The Rise of FemTech
Female-focused innovations are reshaping the healthcare landscape
FemTech, the industry dedicated to developing technology-driven solutions tailored to women’s health, is reshaping the healthcare landscape. By addressing gaps in care across maternal health, fertility, mental health and chronic disease management, FemTech innovations are making healthcare more accessible, inclusive and personalized. With a projected market value of over $60 billion by 2027, companies in this space are tackling systemic challenges and empowering women throughout their health journeys.
Willow Innovations, known for its wearable breast pumps, recently introduced Ema, a conversational AI tool designed to support maternal and postpartum wellness. Integrated into the Willow App, Ema offers expert-backed guidance on topics such as breastfeeding, postpartum recovery and maternal mental health. Unlike traditional search engines, Ema uses a proprietary database of vetted content, ensuring mothers receive holistic and accurate support.
“New moms don’t have enough support for their feeding and parenting journey, or in their own postpartum care,” said Sarah O’Leary, CEO of Willow. “AI tools, when implemented thoughtfully, can deliver personalized guidance at scale and positively impact mothers’ well-being.”
Meanwhile, Bird&Be is transforming the fertility landscape. The brand was co-founded by Samantha Diamond, who drew on her personal experience with PCOS and pregnancy loss to build a company that empowers individuals and couples navigating fertility challenges.
“Bird&Be was started by a team of fertility warriors. In my case, I struggled with PCOS and pregnancy loss when growing my family,” Diamond shared with Athletech News. “I found information and support in the fertility industry to be sparse—with little to no community of women or couples who were speaking out loud about their experiences. It was this personal experience, along with the collective experiences of my co-founders and our medical team, that drove us to iterate on the initial idea for Bird&Be.”
Bird&Be offers a range of at-home solutions, including fertility supplements, tests and educational tools for women and men.
Fertility Education
Diamond explained that fertility care is a rapidly evolving field, yet still lags in critical areas like access, education, and inclusivity. “The rate of infertility is going up, as is the age of mothers at first birth,” she said. “We’re also dealing with a population exposed to increasing environmental toxins and sedentary lifestyles, which are impacting fertility outcomes. And yet, the ‘sex ed’ curriculum hasn’t been updated to include fertility education, and people often get to their doctors too late in the game.”
Another significant barrier is affordability. Fertility treatments and supplements can be financially overwhelming, often adding strain to an already difficult process. Diamond recalled her own challenges: “When I was on my journey, I was referred to a fertility-focused naturopathic doctor who made a world of difference, but the support came with costs that weren’t covered by insurance. Bird&Be offers the kind of support I wish I had—comprehensive, cost-effective, and accessible.”
The company has simplified supplement regimens into single daily packets, reducing costs and waste while making holistic care more approachable. “We’ve had all of our doctors across multiple integrative disciplines review the research and agree on the most comprehensive, evidence-based regime for every stage of the fertility journey,” Diamond explained.
Diamond also highlighted the company’s recent study on sperm health. “This year, we published research on how preconception supplements like ours can improve sperm motility,” she said. “It’s a big step in normalizing conversations around male fertility, which is often overlooked despite being a contributing factor in up to 50% of infertility cases.”
FemTech has the potential to fill critical gaps in healthcare, improve accessibility, and create more equitable solutions for women and couples alike. As the industry continues to grow, it holds the promise of redefining healthcare for women across all life stages.