Originally published at HealthTechDigital | May 19, 2020 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. Nutrition is an interesting area that has become increasingly attractive for investors over the last 10 years and it is easy to understand why. According to a market research report published in October 2019, the global human nutrition market is expected to grow by 6.6% a year to reach US$465.4 billion by 2025. This expected growth shows clearly why nutrition is receiving so much investor attention and I think investors will be looking very closely at those companies that are innovating and have the potential to disrupt the industry. However, for me, the real importance in investing in nutrition is because it is the vital starting point for our health. The need to maintain a healthy immune system is something made sadly all too clear by the global COVID-19 crisis. As the healthcare industry scrambles to develop a vaccination, which could still be some way off with no guarantee of success, it is clear just how important having a good immune system is in the fight against the disease. A Harvard Medical School publication in April this year aptly notes that ‘on the whole, your immune system does a remarkable job of defending you against disease-causing microorganisms’. The report advises that to boost your immune system, the first line of defence is to choose a healthy lifestyle; following general good-health guidelines – particularly with a balanced approach to nutrition – is the single best step you can take toward naturally keeping your immune system strong and healthy. I saw that in late 2019, the Council for Responsible Nutrition in the US conducted its 20th consecutive annual Consumer Survey on Dietary Supplements which revealed that 77% of Americans reported the daily consumption of dietary supplements – the highest ever figure since the survey began. However, supplements are exactly that, to supplement and not substitute a healthy and diet and that is why as an investor I look to invest in companies which recognise the true importance of nutrition to our immune systems and therefore our health. Introducing Spoon GuruI am an investor in London-based Spoon Guru, an intuitive search and discovery application for healthy foods. The company uses the latest advancements in AI technology to help consumers discover the right foods for them, whatever their dietary preferences, lifestyle choices, or health objectives. Through applying their proprietary AI and machine learning models, the Spoon Guru algorithms can process and analyse thousands of nutritional values each and every day.
Spoon Guru has been able to adapt quickly to help encourage people to improve their nutrition to boost their immune system during the COVID-19 crisis. The company’s new Immunity Support Tag, developed by its leading nutritionists and data science experts, enables people to quickly identify foods and products that will support their immune system. As Markus Stripf, co-Founder and CEO, explains: “Unfortunately, there’s no magic silver bullet that is guaranteed to boost your immune health. The good news is there are ways to keep your immune system functioning optimally, and consumers are now more than ever looking for foods and healthy diets to strengthen their natural defences. We hope the use of our technology can help support people choosing nourishing foods during the current health crisis.” Download the Spoon Guru app from the App Store or Google Play. For more information about the Immunity Support TAG please contact: [email protected] Originally published at BusinessLeader.co.uk | July 6, 2020 I was a very early investor in both healthcare and biotech, particularly focusing on early-stage companies looking to utilise the latest advancements in technology to make much-needed breakthroughs in their fields. My focus when I first invested in this area was to support the companies on a mission to help people live longer and healthier lives; and this remains my focus today. In the UK, the All-Party Parliamentary Group for Longevity recently published “The Health of the Nation – A strategy for healthier stronger life” in February this year. This report found that the UK must prepare for a very large increase in the number of cases of people in poor health over the next 15 years, especially in the older population. For example, in England, it is predicted that by 2035, 70% of people aged 55 and over are expected to be affected by obesity-related illnesses. In the report, the UK’s Chief Medical Officer, Professor Chris Witty – now a household name in the country as he helps lead the UK government’s strategy to tackle the COVID-19 pandemic – highlights the importance of controlling four behaviours to reverse the trend of declining health in old age: smoking, unhealthy eating, alcohol consumption, and physical inactivity. According to Witty, by tackling these four factors we could prevent up to 75% of new cases of heart disease, stroke, type 2 diabetes and 40% of the incidence of cancer, and potentially many cases of dementia. However, many healthcare professionals are also turning to technology to offer solutions to improve longevity by tackling age-related medical illness. This is a relatively new field within healthcare technology, and I am pleased to have moved quickly to invest in two promising early-stage US-based companies both tackling age-related illnesses as a way of improving people’s longevity. Introducing Gordian Biotech Gordian Biotech is a great example of how companies are turning to the latest technology advancements – particularly in Artificial Intelligence (AI) and machine learning – to help in the fight to prevent age-related illnesses. The San Francisco-based company is on a mission to pioneer a novel discovery platform to radically improve drug development for complex diseases of aging. The company is redefining the latest screening method for age-related conditions by using the latest AI and machine learning technologies to process and analyse vast data sets and integrate the analysis with the latest in biological research. Introducing Cambrian Biopharma One of my more recent investments is Cambrian BioPharma, a clinical-stage biopharmaceutical company founded in 2019 and focused on developing therapies to prevent and cure age-related diseases with the help of AI.
