It seems like the tech industry is always delivering exciting new innovations. However, it often seems like women are either forgotten about or just a side thought for many of these innovations. Solutions are usually one-size-fits-all for both genders or solutions lean toward meeting the needs of men.
While we are not near a landscape that offers perfect equality and representation, there is a movement that aims to address some of the issues. This movement is called FemTech.
What is FemTech?
As you may have noticed, FemTech is a term that combines the words “female” and “technology”. The idea is to solve issues for women using technology. It could be healthcare software development, connected wearables for women, tech-based subscription services or any other product that uses technology to support or improve health or well-being for women.
This movement in women’s health tech is largely credited to Ida Tin. She created the Clue reproductive health app and she coined the term FemTech. That was back in 2013, but FemTech companies have come a long way since then.
Why does it matter?
As you might be aware, about half of the world’s population is female. They have needs that are different from those of men. This is especially true when you consider the areas of health and well-being.
Unfortunately, the needs of women are often overlooked when designing tech solutions. While there have been great strides in female leadership in tech, it is still an industry that is mostly male. When men make design decisions or decisions on what to fund, it is often hard for them to consider the important differences between men and women. FemTech helps to make up for this.
With smart technology solutions meeting the needs of women, they can expect better health outcomes, get services that are more convenient and live happier, healthier lives. Along with that, FemTech is an opportunity for businesses. With half the population being female, it is a large market that needs to be served.
A Look at FemTech in Action
FemTech has a lot to offer women as consumers and the businesses that may choose to offer services. As an example of FemTech, consider the previously mentioned Clue app. With this, a FemTech company created an app that can help women manage their reproductive health in a way that is more convenient and more useful. By tracking things like a woman’s period and ovulation, it helps women take more control over their health.
Elvie is another great company that focuses on women’s health tech. This company looks to create a range of tech solutions for women. This includes their range of breast pumps that can be managed from an app and an app and accessories focused on pelvic floor exercises.
While FemTech is growing, there is still a lot of potential to offer new solutions that are just for women. Healthcare software development for women has tons of room to meet needs that are still going unmet. The businesses that identify these problems and deliver solutions could do a lot of good while also turning a nice profit.
