Action Track 1: Ensuring Access to Safe and Nutritious Food For All

As part of the United Nations Food Systems Summit 2021, I attended the Public Forum, Action Track 1: Ensure Access to Safe and Nutritious Food for All. I heard from Lawrence Haddad with Global Alliance For Improved Nutrition (GAIN), and Corinna Hawkes, Lead on the Working Group for Nutritious Foods. Lawrence Haddad, Chair of Action Track 1 presented the group’s structure, to promote transparency, and encourage feedback on their projects. The leadership team has grown to 70, as more membership states have joined. The three working groups encompass: Zero Hunger, Nutritious Foods, and Food Safety, each working with Levers of Change in human rights, gender, innovation, and finance to come up with ideas and improve nutrition. The team generate ideas within their working groups, google forms, and interacting with a range of stakeholders. The team then work on ideas in three simultaneous ways. Identifying candidate ideas, and assessing for potential impact, whilst identifying and building support for the idea, ensuring it is sustainable, and operationalising the idea, making it potentially actionable. Haddad outlined the ten ideas they are currently working on, including African Youth for Agricultural Transformation, Strengthening Land Governance, Wiping Out Wasting, and Diverse Diets for Young Children. Corinna Hawkes, Lead on the Working Group for Nutritious Foods, highlighted how game changer ideas are necessary but must work on how to make that change, not just identifying the fundamentals that need to change. The aim should be game-changing in the context of people’s real lives, and be purposefully designed to change the rules of the game. These collective actions should then lead to a fundamental shift in the way food systems operate, offering benefits across food system outcomes. A current problem, is that ‘unhealthy’ foods are affordable, appealing, and everywhere, unlike nutritious foods. This issue can be tackled in many ways, including equitable food marketing, creating more transparency around food and global coordination for food environment policies for healthier children. An investment of mine, Aloha, aims to combat ‘unhealthy’ foods by introducing clean, organic plant-based snacking alternatives without sacrificing on taste, thereby boosting consumer nutrition. As an investor within the food industry I am excited to see the collaborations that materialise as a result of this public forum to boost awareness of the innovative solutions being developed by companies like Aloha to the issues surrounding global nutrition.

Impact of the pandemic on art and culture

The year 2020 has been a time of crisis and innovation for all business areas, especially for the art world. As the virus spread across the globe, cultural institutions were forced to close. The Metropolitan Museum of Art closed on March 13th, ten days before New York went into lockdown. By the time Britain imposed social-distancing measures on March 23rd, the four Tate galleries and the National Gallery had shut. The large galleries in cities with usually reliable international tourism found the travel bans incredibly harmful to business. However, many smaller museums have seen a new wave of interest from locals.

In response to their premises closing, museums worldwide have upped their digital offerings with online exhibits, curator video chats, and many virtual kids' activities. Many are also re-thinking their reach and collections in a time of accelerated technological change and reflecting on how racial and social injustice are reflected in their art. For instance, last month, Tate celebrated LGBTIQA+ month with QueerTate Festival and premiered the special live online performance Resilient Responses, filmed in Tate Modern's Tanks during lockdown. Recently Aliza Nisenbaum's compelling new film Painting the NHS explores the story behind her Tate Liverpool exhibition and introduces the NHS key workers who are the subjects of her work. Meanwhile, Tate St Ives has worked closely with Vocal Eyes to produce two audio and video descriptions for the blind and partially sighted, including Barbara's Hepworth's Two Forms Divided Circle and Marlow Moss's White and Yellow. No museum has escaped the uncertainty brought about by national lockdowns and decline in revenue in revenue. In May 2020, the International Council of Museums surveyed museums in 106 countries about the pandemic's early effects, finding that more than 80% of them expected to reduce programming, and 10% might permanently close. When Tate closed its galleries at the end of March 2020, they had just experienced one of the most successful years, welcoming record visitor figures to many of our galleries. Tate galleries have been closed for almost six months in total and have seen only 20% of previous visitor numbers when open. However, they and so many other cultural institutions are determined to do everything in their power to secure their long-term future ‘for our colleagues, our visitors, for artists and future generations.’

Supermarkets: a drive towards sustainability?

I heard so many thought-provoking presentations from outstanding academics at the Livestock, Environment and People (LEAP) Conference 2020. 

