Issue #101- 2nd Year Anniversary Issue with Impact Report

It’s hard to believe that it’s been two years since we launched. It feels like I’ve been on this journey my whole life—definitely aged a decade in these two years!

These past two years have been some of the toughest but also the most rewarding. Leaving my first company and building something from scratch was a challenging decision. Despite the doubts from others about my background and the viability of femtech, my intuition kept telling me it would be worth it. I’ve always believed in our mission and I knew I’d find a way to make it work.

I chose more transparency if it could help more women understand that it truly takes a village—because the idea of being “self-made” is one of the most believed lies.We all need a community behind us 🙌 

What a privilege it has been 🙏 

✨I’ve learned so much while building in this space, and I’ve penned down a few of my thoughts to share with you : 

• Be your true self so the right people can find you.
• Even the best founders and most knowledgeable people face criticism. Share your work and put it out there!
• Build your confidence by networking with the low-hanging fruit—then go after the big fish.
• Network, network, network—but be selective.
• Some founders succeed without traction; focus on the best examples rather than exceptions to make a strong business case.
• Always walk into any room with confidence. Not speaking perfect English or having a certain accent doesn’t make you less intelligent. Your value is defined not by how you speak, but by the ideas you bring to the table.
• Bigger isn’t always better.
• Don’t fake it until you make it. Face it until you make it. Get up, work hard, fail—repeat.
• Investing is a personal business—intuition, past experience, and personality all come into play in decision-making.
• Educate yourself on the latest trends, investment landscape, and terminology.
• Your body and mindset earn you money, not just your business—maintain a healthy routine to stay focused.
• Not everyone will like you, and that’s okay—just focus on your end goal and keep moving forward.
• Everyone wants to be part of the impact, but few actually want to contribute. Find those who do.
• Surround yourself with amazing people who inspire you to believe that anything is possible.
• Finally, be yourself and own your authenticity : I built my first company in the consumer brand space, and my passion for using consumer insights to solve problems is what drives me. 

While I love fashion and beauty, I never felt like I could be my authentic self and still be taken seriously. Embracing my personal side in my professional life has supercharged my growth.

This authenticity has led me to launch my podcast and publish the first-ever book on FemTech, opening doors to opportunities like becoming a policy champion at the G20 and now joining the UNFPA Equity Alliance to support science and technology companies in advancing FemTech India’s mission across South Asia.

I’m entering the third year of my 20-year plan.We’ve achieved milestones, but there are billions more to reach.  

Thank you to everyone who’s been part of my journey, supporting and inspiring me to push through. You’all are amazing 💛 I believe the universe always rewards those who give back. Grateful 

Here’s to the next chapter—I hope to cross paths with you along the way!  

Happy 2nd anniversary, FemTech India! 🎉

We have put together an impact report.

Download it here!

Redcliffe Labs has raised $42 million in a Series C funding round to expand its diagnostic network across India, with a focus on Tier II and III cities. The funding was led by IFU, contributing $20 million, alongside LeapFrog Investments ($15 million) and existing investors HealthQuad and Spark Growth Ventures, the company said in a release.

• F2G, a Manchester, UK-based clinical-stage biopharmaceutical company, raised $100M in funding.
• Neurexis Therapeutics, an Aurora, CO-based biopharmaceutical company focused on developing neuroprotective interventions, has been awarded a $3 million Phase II Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) grant from the National Institutes of Health (NIH).
• NeoPrediX, a Regensburg, Germany-based predictive analytics company focused on neonatal, maternal, and perinatal health, received an investment from Springhood Ventures.
• CardiaTec, a Cambridge, England, UK-based TechBio company employing computational methods to decode the biology behind cardiovascular disease, raised $6.5M in seed funding.
• Solasta Bio, a Glasgow, Scotland, UK-based agri-biotech company specialising in green insecticides, raised $14M in Series A funding. The round, which brought the total raised to date to $19m, was led by Forbion, FMC Ventures and Corteva Catalyst.
• NanoSyrinx, a Coventry, UK-based synthetic biology company, raised approx. £10M in funding.
• Espislogen, a London, UK-based company which specializes in the development of immunoglobulin E (IgE) antibodies to treat cancer, raised £12.5M in Series B funding.
• Doccla, a Sheffield, and London, UK-based provider of virtual ward and remote patient monitoring services, raised £35M in Series B funding.
• Mestag Therapeutics, a Cambridge, MA-based biotech company harnessing new insights into fibroblast-immune interactions, received a £1.5M Grant from Innovate UK’s Cancer Therapeutics Program.
• Brenus Pharma, a Lyon, France-based biotech company specializing in the development of cancer vaccines, raised $25M in Series A Funding.
• Abolis Biotechnologies, an Évry-Courcouronnes, France-based company which specializes in industrial solutions using microorganisms, raised €35M in funding.
• Hepta Medical, a Suresnes, France-based medical device company, raised €5.7M in Series A funding.The round was led by BPI France with participation from M&L Healthcare and Clery IG.

