What is Femtech? Exploring Women’s Health Technology
In the past decade, the term femtech has risen from relative obscurity to a powerful force within the healthcare and tech industries. It refers to a broad category of technology-driven solutions aimed at addressing the unique healthcare needs of women. From wearable devices and mobile apps to telemedicine platforms and diagnostic tools, femtech encompasses innovations that tackle everything from reproductive health to menopause, sexual wellness, and beyond.
While many femtech solutions are designed to enhance the health of women, they also serve as a catalyst for broader cultural and societal change, challenging traditional gender norms and empowering women in their health journeys. Despite its rapid growth, however, femtech faces significant challenges, particularly in the realm of marketing and advertising. These obstacles have hindered the ability to effectively reach the audiences who would benefit the most from these groundbreaking products and services.
The Rise of Femtech: A New Era in Women's Health
At its core, femtech represents the intersection of healthcare and technology, with the goal of improving women’s health outcomes. It encompasses a wide range of products, including fertility and pregnancy trackers, telehealth services, menopause support tools, period-tracking apps, wearables that monitor health metrics, and solutions addressing sexual wellness. FemTech also touches on the delivery of healthcare, both through virtual consultations and in-person services, providing a more accessible and patient-centric approach to traditionally underserved women’s health needs.
The term "femtech" was coined by Ida Tin, the founder of the period-tracking app Clue, in 2016. Since then, the sector has exploded, with investments in femtech companies continuing to grow. As of 2021, the global femtech market was valued at approximately $22 billion, with projections estimating the market will reach $139 billion by 2031.
This expansion has been fueled by a growing awareness of women’s health issues that have long been underfunded, overlooked, or misunderstood. Women’s health has historically been seen as a niche area, despite women representing half of the global population. Now, thanks to femtech innovations, the industry is beginning to recognize the complexity and importance of women’s health.
The Impact of Femtech on Society
Femtech is not only revolutionizing healthcare and tech industries, but also breaking down societal taboos. Menopause, for example, is a topic that has historically been shrouded in silence and stigma. Femtech companies like Elektra Health and Joylux are helping to break these taboos by providing women with tools and support to manage these stages of life with confidence and care.
Femtech is also driving social change in the workplace. Menopause, for instance, can affect women’s careers, particularly as they approach the peak of their professional lives. Providing tools to help women manage menopause symptoms can not only improve their health but also reduce the number of women exiting the workforce prematurely. By improving access to women-centric health solutions, femtech can help create more equitable and supportive workplaces for women of all ages.
Another critical contribution of femtech is its role in empowering women entrepreneurs. Research indicates that over 70% of femtech companies have at least one female founder, a significantly higher percentage than the 20% found in general startups. This is important not just because it addresses the needs of women, but also because it creates more opportunities for women to become leaders in the tech and healthcare sectors.
The Advertising Challenges Facing Femtech
Despite the growing recognition of femtech’s potential, there remains a significant hurdle: advertising. As femtech products often focus on intimate, personal health topics—such as menstrual health, menopause, and fertility—many advertising platforms, including Meta (Facebook, Instagram), Amazon, and even TikTok, have restrictive policies regarding women’s health content.
For example, Meta has a history of blocking ads that mention terms such as "vaginal health," "menopause," or "OB/GYN," categorizing these topics as adult content. Similarly, Amazon’s advertising policies restrict ads that feature intimate body parts, creating an additional barrier for companies marketing reproductive health products. Even TikTok, a platform that has become essential for influencer marketing and reaching younger audiences, has faced criticism for censoring content related to women’s health, such as fertility discussions and period products.
These limitations create a major challenge for femtech companies, which struggle to gain visibility for their products and services. The issue isn’t just about selling products, it’s about educating women on important health matters. There are few places where women can visually learn how to use a menstrual cup or properly stretch their perineum. The lack of open, accessible conversation around topics like menopause, sexual health, and fertility risks not only stifles market growth but also contributes to the broader societal issue of women’s health being underfunded and underrepresented.
The stigma surrounding these health topics, partially fueled by the restrictions on advertising, perpetuates the silence and lack of awareness surrounding women’s health needs. It also reinforces harmful stereotypes and misconceptions about women’s bodies and health experiences.
How Find My Femtech is Tackling Advertising Challenges
Enter Find My Femtech, an innovative platform designed to connect women with the femtech solutions they need, without the roadblocks often imposed by traditional advertising channels. Find My Femtech aims to solve the challenges of visibility and access by creating a dedicated space for women’s health technologies to thrive, without fear of censorship or restrictions.
The platform curates a directory of trusted femtech products and services, making it easier for women to find solutions that align with their health needs. Through this model, Find My Femtech bypasses the advertising restrictions imposed by social media platforms and e-commerce giants by offering a direct-to-consumer approach. By providing comprehensive product descriptions, user reviews, and detailed information about the benefits of each femtech product, Find My Femtech helps to fill the information gap that is often created by the lack of open dialogue around women’s health.
Moreover, Find My Femtech is building partnerships with organizations that advocate for women’s health rights, lobbying for more inclusive advertising policies and greater acceptance of women’s health content in mainstream media. The platform is also creating educational resources to raise awareness about key health issues, ensuring that women not only have access to products but also the knowledge to make informed health decisions.
By centralizing femtech solutions and providing a space for open conversation, Find My Femtech is helping to change the way women discover and engage with the health products they need. This is especially important for women who may otherwise struggle to navigate the confusing and fragmented landscape of women’s health technologies.
Breaking Down Barriers: What’s Next for Femtech?
As femtech continues to evolve, the industry is increasingly recognizing the need for more inclusive and expansive advertising strategies. While challenges remain, many femtech companies are paving the way for positive change. Find My Femtech is helping to break down the barriers that have long hindered women’s health discussions.
Femtech is an industry that is rapidly transforming the landscape of women’s healthcare, challenging long standing taboos, and empowering women to take control of their health. However, the journey is not without its obstacles, particularly when it comes to advertising and reaching the right audiences.
Find My Femtech is playing a pivotal role in overcoming these barriers, offering a dedicated platform that connects women with the right femtech solutions without the censorship that so often plagues health-related advertising. As the industry continues to evolve, femtech will play an even greater role in reshaping women’s healthcare—not just for today’s generation of women but for generations to come.
With continued innovation, advocacy, and the removal of advertising restrictions, femtech has the potential to revolutionize not only women’s health but also the entire healthcare system, paving the way for a more inclusive, equitable, and effective approach to healthcare for all.
