Do you find it alarming to discuss menstruation issues with your male partners, male family members, or male friends? Or, do you feel that you need a female doctor to discuss your gynaecology issues?
If yes, you may not be alone!
Despite the strides that the realm of women’s health is making, there is a massive chunk of the population that still has a lag in accessing appropriate healthcare resources. Conversely, there is still a stigma that is attached to male gynaecologists examining or giving consultations. In an extended thought, it is still considered distasteful to discuss women’s health-issues including menstruation, pregnancy-related issues, and PCOD, openly with men.
In a rather interesting note, India accounts for approximately 18% of the global population, almost half of which are women. This interesting divide in gender opens the avenues of FemTech in our country. With less than 100 FemTech start-ups in South Asia, the market is wide open, calling for a diverse range of individuals to be a part of this booming industry.
However, what is the gender divide in the FemTech space looking like? Are men open to being a part of this industry? Or, is there a sliver of hesitation to be a part of this women’s-focused industry? Or, is the FemTech space still facing a blind spot from male investors and male founders?
A sweet-spot ahead?
While the FemTech industry is still in the nascent stages, it is certainly poised for booming growth. With the combination of reasons driving the industry, there seem to be multiple reasons for investors, including men and women, to be a part of it. The wearable devices on the market are acting as a very dear product for one and all. Any advancement in the wearable device space will make it an indispensable product for all women. Such technological advancements, clubbed with the element of indispensability of the products, will be an inviting area for potential male and female investors. Technology will be a key driver of growth for the FemTech space. Further, fueled by technology, the aspect of dealing with health-care issues over the remote will also become the new norm. General and specific health-care issues will continue to be addressed over the remote over physical consultations, paving the way for technological innovation and potential investments. Both male and female innovators and investors will vie to cover the white-space in these areas. With the market opening a canvas of opportunities irrespective of gender orientation, the FemTech industry is poised for steady growth!
Indian Men in FemTech!
While investors and innovators in the space are working tirelessly to add value, benefits, and ease of accessibility to a range of their products and capabilities, in the FemTech space, a group of male FemTech founders are also leading the pack. Here is a roundup of some of the men in the FemTech space who have been making waves with their FemTech start-ups!
Deep Bajaj – Sirona Hygiene
Sirona is a platform that has a range of intimate and menstrual hygiene products. The platform has a range of products, including menstrual cups, period pain relief patches, anti-chafing rash cream, disposal bags, among others. The platform also created India’s first female urination device—PeeBuddy—to enable women to stand and urinate, or to urinate in public toilets.
Vinit Garg – Mylo
Mylo serves as a platform that acts as a close companion to young parents. The platform has personalized experience, a helpful community of mothers & experts, and curated products for parents. The platform offers tools like ovulation calculator, Chinese gender predictor, due date calculator, baby names finder, pregnancy and baby sleep music, horoscope calculator, among others.
Mahesh Jayaraman – Sepalika
Sepalika is a women’s hormonal health clinic. Sepalika provides customised treatment with nutrition, supplements, lifestyle, and magnet acutherapy. The platform majorly focuses on chronic health conditions such as Type 2 diabetes, PCOS, obesity, fertility, hormonal health conditions, fertility, high cholesterol, healthy pregnancy, menopause & fatty liver.
Dev Ramnathan Sivarajah – CysterCare
CysterCare serves as a one-stop platform for PCOS problems. CysterCare provides sustainable PCOS diagnostics and management through customised care plans and individual attention. The platform provides a personalised PCOS recovery plan, tailor made for each user.
Sanchit Agarwal – Newmi
Newmi is a FemTech platform which focuses on health and wellness needs of women. Newmi delivers care across a range of offerings, including Puberty/Period Care, PCOS, Pre-Pregnancy, Pregnancy, Postpartum, Perimenopause. Newmi also offers baby-care products and maternity and post-maternal wear.
Pranay Jivrajka – Allo Health
Allo is India’s first digital health clinic for sexual well-being. The platform offers personalised, judgment-free, and discreet healthcare solutions. Allo Health has a team of industry-leading doctors who offer personalized solutions for the users.
Luca Sciascia – AprilCares
AprilCares Health provides gender-sensitive, culturally-aware, mental health self-care. The platform enables women to reach into their own resources and emerge as their best selves. The platform has curated programs such as ‘Mastering Tricky Conversations’, ‘Navigating Commitment Readiness’, ‘From Problems to Peace’, among others.
While we applaud these men for driving innovation in the FemTech space, let us hope that new innovators and investors continue to focus on the FemTech space!
Keep looking out for more exciting blogs featuring another list of FemTech startups with male founders. If you would like us to feature your start-up, do feel free to connect with us!