One such talk was given by Joanna Trewern from the Centre for Environment & Sustainability, University of Surrey. Her study focused on the intervention in supermarkets for “less and better meat”. She found that retailers have no targets or strategies for reducing meat sales, however many are trying to focus on more sustainable meat, for example, locally sourced. Some intend to make targets for plant-based products, and indeed recently Tesco has set a sales target for plant-based alternatives. Many supermarkets did not feel they had the duty to influence customer attitudes and demands, merely to reflect them. This is something I found very interesting, especially in light of the next presentation I heard which was from Cristina Stewart at the University of Oxford, who spoke on meat consumption trends in the UK. It is well known that reducing meat consumption protects the environment, but that globally average per capita meat consumption is increasing. In UK beef consumption needs to decrease 89% to stay within planetary boundaries. This study took place from 2008/9-2016/17. Groups were categorised by year of birth rather than age group. An interesting find was that the youngest survey group- born after 1999- are the only group increasing their consumption. Although they did have a lower starting base point, I found this a surprising trend. The study found that on average daily meat intake decreased by 12g per day, 8.4 g of which was red meat. In contrast, white meat consumption increased. This distinction is significant - as is well documented, frequent and sustained consumption of red meat has negative impacts upon health. This trend in decreasing meat consumption and an increase in plant-based foods is, in my view, an incredibly attractive investment. As an active investor, spotting trends early is important, which is why I have chosen to invest in companies that offer plant-based alternatives such as ALOHA and JUST.

Women of Wearables: Transforming Healthcare with AI

In the last year, we have seen transformation of healthcare in ways we might not have expected, and is now more accessible, driven by technology and focused on prevention.  As part of the Women of Wearables conference, I attended a panel discussion on how artificial intelligence (AI) can transform healthcare. The pandemic has been a catalyst for change in adoption of AI and adoption of digital technology. The panel discussed the challenges and benefits of using AI within their respective sectors.

It might be thought that regulations may be the biggest barrier to innovation within healthcare, but, Rebecca Wray, Associate Director in Digital Health Oncology at Astra Zeneca said it is the quality of data, and access to it. Access to large-scale, quality data is hugely expensive, and can be a major barrier. Hadeel Ayoub, founder of start-up BrightSign explained how this impacted her, and it meant she chose to collect her own data.

New solutions requiring new data, existing data being held inconsistently and lack of access to data due to privacy concerns pose further challenges for AI in healthcare. The panel also discussed the problems in research and development of AI, especially regarding inbuilt biases that may emerge. Melissa Berthelot, CEO of WarnerPatch explained that all data will be biased to some extent, and is recognised when ethical approval is sought.

One of my investments, Owkin, transforms data into knowledge, and combats some of these challenges. Owkin recognised that researchers, doctors and biologists benefit from available data, however, being able to extract insights becomes more challenging. Owkin’s solution is to build collective intelligence from distributed data at scale, which can provide personalised treatments for everyone without impacting on privacy.

Currently, we cannot expect AI to replace human intuitive aspects, as algorithms cannot assess the context of a patient’s life, but it can be employed in certain situations to alleviate pressure on doctors. As an investor in this space, I am excited to see how AI continues to contribute to innovation within healthcare, ultimately developing faster and more effective treatments for patients.

Philips: the intersection of health, science, technology and beauty

 

I recently attended the Women of Wearables conference where Raymon uit de Bulten delivered a keynote presentation on Philips and their work at the cross section of healthcare, science, technology and beauty. As an organisation, their guiding aim is to improve 2.5 billion lives per year by 2030 with their products, including 400 million in underserved communities. What I found of particular interest is the way in which Philips are mobilising technology to find healthcare solutions.

During the Covid-19 crisis, healthcare is being delivered at home more than ever before. The use of tele-health increased by 3000% in 2020. Despite this access to care, in the UK we have seen still births increase from 8 to 10 per thousand births, perhaps attributable to fewer hospital check-ups during pregnancies. Philips has developed a maternity tracker to be used from home or in designated hospital settings to protect pregnant mothers. This prevents the need for physical connection with healthcare professionals, without sacrificing the monitoring of the mother’s health. The potential for this device is not restricted to pregnant women — it can also be adapted to monitor patients with chronic conditions, and protect them from potential exposure to coronavirus.

Virtual care and health tech is a booming industry , and is likely to remain so. As an investor in the health tech industry, in particular the femtech space this was a fascinating talk. I am a proud investor in the Femtech sector, and one of NJF Capital’s investments is Elvie, a London-based company founded by Tania Boler. Frustrated to find that women’s health has been given inadequate attention in both the research and technological fields, Boler set out to make remedying this her priority and to “get women talking about health issues more”. She has achieved this goal through two of Elvie’s key products: the Pump and Trainer. The former is for breastfeeding, the latter is for the pelvic floor.

