Software that predicts patient responses to cancer treatments and an app for managing the effects of menopause are among the finalists of Women Who Tech’s health innovation challenge.
Non-profit organization Women Who Tech has unveiled ten finalists for the European-leg of its flagship Women Startup Challenge, which focuses on technology and applications for the healthcare market.
According to statistics from WeForum, $25 trillion will be spent annually on healthcare by 2040. However, RockHealth claims that only 9.7% of investor funding is allocated to women-led healthtech startups.
Through its HealthTech Challenge, Women Who Tech wants to close this gap and help female entrepreneurs take their health innovations to the next level. They’ll pitch to top investors and compete for a $50,000 cash grant on October 7 at Paris City Hall, Hôtel de Ville.
Allyson Kapin, founder of Women Who Tech, says: “The 10 health tech startups chosen out of 256 ventures to pitch in Paris at Women Startup Challenge Europe HealthTech are developing innovative solutions to the biggest health problems, directly impacting people’s lives.
“If we’re going to solve the biggest health challenges facing this world, then investors must fund diverse founders to ensure that health tech products are built with diverse perspectives so we can truly address global healthcare needs. And that’s exactly what these 10 women founders are doing.
The 2019 cohort
Whether it’s cancer treatments, cardiac monitoring or medicine development, the cohort covers a range of areas of the healthcare and medical sector.
They include:
Letizia Gionfrida, founder of Arthonica, said: “As a solo woman founder being part of such an amazing group of women-led ventures really enables me to fuel Arthronica’s level of impact. This unprecedented support in diversity, is a vital part of the next generation of the deep heath tech ecosystem.”
Next steps
During the October event, the founders will be given an opportunity to pitch their innovations to investors and global health leaders such as Sarah Fisher, senior director of external innovation at Johnson & Johnson; Jean-Louis Missika, deputy mayor of Paris; and Eamonn Carey, managing director of Techstars London.
Along with the $50,000 equity-free grant, Women Who Tech will also provide each startup with fundraising pitch coaching and investor monitoring.
This year, the European health tech competition received 250+ entries. Women Who Tech said 50% were comprised of women of color and of diverse nationalities.
Craig Newmark, founder of Craigslist and a member of the Advisory Board for Women Who Tech, said the industry needs to raise awareness around the importance of investing in women-led HealthTech startups.
He added: “It’s crucial we have people with diverse backgrounds solving the industry’s biggest problems, which is why programs such as the Women Startup Challenge are so important.”
Non-profit organization Women Who Tech has unveiled ten finalists for the European-leg of its flagship Women Startup Challenge, which focuses on technology and applications for the healthcare market.
According to statistics from WeForum, $25 trillion will be spent annually on healthcare by 2040. However, RockHealth claims that only 9.7% of investor funding is allocated to women-led healthtech startups.
Through its HealthTech Challenge, Women Who Tech wants to close this gap and help female entrepreneurs take their health innovations to the next level. They’ll pitch to top investors and compete for a $50,000 cash grant on October 7 at Paris City Hall, Hôtel de Ville.
Allyson Kapin, founder of Women Who Tech, says: “The 10 health tech startups chosen out of 256 ventures to pitch in Paris at Women Startup Challenge Europe HealthTech are developing innovative solutions to the biggest health problems, directly impacting people’s lives.
“If we’re going to solve the biggest health challenges facing this world, then investors must fund diverse founders to ensure that health tech products are built with diverse perspectives so we can truly address global healthcare needs. And that’s exactly what these 10 women founders are doing.
The 2019 cohort
Whether it’s cancer treatments, cardiac monitoring or medicine development, the cohort covers a range of areas of the healthcare and medical sector.
They include:
Letizia Gionfrida, founder of Arthonica, said: “As a solo woman founder being part of such an amazing group of women-led ventures really enables me to fuel Arthronica’s level of impact. This unprecedented support in diversity, is a vital part of the next generation of the deep heath tech ecosystem.”
Next steps
During the October event, the founders will be given an opportunity to pitch their innovations to investors and global health leaders such as Sarah Fisher, senior director of external innovation at Johnson & Johnson; Jean-Louis Missika, deputy mayor of Paris; and Eamonn Carey, managing director of Techstars London.
Along with the $50,000 equity-free grant, Women Who Tech will also provide each startup with fundraising pitch coaching and investor monitoring.
This year, the European health tech competition received 250+ entries. Women Who Tech said 50% were comprised of women of color and of diverse nationalities.
Craig Newmark, founder of Craigslist and a member of the Advisory Board for Women Who Tech, said the industry needs to raise awareness around the importance of investing in women-led HealthTech startups.
He added: “It’s crucial we have people with diverse backgrounds solving the industry’s biggest problems, which is why programs such as the Women Startup Challenge are so important.”
I’m a freelance journalist with experience reporting on technology, digital culture and business. My work has appeared on Engadget, Lifehacker, Gizmodo, TechRadar, The
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I’m a freelance journalist with experience reporting on technology, digital culture and business. My work has appeared on Engadget, Lifehacker, Gizmodo, TechRadar, The
…