Cambrian is based in New York City with operations across the US and Europe, and is focused on the basic biology of aging, a field known as ‘geroscience.’ I am delighted to be part of Cambrian’s development journey, and although still very early days, I look forward to hopefully seeing them successfully developing the therapies which will have a real benefit when tackling age-related diseases. These two companies are great examples of the types of opportunities investors will be looking to as investment in healthcare start-ups continue to grow; ie companies who manage to effectively combine cutting-edge technology with leading scientific research. I’m looking forward to seeing this sector develop further in the coming months and years. Originally published at BMMagazine.co.uk | June 15, 2020 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 of over 30 start-ups across three continents, including in healthcare, FinTech, and deep tech. The rise of Femtech “Femtech”– technology geared to improving women’s lives – is a flourishing market expected to be worth $50 billion by 2025. Investing in Femtech companies is essential for our common future. It is a market that concerns more than 50% of the world’s population. Women experience specific health issues and I am always looking for opportunities to invest in unique and innovative companies trying to solve these. A good example of one of the problems specifically faced by women was addressed on a recent Ted Talk by leading neuroscientist Lisa Mosconi, who explained how the menopause affects the brain and how women are more likely than men to be diagnosed with an anxiety disorder or depression, not to mention headaches and migraines. One positive development of the rise of Femtech is the number of female-founded businesses in this sector, something which is sadly lacking in general in the start-up world. For example, a recent JP Morgan study showed that in the UK, only 9% of funding to new businesses was to female-led UK start-ups, and from venture capital funding, this figure is even lower – only 1%. At NJF Capital, we are proud to be invested in two ground-breaking Femtech companies, which are Elvie and Cadence Health. ElvieBased in London, Elvie is one of the early pioneers of the rapidly growing 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 female 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 last year. Cadence HealthCadence Health is a women’s health start-up focused on providing a cost-effective birth control pill that will be available over the counter. Targeting the US market, where such contraceptives are currently only available by prescription, the company’s pill will give women the option to prevent unwanted or unintended pregnancies, especially those who do not have insurance or who are vulnerable.
It is said that almost half of pregnancies in the US are unwanted and many of them are teenagers, who never go on to finish High School, with all the financial consequences that this brings. Led by long-time public health advocate and entrepreneur, Dr Nap Hosang, Cadence Health is on a mission to liberate the pill and cut out stakeholders, such as doctors and pharmacists, who each currently receive a cut when drug companies sell prescription pills at inflated prices. What I particularly liked about Cadence Health was the vision and passion of Nap and his team. After all, I invest first in people. What Cadence Health is doing is empowering women, particularly young or disadvantaged women, to make their own life choices by opening up the market for easy, affordable contraception. The femtech industry has enjoyed unwavering growth over the past 12 months. Here are seven trending femtech products you need to know about. 1. Peanut Peanut is a motherhood focused social network provider. The British startup recently secured $5 million in funding, launching what it claims to be the first online community for women who are trying to become mothers. Peanut was founded in 2017 by Michelle Kennedy, former deputy CEO of Badoo. So far, the company has amassed total funding of around $9.8 million. Nicole Junkermann stated: “Featured on Britain’s NHS website, Peanut offers a free app to ensure no woman has to navigate motherhood alone. It provides an online space for women to meet, chat with, and learn from likeminded individuals; create group conversations and polls; connect with local members, and join neighbourhood groups.” 2. Extend FertilityNew York-based Extend Fertility, a market leader in egg freezing, recently announced the launch of its new website and the expansion of existing IVF services. Extend Fertility aims to provide a full spectrum of fertility treatments as part of the company’s mission to destigmatise infertility. Since the organisation was founded, Extend Fertility has frozen more than 27,000 eggs at its practice. As a natural extension of this journey, many Extend Fertility clients are now returning to use those frozen eggs. Since Extend Fertility launched its fertility treatment in 2016, the organisation has achieved IVF success rates that rival and exceed industry competitors. The company’s prices are between 20 per cent and 40 per cent lower than the national average. Extend Fertility has become a market leader in cryopreservation in the United States, completing more than 1,000 cycles of IVF in 2018. 