Digital health offers exciting opportunities for innovation within healthcare, and improves accessibility across populations, including those in underserved communities and those with chronic illnesses. The presentation offered an insight into how organisations can offer a holistic service to their consumers through technological innovation. As healthcare and femtech investor, I am looking forward to seeing how these developments can help to provide quality, accessible healthcare.  

Healthtech: Another Way to Improve Mental Health

 

 I recently attended the HealthTech 2.0 conference hosted by Women of Wearables Global. A panel discussion I found especially interesting was ‘Tech-Powered Solutions Paving The Way To Better Mental Health’. 

 

The global pandemic has taken a toll on mental health worldwide as it upends everyday life for so many people. Investment into mental healthtech has boomed, reaching £580 million in 2019. Technology-based products mean people can now access help and consultations. With Laura Lovett, the managing Editor of MobiHealthNews as moderator the panel spoke about how technology revolutionises access to mental health support. The panel consisted of Jolawn Victor, Chief International Officer at Headspace, Daniel Mansson, founder and CEO of Flow Neuroscience, Dr Monika Roots, Chief Medical Officer at Sanvello and Elettra Bianchi Dennerlein, founder and co-CEO at MyOnlineTherapy

 

I agreed with the panel when they discussed the important role technology plays in improving mental health. This is part of a broader trend of technology helping people live longer and healthier lives. Technology has been increasing access to mental health support as described by the panel. Fitness technology and home workout projects have been booming; for instance according to Bloomberg in September 2020, Peloton forecast a whopping $3.5 billion to $3.65 billion in revenue for fiscal 2021. Social media has played an exciting role in this boom.

The growing femtech industry has been making a real difference to the health and happiness of women around the world. An example of an investments I have made in the femtech sector is Elvie, founded by  Tania Boler.

This growth is also mirrored by a larger change in consumers' changing with the rise of plant-based alternatives that are healthy for the body and sustainable for the planet. According to a study by Polaris Market Research, the global plant-based meat market size is expected to reach USD 35.4 billion by 2027. This trend is, in my view, an incredibly attractive investment. Not only that, but these are all aspects I believe add up to make life healthier and better balanced for people around the world. I look forward to seeing new and innovative ways that technology can help people stay healthy in the future.  

 

Women of Wearables: The Female Entrepreneurs driving Innovation in FemTech

At the Women of Wearables recent conference, I attended a panel discussion on the Rise of Innovation in FemTech. It was fascinating to hear from the entrepreneurs on the panel, from Essity, Natalist, Elidah and Elvie. The work of the panellists empowers women to take control of healthcare issues including fertility, menopause and pregnancy.

The industry has not been immune to the challenges brought by the Covid-19 pandemic. Supply chains were disrupted, and retail spaces closed. For example, for Natalist, the pandemic hit in the week they were launching their product in Target stores across the US. However, the pervading themes of the panel were those of resilience, growth and innovation.

As an investor in Elvie, I was particularly interested to hear from their founder and CEO Tania Boler. Frustrated to find that women’s health has been given inadequate attention in both the research and technological fields, Boler set out to make remedying this her priority and to “get women talking about health issues more”. She has achieved this goal through two of Elvie’s key products: the Pump and Trainer. The former is for breastfeeding, the latter is for the pelvic floor.

The panel discussed the impact of the pandemic on the industry and areas likely to see change.  Tania Boler highlighted that the future of innovation within FemTech rests upon ensuring women are put front and centre of the entire design process. Research and development for medical devices is often directed towards medical professionals as opposed to the end consumer.

The panel also highlighted the challenges that arise for female entrepreneurs seeking funding for their FemTech businesses. Halle Tecco, founder of Natalist described that women often have a difficult time raising funds when they are at the innovation stage, perhaps due to the industry being considered niche, or because there have not been many success stories as of yet. The consensus on the panel was that women are currently leading the industry, and will need support through designing and funding in order for the FemTech industry to reach its potential.  

FemTech will disrupt women’s health care over the coming years, and is estimated to be worth US$50 billion by 2025. The industry offers an exciting and vital opportunity to break down taboos shrouding health concerns and create products designed with women in mind. As an investor in this space, I am excited to work further with entrepreneurs and be involved with the changes that are to come.