• Brain training aimed at improving memory can ward off symptoms of Alzheimer’s disease for years, a new study claims. Seniors experienced a slower decline in their memory and thinking abilities after undergoing brain training, compared to others who didn’t get the training, researchers found.
• A few cups of coffee each morning can help protect a person against heart disease, stroke and type 2 diabetes, a new study says.Drinking three cups of coffee a day — or about 200 to 300 milligrams of caffeine — lowered the risk of health problems linked to the heart or metabolism, researchers found.
• A specific class of diabetes drug appears to lower people’s risk for dementia and Parkinson’s disease, a new study shows.Sodium-glucose cotransporter-2 (SGLT2) inhibitors, also known as gliflozins, lower blood sugar by prompting the kidneys to filter sugar out of the bloodstream and excrete it in urine, researchers said.
• Cadmium, uranium, cobalt: These and other metals found in the environment can collect in the body and exacerbate heart disease, new research suggests.
• Exercise, whether moderate- or high-intensity, can help ease Parkinson’s symptoms, including fatigue, new research shows. As study lead author Dr. Philip Millar explained, Parkinson’s patients are too often overwhelmed by shame or depression, so they stop going to the gym or exercising. 
• One of the most common diabetes drugs, metformin, might deliver an added bonus: Lowering users’ odds for Long COVID. Long COVID can present with symptoms including chronic fatigue, brain fog and chest pain and it may last weeks or months after an initial COVID infection. It’s thought that millions of Americans suffer from the illness.
• Deprivation, neglect and abuse during childhood can increase a person’s long-term risk of health problems, a new study warns.
• Black women have a higher risk of dying from any type of breast cancer than white women, a new review finds. Overall, the increased survival risk for Black women ranges from 17% to 50%, depending on the type of breast cancer, researchers found.
• Folks who are content with what they’ve got could be less likely to suffer a heart attack or stroke, a new study suggests.
• When given after organ-removal surgery, Keytruda brings patients battling advanced bladder cancers more time cancer-free, a new trial finds.
• Adults who use the prescription drug metformin to treat their type 2 diabetes have a lower risk of developing long Covid or dying after a Covid-19 infection than people with diabetes who take other anti-diabetes medications, according to a large study supported by the National Institutes of Health (NIH). 
• Abbott announced the findings of a new survey among leading infectious disease experts around the world on the state of pandemic preparedness and found that while most agree that preparation has improved since the Covid-19 pandemic, respondents say significant gaps remain in building surveillance programmes to identify emerging pathogens, public health funding and having adequate testing infrastructure capabilities.

• National Institute of Mental Health and Neuro Sciences (NIMHANS) is ensuring to make mental health care more relatable and accessible. The Institute, which plays a crucial role in challenging mental health stigma and advocating for a society that prioritizes mental well-being, is making to normalise conversations about mental health.
• The Department of Pharmaceuticals (DoP) has once again revised the guidelines for the scheme on Strengthening of Pharmaceutical Industry (SPI) to modify the clauses under the sub-scheme Revamped Pharmaceutical Technology Upgradation Assistance Scheme (RPTUAS) with an upward revision of maximum incentive and include the expenditure incurred on product equipment for calculation of the subsidy amount.

📳 – Quick Reads: 

• Do You Know the MIND Diet? It Might Keep You Sharp With Age. A new research that found following the MIND diet for 10 years produced a small but significant decrease in the risk of developing thinking, memory and concentration problems.
• Therapy Dogs Can Ease Nurses’, Doctors’ Stress, Too. Therapy dogs can help boost the spirits of health care workers in the same way they brighten the moods of hospital patients, a new study shows.

See you next Friday, friends 👋
Navneet

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