Tech solutions for female-forward digital communities

Can tech deliver inclusivity, profitability, and trust - together? There's a lot of talk about building a diverse and trustworthy digital future. Are organisations actually translating those ambitions into measurable impact on their bottom lines and talent pipelines? Three questions I keep coming back to: 1. Are we solving problems that matter, or iterating on the status quo? 2. Is inclusion embedded from day one, or tagged on as an afterthought; and 3. Who profits when new markets, ideas, & communities are brought in? Some businesses turning conversation into action: Maven Clinic: Founded by Kate Ryder, Maven is the world’s largest virtual clinic for women and families, and is built with authentic, lived experience, now backed by record breaking investment. Wander: Founded by Cassandra Sasso, Wander designs eco conscious, offgrid accommodation literally shaped by diverse needs and sustainable values...not as a side project, but the business model. Blossom: A fintech making fixed income investments accessible for self employed and diverse clients, reshaping who benefits in finance. Allara Health: Founded by Rachel Blank, Allara delivers virtual care for chronic conditions like PCOS, solving neglected health problems with strong commercial traction by directly serving an underserved market. MakeLoveNotPorn and MakeLoveNotPorn Academy: Founded by Cindy Gallop, these are pioneering social sex platforms and educational systems, designed to make real world s*x and relationships socially acceptable and to combat the unrealistic, exclusionary narratives of mainstream porn. The vision is radically inclusive, with privacy embedded by design, moderated UGC and an unwavering focus on authentic diversity and consent to showcase how business models can deliver both profits and positive societal impact. Clue: Co-founded by Ida Tin who pioneered the period tracking app space and coined the term femtech. Now with Rhiannon White as CEO, Clue continues pioneering in privacy, community led research, and gender equity, empowering millions globally, and setting benchmarks for inclusive tech at scale. The data doesn't lie: US companies with high diversity are up to 35% more likely to see financial returns above their industry average, and Harvard research shows that diverse founding teams deliver up to 30% higher returns on investment. In Australia, The Board Diversity Index '25 reveals that nearly 3/4 ASX300 boards with 30%+ women report sharper decision making and more resilient performance through disruption. And yet, there's often still a trade off between making money and driving equity, woven into how we set KPIs and allocate budgets in tech businesses. Please tag businesses and leaders. What’s working in profitable, inclusive tech, and where do you see gaps between talk and reality? Drop your insights, and let’s get into it. PS: Feel like Fearless Girl vs the Charging Bull image energy works! Lucy Kough Mikhaila Warburton 🚀 Claire Waring

Women, Mental Health, and the Promise of Digital Innovation Each year in October, we recognize World Mental Health Day—dedicated to breaking stigma, sparking dialogue, and advancing solutions that prioritize mental well-being. But for women, the conversation takes on an even deeper meaning. Women experience higher rates of anxiety, depression, and trauma-related conditions than men. These mental health disparities are not the result of biology alone—social, cultural, and economic pressures and life-stage transitions, bring unique emotional and psychological demands. Despite this heightened need, women continue to face significant barriers in accessing mental health support. Traditional care often means long wait times, high costs, or limited availability of culturally competent providers. But, digital health innovation is rewriting the story and transforming mental health support from something hard to access into something personalized, immediate, and stigma-free. Rewire DTx is a powerful example of this progress. As a digital therapeutic platform, Rewire DTx leverages clinically validated cognitive behavioral strategies and personalized interventions to help individuals manage depression, comorbid stress, anxiety and other mood disorders. Its model removes barriers by delivering discreet, accessible, and effective care directly to users’ devices. For women balancing multiple life demands, this kind of flexible solution can be life-changing. Similarly, Birthvue is innovating maternal mental health by providing education for women throughout pregnancy. Beyond the physical realities of maternal care, Birthvue acknowledges the immense emotional toll of these transitions. By providing real-time support, education, and emotional health resources, the platform helps women feel less isolated, more empowered, and better prepared to navigate the challenges of motherhood. Innovation with Impact: What makes these technologies so promising is not only their accessibility but also their potential to scale globally. With digital platforms, care is no longer constrained by geography. Through the Women’s Health Tech Initiative, we support the entrepreneurs and innovators designing solutions that prioritize women’s needs, integrating mental health into broader health journeys rather than treating it as an afterthought. This holistic approach is long overdue—and digital health is making it possible. A Call to Action: It’s not enough to simply raise awareness. We must invest in, support, and scale solutions that address the unique mental health challenges women face. Mental health is health. For women, ensuring accessible, stigma-free, and effective support is not just an aspiration—it’s a necessity. With digital health at the forefront, we have the opportunity to close gaps, reduce inequities, and empower women to take control of their well-being.