 

Healthtech – A Continuing Area of Growth

 

I recently attended the HealthTech 2.0 conference hosted by Women of Wearables Global. At this event, I heard a fascinating panel discussion about investing in healthtech. The digital health market is expected to reach $536 billion by 2025 and 2020 will be the largest funding year ever for the sector. Led by Jenny Thomas, Director of DigitalHealth.London, the panel discussed many interesting questions, such as “Is there any untapped potential in this industry” and “What’s the next big thing to invest in in the healthcare industry?”

 

The panel consisted of Amina Sugimoto, DrPH, founder and CEO of fermata Inc., Neha Tanna, Investment Partner at Joyance Partners, Jonathan Machado, Investment Director at Samsung NEXT and Pauliina Martikainen, Investment Director at Maki.vc.

 

When tracking the progress and rise of healthtech and femtech there was the view that Covid-19 was the main reason technology in healthcare has boomed, AI nursing means patients can be managed from home remotely. If done well, they will only need to see a doctor every six months. Covid-19 has meant there is a real need for this sort of technology. 

 

When looking to the future, the panellists agreed that whether virtual care and healthtech remains popular will vary from country to country. Amina believes Japan will return to pre-pandemic systems whilst Pauliina believed there is no reason this industry will stop now the wheels have begun turning. Neha pointed out that healthtech is now a very saturated market and companies will have to stand out. Jonathan echoed this, stating that investors will have to be very careful in deciphering which companies’ growth is real and sustained rather than temporarily inflated by Covid-19.

 

As an investor, this panel was exciting to hear from and echoed many of my beliefs. I am a proud investor in healthtech but particularly in the femtech sector with Elvie.

Elvie is a London-based company founded by Tania Boler. Frustrated to find that women’s health has been given inadequate attention in both the research and technological fields, Boler set out to make remedying this her priority and to “get women talking about health issues more”. She has achieved this goal through two of Elvie’s key products: the Pump and Trainer. The former is for breastfeeding, the latter is for the pelvic floor.

 

 

Whilst the femtech market is flourishing, there is still a long way to go in terms of research and understanding of women’s healthcare. I hope to continue watching the sector closely and see what novel ideas and developments come to fruition.

 

 

Healthtech 2.0 – The Future of Femtech

 

I recently attended the Health Tech 2.0 conference hosted by Women of Wearables Global. At this event I listened to a very interesting panel discussion on “The role of technology in creating better sexual health”.

Moderated by Dominnique Karetsos, co-founder and CEO of The Healthy Pleasure Group, the panel discussed a wide variety of thought-provoking questions and viewpoints.

On the panel was Soumyadip Rakshit, co-founder and CEO of MysteryVibe, Patricia López Trabajo, founder and CEO of MYHIXEL, Sara Kranjčec Jukić, Global Brand Manager at LELO and Andrea Oliver, co-founder and CEO of Emjoy.

 

 

Sara spoke about the changing societal views on this industry, a focus on women’s health and women’s sexual health has often been viewed as a very “niche” market.

Now, in the wake of a new era, we are seeing an innovative wave of technology made by women, for women. Femtech is set to be the next big disruptor in the global healthcare market, estimated to become an industry worth US$50 billion by 2025. Interestingly, it is female entrepreneurs who are at the forefront of this revolution.

 

It has been incredible to see the femtech market boom, not only because of the enormous benefits this has on women’s health and their quality of life, but it has encouraged more women to enter the venture capital industry. As an international investor in femtech and principal of my own venture capital fund, it is vital that we continue to support this developing market that concerns more than 50% of the world population. 

 

Within NJF Capital’s portfolio, I have invested in the femtech sector with Elvie and Cadence. We know that more needs to be done for female entrepreneurship. We have to work to improve the fact that only 1% of venture capital funding to new businesses is to female-led UK start-ups. Which is why I am a proud investor in Elvie, a London-based company founded by female entrepreneur  Tania Boler. Frustrated to find that women’s health has been given inadequate attention in both the research and technological fields, Boler set out to make remedying this her priority and to “get women talking about health issues more”. She has achieved this goal through two of Elvie’s key products: the Pump and Trainer. The former is for breastfeeding, the latter is for the pelvic floor.

 

Femtech can play a vital role in helping to change this and I look forward to seeing how the industry develops.

