Entrepreneur
The hidden dangers of chronic inflammation
“Unless you get diagnosed with a chronic condition, you might be unaware of inflammation,” says Yalda Alaoui
The prevalence of inflammatory bowel disease is increasing dramatically. Yalda Alaoui explains why chronic inflammation can affect us all.
We become familiar with inflammation from a very young age. When you cut your finger, to heal the cut, your body sends inflammatory cells to the injury.
Inflammation refers to your body’s process of fighting against things that harm it such as infections, injuries, and toxins, in an attempt to heal itself. When something damages the cells, like cutting your finger, your body releases chemicals that trigger a response from your immune system. This is known as acute inflammation.
Chronic inflammation, however, happens when this response lingers, leaving your body in a constant state of alert and can have symptoms harder to spot such as abdominal pain, chest pain, fatigue and fever.
Yalda Alaoui found that she was suffering from chronic inflammation after she was diagnosed with ulcerative colitis – an inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) in which the lining of the colon becomes inflamed and develops tiny open sores or ulcers.
“I had an acute case for many years where my body did not respond positively to medication. I was pretty much in a constant flare,” Yalda tells me. Despite not experiencing remission, doctors assured her multiple times that there was no link between nutrition and her condition.
“Because I didn’t see any results, I set myself on a path of research on lifestyle and nutrition. I was looking at everything, not just dietary changes,” she says. “I changed a few things in my diet and I started working out again. But I later found out that some workouts can increase inflammation.”
Yalda was also diagnosed with a disease called autoimmune haemolytic anaemia – a rare blood condition that causes the antibodies of a person’s immune system damage some of their red blood cells. “It was almost fatal for me a couple of times. But it sparked a conversation with my doctor that made me realise that the link between my two conditions was actually inflammation.”
Subsequently, she extended her research and started talking to other people on forums with similar conditions. “We would exchange phone numbers and I would talk to other people and try to understand the mechanisms of those diseases through their experiences,” she explains.
Analysing the common symptoms of chronic inflammation is what helped Yalda to improve her lifestyle – from sleep and nutrition to exercise, mental health, strengthen immunity and body composition. “I was trying to put all the pieces of this puzzle together through others to truly understand the inflammatory processes and the links to other diseases much further than just autoimmunity,” she says. “So, I developed a method to improve my symptoms, and finally be free of pain.”
After retraining as a nutritional therapist, Yalda launched Eat Burn Sleep – an online platform that helps people reduce inflammation, restart their gut microbiome and promote optimum immune and liver health.
Yalda was diagnosed with ulcerative colitis in 2007
“70 per cent of your immune system cells sit in you gut,” she points out. “So, the reason why gut health is so important is because it influences your immune system and your inflammation as a result.”
Yalda’s platform is based on three pillars: nutrition, movement and mental wellness. “Very few people realise that if you’re really stressed, it’s hard for inflammation to be reduced because your cortisol levels are high,” she tells me. “When you have high cortisol levels, what it does is it switches on the sympathetic nervous system, your fight or flight response, and it switches off the parasympathetic nervous system, your rest and digest side.”
Eat Burn Sleep encourages a better lifestyle rather than adopting restrictive diets. Yalda says that she wants people to be social and have fun with their friends, cautioning that most diets can be extremely unhealthy mentally, physically and physiologically.
“My method is very moderate,” she adds. “Cutting out a certain food group entirely increases the chances of losing the good bacteria to digest it. Instead, I want to show people how much of that food to reduce and for how long.
“When it comes to exercise, for example, being sedentary is linked to heart disease, metabolic syndrome, diabetes and obesity. But high intensity exercise is also linked to chronic inflammation. So, I have a library of anti-inflammation workout videos along with a mental wellness section where I help people not only stay calm and meditate, but also rewire the subconscious brain and tap into neuroplasticity – the brain’s ability to form new neural connections throughout life.
“We also have about 20 doctors backing my method. They have used it for themselves and now share it with their patients,” she says. “My aim is to put people together – gastroenterologists, GPs, osteopaths, immunologists – and share interesting findings or observations that can help others with their practice.”
The prevalence of inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) increased between 2006 and 2016 by 33.8 per cent and globally, more than six million people are affected by IBD.
Yalda thinks that Deborah James’ case will help more people understand chronic inflammation, but she also says that: “The food has changed a lot. Many healthy organic processed foods are packed with additives that lead to inflammation, metabolic syndrome, unhealthy weight gain, and irritable bowel syndrome (IBS).
“Unfortunately, with chronic inflammation, unless you’re diagnosed with a chronic disease, you don’t get any signs,” the nutritionist explains. “But one of the first things to pay attention to is excess fat. Although I know everyone talks about body positivity, it is not helping our health, because a high BMI means that your body produces more inflammatory cells.
“So, things like a high BMI or bloating may suggest that you probably have inflammation in your body. I would say do something about it. A doctor cannot sleep for you. A doctor cannot eat for you. A doctor cannot think positively for you. Take steps to improve your health today, which will improve your mental well-being. You’re going to have a sharper brain, a better mood, you’re going to enjoy your life better, and prevent diseases later.
