The startups tackling the gender data gap to improve female health

As anyone who has read Caroline Criado Perez’s book Invisible Women will attest,  there’s a shocking data bias that works against women across all sorts of areas, from town planning to car design.

And medical research is no exception. If you were having a heart attack and went to the doctor, you would expect your symptoms to be swiftly recognised, and the cause of them to be treated effectively.

However, if you’re female (in either sex or gender), you are 50 per cent more likely to be misdiagnosed, and therefore more likely to suffer serious outcomes from a heart attack – just because you are female.

And there’s even less data and research when it comes to female-specific conditions, even relatively common ones such as the menopause, polycystic ovary syndrome and endometriosis.

While the medical establishment rushes to catch up to address this gaping gender gap, there are clusters of fledgling healthtech firms that are innovating with unique solutions. TI speaks to three firms tackling data gaps to bring AI-driven healthcare to the forefront.

Theblood

Healthtech entrepreneur Isabelle Guenou is among one of 190 million women who suffer from endometriosis, a painful and debilitating uterine condition.

After reading research papers about menstrual blood and how it might indicate health conditions, the former professional swimmer wondered why such testing wasn’t widespread.

To address this, Guenou co-founded Theblood alongside Miriam Santer, which claims to offer a solution to diagnosing endometriosis as well as several other conditions that women can suffer from over their lifetime, including polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) and early menopause.

Due to a lack of research into female specific health conditions, these types of conditions are  often misdiagnosed: For instance, nearly one in three women aged in the US 45-54 (typical age for menopause transition) have been misdiagnosed with another healthcare condition by a provider before finding out it was actually menopause.

“At the moment we are developing our own at-home test so people can collect menstrual blood at home, send it to a lab, and receive results and speak to specialists,”  says Guenou.

Currently at seed stage, the firm raised $1 million in 2022 and is in the process of raising additional funding.

On the market now, the start-up offers a prototype called ‘Cycle Check’, a small test kit for women on their period to collect their blood to analyse it, and for users to understand their cycle and optimise their diet, exercise and sleep, to ease monthly symptoms such as fatigue, mood swings, and pain.

“We analyse various factors like viscosity, colour, clots, volume, and symptoms they report,” explains Guenou, speaking to TI at this year’s TechBBQ start-up fest in Copenhagen.

“Based on this data, we provide a comprehensive report explaining the importance of monitoring menstrual blood monthly.

“Menstrual blood is not just blood; it’s more of a fluid with different components compared to venous or capillary blood. It includes a specific amount of blood, but also has bacteria and tissue from the uterus, making it particularly suitable for diagnostics,” she explains.

According to Guenou, menstrual blood contains over 400 unique proteins and biomarkers not found in regular blood. Currently, the firm’s R&D efforts are focused on identifying these proteins and the potential to expedite the diagnosis of conditions like PCOS or ovarian cancer – which it hopes to launch at the end of 2024.

“We have our own technology and methods for handling samples, as menstrual blood varies greatly from sample to sample,” she claims.

“We have developed a standardised method to ensure machines in the lab can process the samples. Then, our lab technicians, who are trained in our pre-analytical procedures, handle them.”

Results are provided through its app, giving detailed information about biomarkers like FSH – which is important for tracking conditions such as early menopause. Then, customers have an option to consult with specialists if needed.

While it has a direct-to-consumer approach, Theblood is also collaborating with research institutes and pharmaceutical companies.

“We believe in transparency and often ask customers if they’re willing to share their data for further research. Most are open to this, understanding the value of contributing to a broader understanding of women’s health.”

Due to a lack of previous research in these fields, retrieving this data is vital to continue developing digital solutions such as AI.

“Menstrual blood samples vary, and we plan to use AI to analyse differences more accurately. For example, incorporating microscopy processing will help us distinguish between healthy samples and those indicating conditions. However, we first need a solid data foundation before fully integrating AI.”

The founder likens the business model to Ancestry DNA testing kits such as 23andMe, which popularised genetic testing through powerful storytelling and consumer engagement.

“We see similar potential in menstrual blood testing. The emotional connection women have when they engage with their own health data can be profound. Our mission is to make this testing mainstream and accessible, helping women understand their bodies better,” she says.

Hormony

During the COVID-19 pandemic, Mayra Hurtado experienced a range of unexplained symptoms despite leading a healthy lifestyle. These included migraines, weight gain, insomnia, and anxiety.

After consulting various doctors with little progress, it was a nutritionist who took the time to run thorough tests, revealing a hormonal imbalance.

“I realised there was a substantial gap in healthcare for women, particularly post-pregnancy,” Hurtado explains.

Inspired by this revelation, Hurtado co-founded Hormony with Sarita Kumble, a biochemist from India and founder of Pictor, a start up offering blood testing technologies for small, remote labs.

Hormony aims to allow users to measure, monitor, and track hormone levels through saliva testing and claims to offer personalised insights that empower women going through perimenopause to manage their well-being.

“Our platform combines AI and scientific data to deliver bespoke advice on nutrition, exercise, and stress management,” Hurtado elaborates.

The company is on track to launch its first product, a rapid saliva test kit, by next year. With the app finalised, they are also in the middle of another round of fundraising to expand their range of tests. Currently, it can measure cortisol, LH, and FSH, and there are plans to add progesterone and oestrogen to their testing capabilities.

“In collaboration with specialised doctors, our mission is to enhance women’s health data, enabling more personalised care,” she claims.

Hurtado adds that Hormony is diligently addressing longstanding research gaps in women’s health through this approach.

By utilising data from frequent and accessible saliva testing, Hormony intends to provide deep insights into hormone regulation and lifestyle effects, for a healthier and better-informed future for women.

PhenomX Health

Based in Lausanne, Switzerland, PhenomX Health, an early-stage startup, is on a mission to improve the well-being, vitality and longevity of midlife women. The start up was co-founded alongside Colleen Draper, a clinical dietitian with a PhD in systems biology and women’s health, and Jerome Michaud.

The platform combines digital tools with scientific data to address key gaps in women’s healthcare, particularly regarding menopause.

Its app claims to include a product portfolio to track symptoms, nutrition, and emotional well-being. There are also home-based tests sampling blood and saliva and are combined with an intelligent recommendation engine, backed up, Michaud claims, with scientific expertise to offer personalised solutions.

“We operate on a B2B2C model, collaborating with consumer brands and healthcare professionals,” says Michaud, also speaking at TechBBQ.

In Q1 of this year, PhenomX Health launched a partnership with UK menopause supplement brand Issviva taking the form of a three-month programme around sleep and stress.

“Sleep and stress are one major set of challenges women face during this period. So, we developed this programme to help midlife women better manage stress and sleep and see how nutrition actually impacts their metabolic and hormonal health. They also receive Issiva gummy supplements that have been designed to help reduce stress and improve sleep.”

Using biomarkers through saliva or blood tests, alongside symptoms logged into the app, PhenomX Health’s recommendation engine personalises care identifying the supplements and nutrients that would be helpful, he adds.

Looking ahead, PhenomX Health sees an opportunity to broaden its horizons. The company’s vision includes providing enhanced support for women’s health across various stages of life, not just menopause. By addressing the longstanding neglect in menopause research, it aims to set new standards in the field, he says.

“People are starting to realise that there are huge socio-economic impacts around menopause, because the population is living longer and not necessarily in good health. Through real-world evidence collection and forward-thinking product development, we want to foster a community where women are empowered to proactively engage and benefit from health data.”

Check out the article Women in tech for more insights.