3. RitualRitual provides vegan-certified, non-GMO vitamins that are free from allergens, gluten, colorants and synthetic fillers. From omega-3 to vitamin D3, Ritual’s scientists utilise extensive research generated by dietary and genetic studies to produce multivitamins incorporating all of the key nutrients a woman’s body needs for optimum function. Ritual promotes traceability, providing details of studies, sources, and suppliers involved in all of its products. The service is easy to start and simple to cancel. The website offers a general multivitamin for women aged 18-plus; a multivitamin for women experiencing the menopause; and a prenatal multivitamin. 4. Queerly HealthQueerly Health is a New York-based digital health startup that aims to democratise access to health and wellness for the LGBTQ community. The organisation’s mission is to provide supportive, affirming, inclusive spaces for all people who identify as LGBTQ. Queerly Health is committed to overhauling the current healthcare paradigm, which often overlooks the medical needs of people who identify as LGBTQ, leaving them vulnerable and underserved. The company aims to carve out a space for the LGBTQ community in digital health, redefining the future of LGBTQ care by delivering a comprehensive range of safe, culturally-competent health and wellness services. 5. GennevGennev is a digital health service that focuses on menopause. It was designed by women, for women, with the aim of making a big, positive impact on women’s healthcare. Gennev recruited an OB/GYN, a certified nutritionist, an educator, and a healthcare engineer, as well as business thinkers, before setting to work on its ground-breaking new app. According to Gennev’s website, less than 7 per cent of women experiencing menopause get the help that they need. The creators of Gennev aim to establish the platform as the go-to health and wellness solution for women experiencing menopause. It aims to provide a reliable source of menopause facts and support, with none of the myths, tall tales, or scare stories that abound on the Internet. 6. MahmeeMahmee is a platform for new mothers, providing all of the information, support, and guidance they need on a single platform. From pregnancy to postpartum, Mahmee provides resources that can be challenging to track down piecemeal. Mahmee provides new mothers with a wealth of support and information. This HIPAA-secure care management platform helps patients coordinate prenatal and postpartum healthcare. Mahmee links mother and baby health records to keep care teams on the same page. It provides pregnancy, childbirth, and lactation advice, as well as supporting emotional health. 7. AllbodiesReproductive health is about so much more than pregnancy and STIs. Allbodies aims to provide women with the information they need to feel empowered as experts of their own bodies. The platform provides the tools that women need to listen to and understand their own bodies, supplying all of the facts and information women need to make optimal health decisions. Allbodies supports collective female health, freedom, and embodiment. The Allbodies shop sells feminine hygiene products, birth control, period trackers, supplements, fertility products, and more. The organisation combines western medicine and scientific research with alternative practices, ancient wisdom, and community narrative, providing women with diverse information to make the best decisions for them. Nicole Junkermann stated: “Industry experts are predicting that the femtech market could be worth up to $50 billion (£38.9 billion) by 2025. Here are seven European startups that are championing women’s health technology.” 1. ElvieOne of the most well-known companies in European femtech, this London-based company offers two products: Elvie Pump and Elvie Trainer. Elvie Pump is a silent breast pump that was released in 2018. Said to be the first of its kind marketed anywhere in the world, this wearable device was specially designed with new mothers in mind. The device is suitable for wearing under a standard nursing bra. Elvie Pump connects to a free app that controls pumping remotely, while at the same time tracking milk volume in real time. Elvie Trainer is a pelvic floor exercise app. It provides short workout routines to help women strengthen their pelvic floor muscles. This can be particularly important for women following childbirth or as they age, reducing incontinence. Improved pelvic floor strength can also make sex more pleasurable. 2. AspivixAspivix is targeted to hospitals and clinics in the healthcare industry. This Swiss company has developed a single-use surgical instrument specially designed for gynaecological procedures, such as monitoring fertility or inserting contraceptives. The instrument uses suction to support intimate engagement without causing bleeding or trauma. It helps healthcare providers reduce the time and cost of procedures. It also benefits patients by reducing the risk of cross-contamination and facilitating fast, smooth, pain-free procedures. 3. KaNDy TherapeuticsThis UK-based company is devoted to supporting women experiencing serious chronic conditions. Its NT-814 medicine provides a non-hormonal alternative to traditional hormone replacement therapies in postmenopausal treatment. This breakthrough treatment helps women experiencing a range of different symptoms, including sleep disturbance and hot flashes. Since its launch in 2017, the organisation has raised £25 million in a single round of funding. 4. Grace HealthThis Stockholm-based company developed a medical device for females to monitor their energy and feelings. It also sends notifications about ovulation and fertility. Women who use the device can communicate with a chatbot to ask questions about their bodies. The device is primarily targeted to women in emerging markets, with the objective of helping them feel informed, educated, and assured about their own bodies and the processes they go through. Women use the app simply by imputing their data and starting to chat. Grace Health meets all relevant Swedish Medical Products Agency standards. The organization recently completed a seed funding round, attracting €2.2 million (£1.9 million) in investment. 