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VivaTech 2023: what femtech enthusiasts should expect to see
This year a Femtech Village will be set up at the heart of Europe’s biggest start-up and tech event
With Elon Musk on the guest list, this year’s VivaTech is set to be monumental. We speak to managing director François Bitouzet to find out why femtech enthusiasts should attend.
VivaTech is Europe’s biggest start-up and tech event. What should we expect from this year’s edition?
The conference promises to bring together some of the biggest names in the tech industry, including Elon Musk for instance, offering attendees the opportunity to connect with thought leaders and innovators from across the globe.
Additionally, the event will feature a range of keynote speeches, panel discussions, and workshops, providing insights into the latest trends, challenges, and opportunities in the tech landscape.
Attendees can expect to witness cutting-edge technologies and innovations as start-ups and established companies showcase their latest products and solutions. We will have more than 2,400 start-ups showcasing their innovations and products at VivaTech, for the first time in Europe and even in the world for many of them!
How will this edition be different from previous years?
One of the exciting developments in this year’s VivaTech is the introduction of our Femtech Village. This dedicated space will showcase the latest innovations and technologies in women’s health, wellness, pleasure and body. In addition, it will allow attendees to connect with female entrepreneurs and innovators in this space.
Another area of focus at this year’s conference is K-Tech. Korea is our Country of the Year at VivaTech 2023 and this section will showcase the latest developments and innovations in Korean technology, providing attendees with insights into the Korean tech ecosystem and its opportunities.
VivaTech has become the biggest event in tech, digital and startups in Europe, and this year we have raised the bar even higher!
What would the Femtech Village consist of?
In addition to the aforementioned dedicated space, a challenge for entrepreneurs proposing innovations in women’s health has been organised in collaboration with FemTech France. A dozen companies will be chosen and awarded a boot camp to help them grow their businesses.
More than 3,000 young women and girls from throughout Europe will also attend the event to stimulate professional development, break down prejudices, and receive insight into the digital sectors.
We will also be hosting the fifth edition of the Female Founder Challenge, an award that aims to accelerate the funding of women-led start-ups and encourage investment funds to commit to greater gender equality at all levels.
What areas of women’s health would the Femtech Village focus on?
The Femtech Village will bring together entrepreneurs, innovators, and experts from various fields to discuss and showcase the latest advancements in women’s health and wellness. Attendees can expect to learn about multiple topics, including menstrual health, reproductive health and contraception, pregnancy and nursing, mental health, and more.
The aim is to promote greater awareness and understanding of women’s health issues, encourage innovation in this field, and provide a platform for female entrepreneurs and innovators to connect and collaborate.
What excites you the most about the village?
We are very excited about some start-ups that will attend VivaTech because of their tremendous success! These include:
- Mammorisk, a platform for personalised monitoring and prevention of breast cancer risk.
- Wistim, which supports the healthcare journey of women undergoing medically assisted reproduction.
- Endodiag, the most extensive biobank of tissues and blood samples from endometriosis patients to establish a blood diagnostic that, through a blood test, can confirm whether or not the patient has endometriosis.
- Louise, a company targeted at reproductive experts that develops therapeutic decision assistance based on AI for more efficient and human-assisted reproduction.
- Igyxos, a company developing a medicine that promises to revolutionise infertility treatment by replacing the injection of new hormones with the activation of naturally occurring hormones.
Why should femtech enthusiasts attend this year’s VivaTech?
We have carefully curated a fantastic group of start-ups that will be showcased at the Femtech Village. We considered the key issues affecting women today, and ensured the start-ups on display are working to solve these.
As such, the village will be a hive of femtech innovation and networking opportunity that is not to be missed.
VivaTech 2023 is taking place in Paris and online on June 14-17.
Fashion, beauty and lifestyle retailers have joined the American Heart Association to raise awareness of heart disease in women.
The Go Red. Shop with Heart. campaign launched at the New York Stock Exchange on 30 January.
Retailers will ask for donations at checkout in February or donate a percentage of proceeds from selected items.
More than four in 10 women in the US have some form of cardiovascular disease, a term for heart and blood vessel conditions such as heart disease and stroke.