 

 

 

The Circular Economy

The European Union has set itself an ambitious and necessary goal of obtaining no net emissions of greenhouse gases by 2050. In order to achieve this goal, the European Union has outlined the Circular Economy Strategy Plan, which challenges the traditional methods for the manufacturing, use and disposal of goods. It is also a plan underpinned by the transition to renewable energy resources. For its part, the Spanish government has highlighted the objective to transition to a circular economy which is conducive to the change in behaviour of consumers. This will enable Spain, among other European countries, to transition towards a sustainable energy model. With my busines interest in emerging technologies, I am intrigued as to how manufacturers can put sustainability at the heart of their businesses and whether consumer mentality can be changed to promote the repurposing and recycling of products. New technology and products are created every day; yet for most, their life cycle is linear. Natural resources are extracted, the product is made, it is used by the consumer and then it is thrown away. The Circular Economy Action Plan challenges this model. It proposes a closed loop which would restrict the single use of products. This model replicates the processes of nature, as once an organism decomposes, its nutrients return to the soil which supports the growth and development of new organisms. Transitioning to a circular economy will aid the European Union to support a regenerative growth model that gives back to the planet more than it takes. This model isn’t only crucial to achieve the protection of our planet, it helps protect consumers, makes business sense for manufacturers and promotes competitiveness within the European Single Market. The model protects customers as it advocates for high-quality, functional and safe products, which are efficient and affordable, last longer and are designed for reuse, repair and high-quality recycling. Consumers would be empowered to repair their own products, rather than buying a new product simply because one component in the original product no longer functions. It could also reduce costs as rather than owning a specific product, consumers could licence the use of the product for a fixed term before it is returned to the manufacturer to be repurposed. The transition to a circular economy also makes business sense. The closed loop model for the production of goods could increase the profitability of manufacturers whilst sheltering them from resource price fluctuations. Currently manufacturing firms in the European Union spend about 40% on materials. Production costs could be reduced as consumers could provide them with the products to be repurposed and replaced. A circular economy decouples manufacturers from the availability of the finite raw materials and enables them to become more self-sufficient. In support of the initiative, the International Energy Agency has advocated for policies, which would increase recycling of aluminium, steel, paper and plastics, and material efficiency strategies. Transitioning to a circular economy will also encourage innovation and design whilst promoting competitiveness. A premium will be placed on companies which can implement technology for the effective repurposing of recycled raw materials. Practical hurdles remain to implement such an ambitious project across the whole of the European Union, yet I look forward to seeing how companies respond to the proposals and how they can apply ingenious solutions to increase the use of renewable energy and materials.

LEAP Conference 2020: Is lab-grown meat the future?

At the recent Livestock, Environment and People (LEAP) Conference with the University of Oxford, I was very interested to hear about the benefits of lab-grown or cultured meat in a talk by Professor Burkhard Schafer. I also found Professor Schafer’s discussion of some of the issues in bringing cultured meat products to the market highly illuminating. Cultured meat can be grown through the replication of a small number of animal cells to produce a meat product that is the essentially same as a conventional meat product in all but its source. This brings with it the benefit of bringing no harm to any animals in the making of the product. Additionally, this also brings the benefit of reducing the risk of disease transfer between animals and humans (a process known as zoonosis) which as I am sure you are aware is now a particularly important concern – the world having experienced the dangers this can bring. Research has also suggested that lab-grown meat could have health benefits, with the potential for products with no saturated fat or growth hormones - important considerations to note given the current strains on global healthcare systems. Although currently produced on a small scale at eye-watering cost, if the process of producing cultured meat can be industrialised it would also have the potential to solve food shortages. Despite the wide range of benefits that cultured meat could bring, Professor Schafer also identified a number of possible barriers that these products may meet in coming to the market. For example, the religious and cultural conventions associated with meat, possible health and safety concerns, and the likely stubbornness of the conventional meat industry are all likely to be at issue. In the case of the latter, a similar issue was seen when margarine was first brought to the market in the late 19th century and it seems likely similar resistance would be met here. After this talk, I’m fascinated to see how the technology in this sector progresses to allow for mass production of cultured meat products, and also how the potential barriers to the market are overcome.

Is GreenTech a ‘New Industrial Revolution’?