5. Syrona WomenSyrona Women is a digital female health platform that was founded in London in 2017. It enables women to monitor their gynaecological health from the comfort of their own homes. Syrona Women provides end-to-end female health services supported by experts, from gynaecological care to wellness options. The organization conducts research in collaboration with some of the world’s leading universities, developing innovative technology that is encrypted to protect all data, providing valuable peace of mind. The digital platform provides pregnancy messages for women who are expecting, explaining how their bodies are changing. For those with questions regarding their reproductive health, Syrona Women also presents online consultations, enabling women to speak to an accredited, experienced gynaecologist about any symptoms or health issues of concern. In addition, Syrona Women supports an online community of women, where users are free to seek advice or help others. Finally, the company offers home testing kits to help women monitor their health. It guides them through the process and explains the implications of test results. 6. FerlyFounded in 2018, Ferly’s creators describe it as an “audio guide to mindful sex." This British startup was founded with the ultimate mission of taking the stigma out of discussing sex, particularly female pleasure. The Ferly app offers presentations from tantrikas and psychotherapists that can be tailored to listener preferences. Users can engage in “discover-by-doing" sessions, erotic play, or journaling practice. The result is a growing online community of women empowered to embrace their sexuality. 7. Super Izzy AIFounded in Berlin in 2016, this personalised female health advice platform relies on data collection. Super Izzy AI is essentially a chatbot created to help women educate themselves about their reproductive health and track any health conditions. The mission behind the interface is to fight the stigma surrounding health issues facing women, while making them more aware of bodily processes. The platform’s creators argue that taboos surrounding women’s health issues result in lowered awareness. This can lead to significant health risks, such as incidence of cancer and STIs. Super Izzy AI combines personalised health advice with data collection extremely successfully, utilizing artificial intelligence to provide women with accurate, reliable health advice. Supper Izzy AI can answer questions on menstruation, contraception, and reproductive health. Hajnalka Hejja, a qualified doctor, founded the company with the ultimate mission of countering stigmas associated with women’s health to improve female awareness. Nicole Junkermann stated: “Over the past decade, the market for fertility-orientated startups has exploded, a fact that is unsurprising given that many leading scientists warn of an impending fertility crisis.” According to data published by the CDC, approximately 12 per cent of US women of reproductive age experience fertility problems. As maternal age increases, so do the risks of fertility problems. In fact, the National Institutes of Health notes that women in their 30s are around 50 per cent less fertile than women in their 20s. With the global fertility services sector predicted to be worth around $36 billion by 2023, we look at four of the most successful startups specialising in fertility solutions for women. 1. Future FamilyThis female-founded organisation delivers professional guidance as well as financing options for the fertility process. In 2018 the company attracted an additional $10 million (£7.7million) in investment in a Series A funding round led by Aspect Ventures. Addressing the seismic shift in the funding of female-orientated fertility companies, CEO and founder of Future Family Claire Tomkins explained that thanks to advancements in understanding, acceptance, and acknowledgment, female fertility is no longer the taboo subject it once was. Future Female offers premium fertility care services, including egg freezing plans that start at $250 a month. The organisation coaches and supports its clients through the various stages of fertility treatment. In addition to receiving fertility tests, Future Family members are assigned a Fertility Coach—a registered nurse with professional experience in clinical fertility. Members also receive personalised fertility plans with clear options to get pregnant, as well as five 30-minute coaching lessons and referral to a local fertility clinic. 2. Carrot FertilityCarrot Fertility comprises a global team of doctors, engineers, operators, and designers, united in the mission to provide high-quality fertility care that is accessible to everyone. Dr. Asima Ahmad and Ms. Tammy Sun started Carrot Fertility based on their own personal experiences with fertility care, as well as a shared ambition of making fertility treatments inclusive, accessible, and affordable for everyone. What sets the company apart is that it is aimed at companies rather than individuals, delivering fertility care to company employees. Its care team comprises fertility clinicians and experts who guide employees through their fertility journey. The global provider network consists of more than 2,700 clinics in 40 different countries, providing employees with qualified care that meets strict regulatory and clinical standards. Company employees can access Carrot Fertility care using their Carrot Card, which allows them to access services without the stress of upfront fees. Furthermore, Carrot Fertility handles all financial and benefits administration, which includes processing reimbursements and claims and providing customized reports on engagement, enrolment, and costs. Carrot Fertility covers sperm, egg, and embryo freezing, as well as donor-assisted IVF and surrogacy. Knowledgeable staff can even help employees with the adoption process. Whether employees are postponing starting a family or need help right now, Carrot Fertility offers a variety of fertility solutions through its care plans, which can be implemented in as little as four weeks. 