Heart disease and stroke kill more women in the US each year than all forms of cancer combined.
Brands taking part include Away, Commando, Lafayette 148, Michael Kors, Reebok, ShopSimon.com, Summersalt, Torrid and White & Warren.
More than 40 other nationwide retailers are also inviting customers to support the organisation this February through its Life Is Why campaign.
Nancy Brown is chief executive officer of the American Heart Association.
She said: “Nearly 1 in 3 women die from cardiovascular disease each year, yet women are still profoundly under-represented in the clinical research, science and medicine that could save their lives.
“Retailers and consumers are uniquely positioned to turn everyday moments into meaningful change through Go Red. Shop with Heart.”
According to the American Heart Association 2026 Heart Disease and Stroke Statistics Update, heart disease is the leading cause of death in the US and stroke is the number four cause of death.
The organisation projects that at least six in 10 US adults will have cardiovascular disease within the next 30 years and related costs are expected to triple.
However, approximately 80 per cent of cardiovascular disease is preventable through lifestyle changes.
Mindy Grossman is a volunteer board member at the American Heart Association and partner and vice chair of Consello.
Grossman said: “Retail has always been a powerful connector.
“Shop with Heart gives our industry a shared platform to lead with purpose and unite consumers in support of heart health.”
Milken Institute has launched the Women’s Health Network digital platform with Velir x Brooklyn Data to speed collaboration and investment across research, care and technology.
The new website creates a hub for members to share content, connect and coordinate projects, with branding and the first public Drupal build delivered by Velir x Brooklyn Data. A launch video premiered on 4 November 2025 at the inaugural steering committee and member luncheon in Washington DC, then featured at the Milken Institute Future of Health Summit.
Phase two is scheduled for February 2026, adding member log-ins for networking and content exchange. Phase three in April 2026 will add advanced collaboration tools and expanded community features.
“This launch represents the type of mission-driven, cross-sector digital work we are incredibly proud to support,” said Eliza Pare, vice-president of client services at Velir. “The Women’s Health Network is poised to transform collaboration in women’s health, and we’re honoured to help build the digital infrastructure that will make that possible.”
Chaired by former first lady Dr Jill Biden, the Women’s Health Network brings together leaders from industry, startups, investors, health systems, patient groups, academia and philanthropy. More than 100 members have joined, with a steering group that includes organisations such as the American Cancer Society, American Heart Association, Amgen, Deloitte, GE Healthcare, Merck, Microsoft, Northwell Health, Organon and others.
Innovate UK has opened the Women in Innovation Awards for 2025 to 2026, with grants of up to £75,000 for as many as 60 winners.
HealthTech winners in 2024 included a tampon that prevents bacterial infections, an AI audio device for visually impaired people, and an app for gynaecological conditions.
The awards target female founders of late-stage start-ups with a minimum viable product, early user traction or revenue, growing teams and plans to raise significant capital within 12 to 24 months.
Liz Kendall, science secretary, said: “The Women in Innovation Awards are unlocking the UK’s untapped potential within our community of women innovators; if men and women started and scaled businesses at the same rate this could be worth as much as £250 billion for the UK economy.
“This record £4.5 million investment will empower ambitious women founders to scale their businesses, drive economic growth, and inspire the next generation of innovators.”
Applicants must operate in advanced manufacturing, digital and technologies, or life sciences, three of the high growth sectors identified in the UK’s Industrial Strategy. Winners receive up to £75,000 plus training, networking and role-modelling opportunities, with tailored support also offered to highly commended applicants.
The competition opened on 26 November 2025 and closes on 4 February 2026.
Since 2016, Innovate UK has invested more than £11m in 200 women innovators through these awards, with up to 60 more to be funded this year.
Last year’s programme drew criticism after Innovate UK initially said it would fund 50 women, then announced only 25 awards at £75,000 each. Following a campaign led by Emma Jarvis, founder of Dearbump, and the ‘Let’s Fund More Women’ group of more than 400 supporters, Innovate UK reversed the decision and confirmed all 50 awards and £4m, saying it was “a mistake and we prioritised wrongly”.
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