Events
Research project of the year: What the judges want to see
Submitting your research project for Femtech World Awards recognition can feel daunting.
What makes one project stand out from another?
After reviewing successful submissions from previous years, we’ve identified the key elements that transform good research into award-winning work.
Innovation That Solves Real Problems
Judges aren’t just looking for novelty – they’re looking for innovation that addresses genuine gaps in women’s health.
The best submissions clearly articulate a specific problem and demonstrate how their research offers a fresh approach to solving it.
Ask yourself: Does your research tackle an underserved area? Are you approaching a known problem from a new angle?
The most compelling projects often focus on issues that have been overlooked, understudied or inadequately addressed by existing solutions.
Whether you’re investigating menopause in the workplace, developing better diagnostic tools for endometriosis, or exploring mental health interventions for new mothers, clarity about the problem you’re solving is essential.
Rigorous Methodology
Strong research stands on solid foundations. Judges carefully evaluate your methodology to ensure your findings are credible and reproducible.
This doesn’t mean your research needs to be complete – early-stage projects are welcome – but you should demonstrate thoughtful research design.
Include details about your sample size, data collection methods, controls, and analytical approaches.
If you’re conducting qualitative research, explain how you’re ensuring validity. If you’re building a technological solution, describe your testing protocols.
Transparency about limitations shows intellectual honesty and strengthens rather than weakens your submission.
Measurable Impact Potential
The research projects that win hearts and awards are those with clear pathways to real-world impact.
Judges want to see beyond the research itself to understand how your work will improve women’s lives.
Consider questions like: Who will benefit from this research? How many people could be affected? What would successful implementation look like?
Whether your impact is clinical, social, economic, or policy-related, be specific.
Instead of saying “this will help women,” try “this diagnostic tool could reduce endometriosis diagnosis time from 7-10 years to under 2 years for an estimated 200 million women worldwide.”
Inclusivity and Diversity Considerations
Award-winning FemTech research recognises that women are not a monolith.
Judges increasingly value projects that consider diversity across age, race, ethnicity, socioeconomic status, disability, and geographic location.
Have you thought about how your research applies across different populations? Are you inadvertently excluding certain groups?
The strongest submissions acknowledge these considerations and, where possible, design research to be inclusive or clearly define the specific population being served.
Clear Communication
Even groundbreaking research won’t win if judges can’t understand it. The ability to communicate complex ideas clearly is crucial.
Avoid unnecessary jargon, define technical terms, and structure your submission logically.
Think of your submission as telling a story: Here’s the problem, here’s why it matters, here’s what we did, here’s what we found, and here’s why it matters for the future.
Feasibility and Sustainability
Judges appreciate ambitious research, but they also value realistic plans.
Show that you’ve thought about practical considerations: Do you have the resources to complete this work? Is your timeline reasonable?
For projects seeking commercialisation, is there a viable path to market?
Demonstrating that you’ve considered challenges and have strategies to overcome them shows maturity and increases confidence in your project’s success.
Your Passion Matters
Finally, don’t underestimate the power of genuine passion.
The researchers who win aren’t just technically proficient – they deeply care about their work and its potential to create change.
Let that commitment shine through in your submission.
Ready to submit? Find out more about the awards and enter for free here.
Women’s health is entering a new phase.
The foundations have been built. Capital has flowed. Breakthrough companies have proven the demand. Now we are entering the Era of Scale.
Women’s Health Week USA 2026 is designed around that transition. The theme, Women’s Health 2.0: The Era of Scale, reflects a market moving from validation to institutional adoption. Find out more on our full 2026 program.
This year’s agenda brings together leaders actively shaping that shift. Speakers include executives from Maven Clinic, Organon and Carrot Fertility, investors from Novo Holdings, CVS Health Ventures and Portfolia, and operators from Uber Health, OURA, Clue and Kindbody.
Policy and regulatory voices from the FDA, ARPA-H and Congress will also take the stage, alongside market leaders from Google and the New York Stock Exchange.
Across two days, sessions explore where capital is being deployed, why companies stall at the growth stage, how reimbursement becomes a competitive advantage, what M&A activity signals about consolidation, and how AI and digitisation are reshaping product strategy.
But the real differentiator is how the room is structured.
Women’s Health Week collects structured commercial data from attendees in advance and aligns 1:1 introductions around capital strategy, partnership intent and growth priorities.
The objective is simple: meaningful partnerships, not passive networking.
If women’s health is part of your 2026 strategy, secure your place before midnight on February 27 and save up to $900 on your place with our super early bird pricing.
Three women have been named winners of the UK young scientist awards, the country’s largest unrestricted prize for young researchers, marking only the second time all laureates have been female.
Thi Hoang Duong (Kelly) Nguyen, Maxie M. Roessler and Paola Pinilla each received £100,000 at a ceremony held at Banqueting House in London on 24 February 2026.
The remaining six finalists were awarded £30,000 each.
The winners were selected from nine finalists and a wider field of 91 nominees drawn from 46 academic and research institutions across the UK.
An independent jury chose one laureate in each of three categories: life sciences, chemical sciences, and physical sciences and engineering.
Nicholas B. Dirks is president and chief executive of The New York Academy of Sciences and chair of the awards’ scientific advisory council.
Dirks said: “This is a remarkable group of laureates whose work reflects both scientific brilliance and real-world impact.
“Notably, this marks the second time in the history of the Blavatnik Awards in the United Kingdom that all three laureates are women scientists.