3. Egg-QEgg-Q is a health testing service based in Florida, with plans to roll out nationally over summer 2020. Currently available at select OB-GYN offices, the test requires patients to complete a questionnaire and an anti-Müllerian hormone (AMH) blood test. Egg-Q uses the results to identify the most appropriate fertility options for the patient, optimizing their likelihood of having a baby. AMH is a hormone produced by ovarian follicles as part of the menstrual cycle; it essentially dictates egg recruitment and release. When women produce lower AMH levels, they produce less viable eggs. For women who test below 1.0, IVF may still be achievable, but it may take longer with more cycles, and the miscarriage risk may be substantially higher. Generally, the higher the AMH level, the better, but for some women with readings above 4.0, further tests may be required to rule out polycystic ovarian syndrome, a condition that can cause fertility issues. Testing AMH levels is useful for younger women who don’t wish to yet start a family but want to know their fertility potential prior to making a decision. It is also valuable to older women in evaluating how their body might respond to IVF. 4. EverlyWellIn April 2019, testing platform EverlyWell landed an additional $50 million in venture capital funding in a Series B funding round led by Highland Capital Partners. Founded by CEO Julia Cheek in 2015, EverlyWell was featured on ABC’s Shark Tank reality television series. This Austin-based digital health platform offers more than 30 home testing kits, including those for metabolism, thyroid, sexual health, and female fertility issues. EverlyWell’s Women’s Fertility Test measures oestradiol, one of the main oestrogens produced by the ovaries that regulate ovulation. Following menopause, oestradiol levels decline significantly, affecting female fertility. The hormone also plays a vital role in the normal function of sexual organs, including the uterus. The finger-prick blood test currently costs $159. These days it seems like there is an app for simply everything. From fertility trackers to nutrition apps, we look at seven of the most popular women’s health apps on the market today and how they can help women take greater control over their health. DuoFertilityDuoFertility is the world’s first wearable fertility service designed to help women get pregnant. With one in six couples facing fertility issues, trying to conceive can be stressful. DuoFertility is an easy-to-use app that features an accurate temperature sensor, as well as comprehensive, expert fertility advice. According to the company website, couples using DuoFertility are around three times more likely to conceive than they would naturally. DuoFertility states that, of customers who conceived using the app, 60% did so within four months, and 65% of customers with fertility issues, such as polycystic ovarian syndrome (PCOS) and unexplained fertility, conceived successfully with help from DuoFertility. HealthyOutHealthyOut is a nutrition app. It allows users to quickly identify and order dishes served at local restaurants that are in line with their nutritional requirements. The user enters their location, then selects either dine out, delivery, or pickup. They then add their nutritional requirements, such as low calorie, low carb, gluten sensitive, paleo, and other tags and users can select more than one requirement. The app then returns a list of restaurants and dishes that meet the user’s nutritional needs. HealthyOut enables users to save time when deciding what to eat by doing their nutritional homework for them. The app has an intuitive interface and provides a breakdown of macro-nutritional elements via colourful pie charts. Kicks CountThe Kicks Count app is designed to help expectant mothers identify regular patterns in their baby’s movements in utero. Kicks Count was created by Sophia Wyatt after her daughter was stillborn. In the wake of her daughter’s death, Wyatt realised many other families might be spared the tragedy of losing a child if they could detect foetal distress. There is often a change in movement patterns before babies pass away in utero, making Kicks Count a potentially useful tool in helping parents track the health of their babies. Wyatt explains that she felt compelled to start her company so that she could teach expectant mothers to recognise their baby’s movement patterns, in the hope that they could avoid the heartbreak of losing a child. iBreastCheckThe iBreastCheck app is a breast checking platform for Android and iPhone that helps women detect irregularities associated with breast cancer. One in eight US women will develop invasive breast cancer in their lifetime. In 2019, there were approximately 268,000 new diagnoses of invasive breast cancer in the US alone. The good news is that incidences of breast cancer are decreasing thanks to increased public awareness, scientific understanding, and screenings. iBreastCheck’s developers hope their app can bring those numbers down even further. iBreastCheck features slideshows, videos, and a handy reminder service prompting users to carry out regular breast checks. It also features information explaining how a person’s lifestyle can affect their risk of developing breast cancer. SweatTouted as the world’s leading female fitness app, Sweat helps women work towards their fitness goals by sharing workouts from some of the world’s best female personal trainers, including Kelsey Wells, Steph Sanzo, and Kayla Itsines. Sweat offers a range of different workouts, from post-pregnancy routines to high intensity workouts, from beginner through to advanced difficulty levels. The app enables users to not only plan their fitness activities, but also to track their progress, encouraging