It blows my mind how robust the FemTech / Women Health community is. As part of my continued education, I have been looking out for organisations worth noting. 📚 Here is my (non-exhaustive) list: 1. FutureFemHealth (Anna O'Sullivan) Future Fem Health cover the latest news from the sector, funding and investment updates, research breakthroughs and policy and Government updates. Globally focused, UK Perspective. 2. Women's Brain Foundation (Dr Antonella Santuccione Chadha) The WBF act as an incubator and accelerator of innovation of women’s health. They focus their research and advocacy especially on diseases of the brain, but not exclusively. 3. Women of Wearables (wearables, health tech & femtech) WoW is a leading global organisation and ecosystem that brings together like-minded women and allies in health tech, digital health and women’s health from more than 50 countries worldwide. 4. [w] Health (Paula Bellostas Muguerza) [w]Health is a global platform created by Kearney and powered by community that aims to move the dial on women’s health. This community is comprised of more than 350 organizations across 32 countries. 5. Femtech Insider (Kathrin Folkendt) Femtech Insider is the largest and fastest growing online publication covering this space and address the information needs of founders, investors, researchers and consumers alike. 6. Tech4Eva - The global Femtech accelerator Tech4Eva is a global Femtech community and a 6-month equity free Femtech start-up acceleration program for companies developing innovative women's health solutions - managed by non-profit Foundation EPFL Innovation Park. 7. Femtech Across Borders (🍁 Rachel Bartholomew 🇨🇦) FemTech Across Borders seek to unite organizations and experts from various countries, working collectively to foster a global movement for advancing women's health. 8. FemTech Focus (Brittany Barreto, Ph.D.) An industry leading podcast, tune in to gain a deeper understanding of how technology is revolutionizing women's health and join the conversation as they explore cutting-edge advancements in FemTech. ____________________________ Oh my, what a list! These are the ones I have found most note-worthy so far. But I am sure I have missed out some amazing organisations / initiatives. (And I humbly apologise if so!) ❓ Who else should I include on this list? Dr Nikita Kanani MBE | Dr Claudia Pastides | Ida Tin |

Fintech for good: Enabling Digital Payments for Women in India 🇮🇳 through UPI When women gain access to #financialservices and opportunities, it creates a powerful #ripple effect that extends far beyond individual economic gains. Access leads to benefits to the individual, the household, the #community and eventually the nation. Benefits include improved household #welfare, increased participation of women in the formal economy, arms women with financial independence which they can use to lift their families out of poverty. There is sufficient evidence that #financial inclusion gives women more decision-making power within households and communities. It leads to better #education and #health outcomes Now, let's delve into the key takeaways from the attached report ‘UPI for Her’ which is a #collaborative initiative by the National Payments Corporation Of India (NPCI) and Women's World Banking that seeks to explore opportunities to increase the participation of women in the digital payments ecosystem – as a driver for financial inclusion and economic #prosperity. This is their first report of the initiative. 🇮🇳 Untapped potential: India has a vast untapped market of 200 million women ready to embrace #digitalpayments 🇮🇳 Persona-based approach: The report identifies two key personas among women: "Cautious Balancers" and "Fence Sitters," each requiring tailored strategies for #UPI adoption. 🇮🇳 UPI-PPI solution: Prepaid Payment Instruments (#PPIs) serve as a safe entry point for Cautious Balancers, providing a sense of control and security. 🇮🇳 UPI for Merchants: Women micro-entrepreneurs (Fence Sitters) are more likely to adopt UPI when shown tangible benefits for their businesses. 🇮🇳 #Phygital onboarding: In-person assistance combined with #digital tools is highly effective in onboarding women and building their confidence in using digital financial services. 🇮🇳 Community partnerships: Collaborating with local community networks and women's groups is crucial for reaching and engaging women effectively. 🇮🇳 Gender-intentional outreach: Tailoring marketing and outreach efforts specifically to women's needs and concerns is essential 🇮🇳 Continuous engagement: Providing ongoing support and gradually introducing more complex financial products is key to retaining women users. 🇮🇳 Transparent communication: Clear explanations of fees, features, and benefits are crucial for building trust among women users. 🇮🇳 Inclusive design: Gathering gender disaggregated #data and using it to inform product design and user experience can significantly improve adoption rates. 🇮🇳 Policy implications: The report suggests that #policymakers should require financial service providers to report payment data by gender and integrate this into financial inclusion indices. 🇮🇳 Ecosystem approach: Digitizing the entire value chain, including small traders and wholesalers, can accelerate UPI adoption among women micro-entrepreneurs.

The African Union International Center for Girls & Women's Education in Africa is spotlighting the pivotal role of female innovators in reshaping Africa’s educational landscape through technology. These women are creating pathways for entire communities to follow. And if you know me, you know this is the type of stuff that truly fires me up inside. In Kenya, a groundbreaking initiative led by local female tech leaders uses AI to tailor educational content to the needs of rural students, enhancing learning experiences and academic success. This project is set to expand across East Africa and promises to bridge significant educational divides in marginalized communities. Similarly, in Nigeria and Ghana, mobile apps developed by women deliver educational materials in local languages, breaking barriers and fostering inclusivity in learning environments. The African Union's recognition of these women puts the transformative impact of their work on marginalized communities, particularly for young girls, into the spotlight. These initiatives encourage continued innovation and support in STEM, empowering more women to lead and innovate. The more we can champion these women, the better. Together, we can support and amplify their efforts, making every community a place of opportunity and growth. #womenempowerment #opportunities #africa