already use will see greater adoption than those requiring entirely new behaviors. The most successful applications will feel like natural extensions of products and services women already rely on rather than additional complexity in their lives.
This creates opportunities for both AI-focused startups and traditional healthcare companies looking to enhance their offerings. Investors should look for companies that view AI as a smart enabler rather than the product itself, focusing on solving real problems and reaching for large-scale adoption rather than implementing technology for its own sake.
While the U.S. market faces regulatory and political challenges, international markets present significant opportunities for femtech companies. Many countries have more progressive attitudes toward women's health discussions and more streamlined regulatory pathways for bringing innovative products to market.
European markets, in particular, have been discussing women’s health topics like menopause for years before similar conversations became mainstream in the United States. This cultural openness translates to faster adoption rates and stronger growth potential. Emerging markets also present substantial opportunities, with innovative solutions being developed in countries that have traditionally been overlooked by the broader healthcare industry.
For founders, considering global expansion from the outset rather than as an afterthought can unlock significant value. For investors, companies with clear international strategies and partnerships may offer better risk-adjusted returns than those focused solely on U.S. markets.
The regulatory landscape for femtech remains complex but is evolving in ways that could benefit innovative companies. While the FDA's cautious approach can slow innovation, it also creates barriers to entry that protect companies willing to navigate the approval process with the goals of improved safety and efficacy for their products and solutions. Understanding regulatory pathways early and building relationships with regulatory bodies can provide significant competitive advantages.
The variation in regulatory approaches across different countries creates opportunities for companies that can adapt their strategies to different markets. Products that might face lengthy approval processes in one jurisdiction could launch more quickly in others, allowing companies to generate revenue and gather real-world evidence while pursuing approvals in more restrictive markets.
The expansion of employer-provided health benefits has created a substantial B2B market for femtech solutions. Companies increasingly offer fertility preservation, menopause support, and other women's health benefits as part of their efforts to attract and retain talent. This trend has enabled femtech companies to reach customers who might not pay out-of-pocket for these services while providing employers with differentiated benefits packages.
However, the landscape is becoming more competitive as employers seek comprehensive solutions rather than point products. This creates opportunities for companies that can offer integrated platforms or for smaller companies that can effectively partner with larger benefits providers.
The key to success in this market lies in demonstrating clear return on investment for employers through improved employee satisfaction, reduced healthcare costs, and/or increased productivity. Companies that can articulate and measure these benefits will be best positioned to capture this growing market.
The healthcare industry's shift toward values-based care creates natural alignment with femtech solutions. Many women's health issues have been historically under-addressed, leading to preventable complications and higher long-term costs. Femtech solutions that can demonstrate improved health outcomes while reducing costs will find receptive audiences among payers, employers, and health systems.
This trend is particularly relevant for addressing health disparities that have disproportionately affected women, especially women of color. Companies that can document their impact on reducing these disparities while improving care delivery will be well-positioned to capture value as the healthcare system prioritizes equity and outcomes.
For founders entering the femtech space, the key to success lies in focusing on simple, frictionless solutions that integrate into women's existing routines rather than requiring behavior change that can be disruptive. The most successful companies will be those that can demonstrate clear value propositions and innovation supported by data while navigating the complex regulatory and cultural challenges that persist in this space.
For investors, femtech represents an opportunity to back companies addressing massive, underserved markets with solutions that can scale globally. The combination of technological advancement, changing cultural attitudes, and growing market recognition creates a unique window for value creation.
The femtech revolution is just beginning, and the companies that can effectively address women's health needs with innovative, data-driven solutions will capture significant value as this market continues to mature and expand.