As an early investor in both the healthcare and biotech sectors, I am always on the lookout for good opportunities to support early stage companies utilising the latest advancements in technology, for example the application of Artificial Intelligence (AI) and machine learning – to improve the health and wellbeing of people across the world. My focus when I first invested in these areas was to support companies whose mission is to help people live longer and healthier lives; and this remains my focus today. Although our portfolio is predominantly focused on healthcare, I’ve long been an advocate for the powerful convergence of technology and science to unlock the potential to make real improvements to the environment, and this will be an area I look forwards to closely following in the coming months. Green technology is a fast-growing area of investment, covering areas such as waste recycling, marine solar, water purification and reuse, energy storage for solar and wind energy, autonomous greenhouses and renewable hydrogen as a fuel source. It's also about innovating the tech that underpins clean energy production such as solar and wind, part of the essential drive to move us away from our deeply damaging global dependence on fossil fuels. The market is still relatively young, but forward-thinking venture capitalists have seen the opportunity, financially and sustainably. A white paper, published today, indicates the Government is beginning to catch up with both the environmental and market demand, realigning its priorities to rebuild the economy with a focus on tech such as innovations to capture and store carbon dioxide, hydrogen fuel cells and offshore wind farms — as well as exploring the potential of artificial intelligence. Boris Johnson built his 2019 election campaign around a promise to help underperforming regions in the UK and this new industrial strategy with its emphasis on green tech is seen as one way to help level the playing field. The future of sustainable societies is inextricably bound up with the ability to create integrated and effective change using all of the talent and innovation we have available. New perspectives are crucial — at all levels. It’s not enough to have national economic growth if local economies are shrinking and concentrating on flattening regional inequality underlines the recognition that a green recovery from coronavirus can't be achieved in just one place. The UK needs investment across every part of the country to boost productivity and this includes looking beyond London to industry centres such as Manchester and Birmingham, as well as the science and technology corridor between Oxford and Cambridge. And for tech start-ups working on green initiatives in underperforming regions and looking for investment, this top-level shift could light the fire under a rocket of innovation that is currently still on the launchpad. Is it a ‘new industrial revolution’? Perhaps not yet. But with a concerted change in industrial strategy that prioritises green tech it’s a chance to rebuild our economy nationally and locally with bricks of opportunity in vital areas such as clean energy, infrastructure and transport. Short-term it can help us to rebound practically from a year of economic and social challenge and restore faith in our ability as a country to create and sustain healthy growth, in the long-term it may prove to be the investment with the biggest return of all — a sustainable, resilient society with a more equal investment in and opportunity for all. Nicole Junkermann is an international entrepreneur and investor, and the founder of NJF Holdings, an international investment company with interests in venture capital, private equity, and real estate. Through NJF’s venture capital arm (NJF Capital), Nicole oversees a portfolio similar in size to a small venture fund across Europe and the US, including in healthcare, fintech, and deep tech.

The rise of female entrepreneurship through Femtech

For decades, women’s health products have been seen as a “niche” market, largely designed and sold by men. Now, in the wake of a new era, we are seeing an innovative wave of technology made by women, for women. Femtech is set to be the next big disruptor in the global healthcare market, estimated to become an industry worth US$50 billion by 2025. Crucially, it is female entrepreneurs who are at the forefront of this revolution.

It has been incredible to see the Femtech market boom, not only because of the enormous benefits this has on women’s health and their quality of life, but encouraged more women to enter the venture capital industry. As an international investor and principal of my own venture capital fund, it is vital that we continue to support this developing market that concerns more than 50% of the world population.  

Within NJF Capital’s portfolio, I have invested in two interesting companies in the Femtech sector. One great case study is Elvie, one of the early pioneers of the Femtech sector. Its first two innovative products, the Elvie Trainer and the multi-award-winning Elvie Pump, the world’s first silent wearable breast pump, are capturing the imagination of women consumers everywhere and are reinventing healthcare as we know it by giving women back control and autonomy of their bodies. Elvie has a long-term roadmap to develop effective, user-friendly products and smart technology capable of supporting women in many different aspects of their lives. As the Co-Founder, Tania Boler herself said, Elvie’s ambition is to become the ‘Apple of women’s tech’ and its mission is to improve women’s health outcomes globally.

The company has raised over $53 million in funding to date, backed by Sir Michael Spencer’s IPGL alongside Impact Ventures and NJF Capital, and has been featured in a range of high-profile media from Vogue to Forbes to Women’s Health. Its products have even found their way into Oscar Nominee Gift Bags and, impressively, the Elvie Pump sold out within five minutes of its U.S. market debut. Elvie has recently secured funding from HSBC UK which it hopes to use to expand further and support more women globally. We know that more needs to be done for female entrepreneurship. We have to work to improve the fact that only 1% of venture capital funding to new businesses is to female-led UK start-ups. FemTech can play a vital role in helping to change this and I look forwards to seeing how the industry develops.