them to get stronger week upon week. Users progress gradually, increasing intensity until they are ready to take on new challenges and step up their efforts. In addition, the app features healthy meal plans, weekly grocery shopping lists and a forum where users can connect with each other. Ovia FertilityOvia Fertility enables women to track their menstrual cycles, moods, symptoms, and more, providing accurate period and ovulation predictions. The app features fertility facts, articles, and health tips, as well as personalised summaries on the user’s health and fertility. Users can also connect with other women in an online community without having to divulge their personal information. In addition to its fertility app, Ovia has developed a pregnancy app allowing mothers-to-be to track their pregnancy. Ovia also offers a parenting app that enables parents to track baby growth, check food and medication safety as well as explore articles and health tips. FooducateFooducate encourages women to improve their lifestyles by eating better, getting healthy, and losing weight. The app empowers users to achieve their health, fitness, and nutrition goals by providing nutrition advice, recipes, and health trackers that allow users to record their daily meals and exercise. Users can also share recipes, ask questions, and connect with other users in the community forum. Fooducate has received a number of prestigious accolades and awards. It won the Healthy App Challenge Award from the US Surgeon General and has been mentioned in USA Today, New York Times, amongst other media outlets. Investors are pouring more and more money into women’s fertility apps and tech companies are increasingly using the latest technology to improve women’s reproductive health services. We are going to explore eight of the most popular fertility trackers on the market. Fertility FriendFertility Friend helps women to track fertility signs, enabling users to pinpoint their next ovulation date and most fertile days. When users enter data, the app assesses their menstrual cycles and identifies the date of ovulation. Fertility Friend not only suggests optimal dates for conception, but also tells users the best day to take a home pregnancy test in order to avoid disappointment and ambiguity by taking the test too early. The app, which is free, has no advertisements or product placements. FloUsed by more than 110 million women worldwide, Flo is touted by its creators as the world’s number-one mobile women’s health product. The app, which is available for download on Google Play and Apple’s App Store, offers a number of great features which include an ovulation calendar and period tracker; health assistant; daily health insights; pregnancy and post-pregnancy modes; and private chats, where users can chat about intimate topics anonymously, ask questions, and obtain support from millions of women worldwide. KindaraKindara helps to identify fertile windows, eliminate surprise periods, and empower women to take control of their reproductive health. The company also offers a range of different products and services; the Priya Personal Fertility System provides women who are trying to conceive with a state-of-the-art vaginal sensor created to maximise a user’s chances of conception by identifying their peak fertile days. Kindara also offers a fertility app designed to help women who are seeking to identify fertility patterns and who are trying to conceive, as well as those who wish to avoid becoming pregnant. ClueClue’s app provides women with predictions on period, PMS, and fertility windows that they can trust and is available for download from the Apple iStore and Google Play. All of Clue’s predictions are supported by up-to-date scientific research. The developers collaborate with scientists and medical learning facilities for continuous improvement. Clue has received coverage from Bloomberg, Elle, BuzzFeed, Cosmopolitan, The Telegraph, and The Independent. The fertility tracker features a clear calendar overview, ensuring that users do not get lost in their tracked data. In addition, it produces analysis reports to communicate information quickly and concisely, as well as to provide women with in-depth information. By tracking personal patterns like sleep, cramps, hair, and skin, the app aims to enable women to gain a better understanding of how their bodies work. GlowThe Glow app is available for download on iPhone and Android. It incorporates a range of useful features, including a daily health log, where users can enter the information necessary to enable the app to make fertility predictions. It also has a fertility calendar that provides users with notifications in advance of their date of ovulation. Glow also offers personalised health insights and an online community where users can chat anonymously about reproductive and fertility issues. OviaOvia has developed a range of different apps to support women and their families. The Ovia fertility app enables women to track their menstrual cycle, mood, symptoms, and more, providing accurate period and ovulation predictions. Users of Ovia can explore health tips, fertility facts, and articles, as well as obtain personalised summaries of their fertility and health. Ovia’s pregnancy app enables users to track their pregnancy and obtain regular updates on their baby’s growth. It also features food and medication checking tools, so that mothers-to-be can check the safety of everything that they consume. DotWith Dot, all that users need to do is track the start date of their period. The app’s proprietary technology takes care of the rest. Dot’s sophisticated algorithm predicts a user’s chance of pregnancy every day, indicating whether there is a high or low risk day on the home screen. Dot can be used to prevent or maximise the chances of pregnancy, depending on a user’s goals. Dot takes into account the fact that a woman’s cycle can vary from one month to the next. It can be