“On behalf of The New York Academy of Sciences, we celebrate the representation and success of women in science and congratulate these winning laureates.”
Nguyen, a molecular biologist at the MRC Laboratory of Molecular Biology, was recognised for research into telomerase, an enzyme that helps protect the ends of chromosomes during cell division.
Her work sheds light on how disruptions in telomerase activity are linked to premature ageing and cancer.
She used cryo-electron microscopy, a technique that allows scientists to visualise biological structures at extremely high resolution, to produce the first atomic-level model of the enzyme.
Roessler, a bioinorganic chemist at Imperial College London, was recognised for developing new methods that reveal how cells generate energy through rapid electron transfer.
Her findings could inform future work on catalysts and the development of new functional materials.
Pinilla, an astrophysicist at University College London, was recognised for research into how planets form.
Using telescope data and computer modelling, she identified structures in protoplanetary discs, rings of gas and dust around young stars, that trap dust and support planet formation.
Sir Leonard Blavatnik, founder of Access Industries and the Blavatnik Family Foundation, said: “The exceptional talent celebrated through these awards reflects the creativity and ambition that continue to place the UK at the forefront of scientific advancement.
“It is a privilege to recognise their work and to support the next stage of their scientific journeys.”
The Blavatnik Awards for Young Scientists are open to UK-based researchers aged 42 or under.
Now in their ninth year in the UK, the awards also run parallel programmes in the US and Israel.
Since launching in the UK in 2017, 73 honourees have received nearly £3.3m in prize funding.
By the end of 2026, the awards are expected to have distributed more than US$20m to over 500 scientists and engineers worldwide.
Insight
Women’s HealthX launches in Boston this December to transform women’s health through data and science
On December 3–4, 2026 in Boston, Women’s HealthX (WoHX) will bring together 750 global leaders from pharma and biotech, hospitals and health systems, health insurers, employers, investors, startups, and government, all actively seeking proven technologies, data, and partners to advance women’s health care, research, and outcomes across the life course.
WoHX is the number one event in women’s health, unifying the full lifecycle of female healthcare through data, science, and evidence-based innovation to close the sex difference data gap and drive better clinical outcomes for women worldwide
Unlike any other event, WoHX goes beyond discussion to focus on implementation of representative data sets to drive meaningful change. The exhibition directly addresses the conditions that affect women differently and disproportionately, across every stage of life.
Attendees will gain clear insight into which areas are overhyped versus underfunded, where the biggest evidence gaps remain, and how data, science, and evidence can drive measurable change in policy, reimbursement, product development, and clinical practice.
Julie Rios, Division Director, Reproductive Endocrinology & Infertility at UPMC, shared why she is looking forward to attending:
She said: “I’m looking forward to connecting with innovators across women’s health to explore new technologies, collaborations, and care models that can help us solve our most complex reproductive health cases and improve outcomes for patients who currently have limited options.”
Taking place in Boston, the global hub for healthcare innovation, research, and medical institutions, whose collaborative ecosystem aligns perfectly with WoHX’s mission to accelerate the adoption of clinical solutions, and improve outcomes for women worldwide.
Across seven dedicated stages spanning Evidence, Data & Innovation, Fertility & Reproductive Health, Menopause & Healthy Aging, Maternity & Maternal Care, Sexual Health & Wellness, Cognitive Health & Wellness, and Chronic Disease Management, attendees will benefit from:
- 100+ hours of free education from 150+ expert speakers
- Direct access to senior decision-makers and key industry leaders
- Tailored one-to-one meetings with solution providers across medical devices, CROs, and analytics software
- Hands-on exploration of AI-powered tools, digital therapeutics, wearables, telehealth, and integrated care models via the interactive HealthXpo floor, featuring live demonstrations and hands-on clinical showcases
- The Women’s Health Startup Zone, connecting founders directly with investors
- The Career Zone, linking attendees with postgraduate programs, universities, and research centres, alongside masterclasses in AI literacy, data analytics, and research innovation
Early confirmed speakers include:
- Michael Annichine, CEO, Magee-Womens Research Institute and Foundation
- David Friend, Chief Science Officer, Daré Bioscience
- Emily Lau, Director, Women’s Heart Health Program, Brigham and Women’s Hospital
- Carolee Lee, CEO & Founder, WHAM
- Suneela Vegunta, Vice Chair, Women’s Health Research Division, Mayo Clinic
- Barb DePree, Director of Women’s Health, Holland Hospital
- Jodi Neuhauser, Founder & CEO, In Women’s Health
- Julie Rios, Division Director, Reproductive Endocrinology & Infertility, UPMC
- Kesha O’Reilly, Global Director, Medical Affairs HIV Franchise, Gilead Sciences
- Katie Baca-Motes, CEO GSD, Health Research
- Catherine Monk, Founding Director, Center for the Transition to Parenthood
- Mitzi Krockover, CEO & Founder, WomanCentered
Further announcements, including speaker confirmations and agenda highlights, will be released in the coming months.
Because Women’s HealthX believes in healthcare equity, attendance is free for practitioners within pharma, biotech, corporate enterprises, and medical officers and leaders within hospital and healthcare systems.
Register your free place now: https://www.alphaevents.com/events-whx/srspricing#/?utm_source=FemTechW&utm_medium=Media%20Partner&utm_campaign=52531.001%20-%20WHX%20-%20MP%20-%20FemTech%20World%20-%20Press%20Release&utm_term=&utm_content=&disc=&extTreatId=7631829
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