used to predict cycles of between 20 and 40 days in duration. DaysyThe creators of Daysy state that the fertility tracker is 100% natural and reliable, using proven algorithms and morning measurements of users’ basal body temperature in order to provide real-time predictions about the status of their daily menstrual cycle. Users simply measure their temperature by placing a thermometer under their tongue in the morning, then entering the reading into the tracker and letting it know if they are menstruating. The algorithm analyses users’ reproductive cycle, using data gathered over the course of more than 30 years of research on more than five million women. Daysy then tells the user whether or not they are in their fertile phase. The tracker recognises that all women are different and have their own unique cycle, which may not be the same every month. It helps women to learn their own cycle rhythm, providing valuable insights into reproductive processes and enabling women to take a proactive approach to their fertility. Traditionally, technology has been developed by and for men. However, the rise of femtech is leading to the development of technologies that help women address their unique challenges. From healthy pregnancy apps to personal security apps, femtech is big business in America today. Here are eight of the most popular apps. 1. The BumpThe Bump pregnancy tracker is an award-winning app that provides editorial articles covering pregnancy symptoms and baby development. The Bump provides checklists and helpful reminders for every stage of pregnancy and parenting, providing anxious mothers with real-time answers to questions like “Is this normal?” or “Is this safe?” This free app is backed by science and experts, presenting accurate information in a user-friendly, easy-to-navigate format. 2. Hey! Vina Hey! Vina is similar to matchmaking apps. However, instead of matching users with potential dates, it is used to help women find like-minded female friends. Hey! Vina works on the same principle of “swiping right.” It enables women to join communities of like-minded women, and ultimately make new friends. The algorithm looks at mutual Facebook friends, personality quizzes, and proximity to identify potential friendship matches. It can be hard to find and maintain friendships in adulthood. Hey! Vina makes the process easier. 3. Moment Health Moment Health is all about bringing maternal mental health into mainstream conversations. An estimated 20 percent of new mothers suffer from postnatal depression or anxiety. In fact, 1 in 25 new moms who leave the workforce site these symptoms as the reason they left their jobs. Until Moment Health came along, many new mothers simply did not have a platform to talk about what is actually a very common problem. Whether they are in the workplace or at home, women experiencing symptoms of depression or anxiety can feel extremely isolated. Moment Health helps users learn about these conditions, connect with others experiencing the same feelings without judgement or shame, and seek treatment from mental health professionals. 4. PillowMaking the leap from partner to parent can be all-consuming at first. Babies take up a huge amount of a new mother’s time and attentions. This can have a detrimental impact on romantic relationships. Pillow is essentially a relationship support app, encouraging partners to reconnect and deepen intimacy. It creates timed “audio adventures," encouraging partners to spend time engaging in pre-baby activities, or trying something new together. The arrival of a new baby is a cause for celebration, but at the same time, it brings a huge amount of pressure and stress. Pillow encourages new parents to spend a few moments being mindful together. Those few moments can make a significant difference. 5. SafeTrekAlthough this app was not specifically designed for women, virtually all of its 250,000 users are female. What differentiates it from other safety apps is that users do not even need to remove their phone from their purse or pocket to use it. Should a user find herself in a situation where she feels vulnerable, for example, walking to her car alone at night, all she needs to do is press the app’s center button on her journey. Once she reaches her destination, she just releases the button, then enters a PIN. If the button is released with no PIN entered, the app automatically contacts emergency services, sending them the user’s location. The app goes a long way to addressing safety concerns, giving women valuable peace of mind at times when they feel vulnerable. 6. SqueezyThis female fitness app is designed especially for women. It helps them work their kegels, or pelvic floor muscles. The app provides users with personalized exercise programs based on advice from experienced pelvic health physiotherapists. It guides individuals through the various exercises, allowing them to set timers and track their progress. 7. Eve by GlowGlow creates personal health tracking products that illuminate health through data. It offers several different femtech apps, including Eve, a period tracker designed for women who are trying to avoid pregnancy. Eve enables users to track their menstrual cycles and sexual activity. It also connects individuals with expert information about sexual health presented by Bedsider, a network implemented by the National Campaign to Prevent Teen and Unplanned Pregnancy to support the use of birth control. 8. MavenOne of the biggest issues faced by women today is lack of access to healthcare. From financial barriers to an inability to attend scheduled medical appointments, women across America are struggling to keep themselves healthy. Maven connects users with medical and mental health workers. Individuals can use the app to connect with medical experts via private message or video call. The app can be used to schedule an appointment with a doctor, nurse, nutritionist, midwife, lactation consultant, or qualified counselor. Appointment costs vary, from $70 for a 40-minute consultation with a mental health specialist to $18 for a 10-minute consultation with a midwife or nurse practitioner. Users can be provided prescriptions via Maven. Unfortunately, most insurance companies do not accept Maven claims. As a result, users with prescriptions for Maven may have to pay for those prescriptions out-of-pocket. Nevertheless, increasing access to healthcare for women is definitely a step in the right direction. Women seeking help with their workout routine can find a number of fitness apps designed to enable them to exercise from anywhere. We look at nine of the top women’s fitness apps available for download today. 1. FreeleticsThe Freeletics digital training app has amassed around 36 million users worldwide. The app has been voted the App Store’s App of the Day and selected as Editor’s Choice by Google Play. The app analyzes users’ fitness levels and goals. The more that users train, the more Freeletics adapts to fit them. Freeletics features a 12-week weight-loss program as well as nutritional support, enabling users to create customized meal plans to achieve their goals. 2. FiitFiit’s mission is to inspire millions of people around the world to start exercising on a regular basis. This interactive online platform offers a studio fitness experience, leveraging smart technology, science data, and skilled instructors to motivate users to implement customized fitness plans within their own home. As featured in TechCruch and Forbes magazine, Fiit was founded by successful entrepreneurs who have created global businesses across the entertainment, ecommerce, and tech industries. The founders intend to use their shared knowledge to revolutionize the global fitness industry. 3. SworkitSworkit is a personal training app that is intended to help users to lose weight, gain muscle, improve flexibility, increase endurance, or simply tone up. Sworkit is one of the most popular fitness apps for the Android and iPhone. The app features separate workouts comprising 400 different exercises. Users can select the length of the workout and level of difficulty, as well as create customized workouts. In addition, certified trainers are on hand to answer any questions related to fitness and nutrition. 4. Yoga StudioCurrently available for a free seven-day trial, Yoga Studio provides HD video yoga classes for people of all abilities. Based on the premise that yoga should be accessible to all, the creators of Yoga Studio have leveraged modern technology and extensive yoga experience to create Yoga Studio: Mind & Body. With positive reviews from the Wall Street Journal and Popsugar Fitness, Yoga Studio features 10 exclusive classes, ranging from between 10 to 45 minutes in length. Taught by Rodney Yee, the classes are designed for individuals with varying abilities, ranging from beginning to advanced, and include detailed lessons focused on inversions, hip openers, and restorative sequences. 5. KineticThe Kinetic smartphone app provides more than 28 power training plans and 200 personalized workouts. Designed by professional fitness coaches, Kinetic can be adapted to suit users’ own fitness levels, providing all the necessary fitness tests and guided workouts needed to attain their individual fitness goals. Kinetic provides real-time data tracking, including cadence, power, and heart rate monitoring. It is available on Android and iOS. Kinetic offers workouts for people of all ability levels, as well as power and cadence targets. 6. AaptivAaptiv offers audio-based workouts led by a personal trainer, along with great music playlists. In 2015, when Ethan Agarwal was traveling for business, he searched for an app to help him stay fit. Agarwal explains that he found it hard to stay motivated while running. He searched for an audio-based guide to motivate him along each step of the way, but unfortunately, found nothing. Subsequently, Agarwal founded Aaptiv, the Apple App Store’s top audio fitness app. Aaptiv’s vision is simple: to improve the lives of millions of individuals by motivating them to become fit. With a winning combination of effective programming, empathetic training, and uplifting music, Aaptiv delivers personalized, convenient, and fun workouts that are designed to help guide users toward healthier and happier lives. 7. NEOUThe NEOU app is a highly customizable interface that enables users to filter through thousands of different fitness classes based on type, body focus, duration, and more. Featuring a variety of programs, ranging from beginner to advanced, NEOU challenges people to achieve their individual fitness goals. With monthly memberships available for $14.99 and annual memberships for $99.99, NEOU provides convenient, affordable fitness classes, with an ever-growing library of workouts to choose from. 8. The MirrorFeaturing an elegant design and a small footprint, The Mirror is essentially a wall-mounted TV monitor that users can install in their homes. Taking up less than 2 feet of wall space, The Mirror enables users to transform any room into their own personal fitness studio. The Mirror is a cardio class, yoga studio, sparring partner, and personal trainer—all in one interface. With a sleek design and a wide variety of classes to choose from, The Mirror is available for a free 30-day trial. 9. NoomNoom serves two primary functions: to help users lose weight and to get fit. Noom’s key objective is to make the world’s population healthier. The organization aims to help people across the globe to develop healthier eating and lifestyle habits, reduce their risk of health problems, and in some cases even reverse disease by encouraging individuals to foster healthier relationships with their bodies. In recent years, the interface has soared in popularity. In 2018, Noom was recognized by Google as the third most searched-for diet app in the world. |
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