“Also, when you do that, you start shopping for healthier foods,” she adds. “And guess what, healthier foods are better for the planet. So, from an ecological standpoint, sustainability helps the environment and you become less of a burden on the healthcare systems in the future.”
I ask Yalda why she thinks it is harder to maintain a healthy lifestyle now. “I think there’s a lot of confusion. You hear so many mixed health messages and you don’t know which one to follow and I also think that we have such a perfectionist mindset.
“Everything’s black and white. People feel that they either have to be really good or if they eat one bad thing, they’re going to go for all the unhealthy foods. So, in my method, it’s about damage limitation, not perfection. I developed this because I wanted to continue having fun. Life was so boring when I was sick. What I tell people now is skip the sandwich on your lunch break and go for a salad. Then if you want to enjoy some prosecco with your friends, do it well, so you produce the enzymes to digest it and enjoy it guilt-free.”
Alongside improving Eat Burn Sleep, the nutritionist is also working on an app that will be available soon and will help more people on the path of recovery.
“I want to continue helping people and I want to keep raising awareness,” she says. “In the long run, my goal is to help introduce nutrition in the curriculum in medical schools because I really want to bridge the gap between holistic treatment and allopathic medicine and truly make a difference.”
For more information, visit eatburnsleep.com.
Women’s Health Week Europe 2026 has released its fully populated speaker and session lineup ahead of the event’s return to The Emirates Stadium in London on 7–8 October, with 80+ speakers now confirmed across two dedicated stages.
The programme
The agenda runs across two dedicated stages in parallel, plus two pitch competitions across both days.
The Global Stage opens with a keynote from Merete Clausen (EIF) before moving into sessions on funding trends, AI, the gender data gap, the wearable revolution, and European policy.
Standout sessions include The Age of Digital TransformAItion featuring Nichole Young-Lin (Google), Frida Polli (MIT), and Sapna Shah (Sie Ventures); Lone Wolf or Pack Leader on collaboration versus fragmentation, with Eirini Rapti (Inne), Tatum Getty (Thena Capital), Novo Nordisk, and Jen Roberts-Woods (Borski Fund); and a live debate on whether the women’s health label helps or hinders founders. Day one closes with a keynote from Alison Cave, Chief Safety Officer at the MHRA.
The Scale Stage runs a practical playbook track in parallel, with sessions covering regulatory approval pathways, international expansion, the founder’s legal playbook, PR strategy, and implementing AI into a women’s health business.
The Reverse Pitch flips the usual format: investors and corporates pitch the room on what they are actively looking to fund, acquire, or partner on right now.
View the full agenda and speaker lineup
Pitch competitions
The WHW Europe pitch competitions are back, taking place in front of the audience across both days on the mainstage. 16 finalists will compete across two categories: Consumer & Tech on day 1 and Medical Devices & Therapeutics on day 2.
Any company treating a condition that affects women exclusively, differently, or disproportionately is eligible to apply.
Applications and close 28 August 2026.
Previous alumni include Circe, who secured £100k from Innovate UK, BoobyBiome, who closed a £2.5M seed round post-WHW Europe, and Amilis, who secured £1M at London Tech Week after winning at WHW USA 2026.
UK femtech investment has risen by more than 194 per cent over the past decade, with deal activity and funding both increasing, new research has found.
The number of deals increased from 18 in 2015 to 53 in 2025, while total funding rose from £9.4m to more than £100m over the same period.
Despite the growth, deal volume and value remain relatively low compared with other parts of the health and care market. Healthcare recorded 69 deals in 2015 and 171 in 2025.
More companies have raised funding over the past decade, while investment values have also increased. Average deal size more than doubled from £527,000 in 2015 to £1.9m in 2025.
Some of the largest funding rounds last year included SheMed at more than £37m, Gaia at £12m, emm at £6.8m and Hertility at £5.9m, with the majority of investors based in the UK.
The research found femtech remains largely early-stage, with seed investments accounting for most deals.
However, venture capital involvement has increased over the past decade, which the research said showed the market was becoming more mature. The number of VC deals rose by 600 per cent.
Vicky Protano, corporate partner at Mills & Reeve, which conducted the research, said: “Over the last decade, the UK femtech ecosystem has expanded, both in terms of deal activity and funding levels. This positive upward trend demonstrates growing investor confidence in femtech and increasing institutional interest in the sector.
“Whilst companies in femtech have relied heavily on angel investors and angel networks to fund their growth ambitions, dynamics are shifting, with more venture capital and PE investors appearing in funding rounds. However, this is just the beginning and there is still more to do. While the sector has experienced strong growth, more work needs to be done to create the right funding environment that is balanced and evenly spread across the UK.”
The research found most deals had taken place in London. While the capital has strengthened its position as the UK’s main hub for femtech start-ups, regional clusters are gradually emerging elsewhere.
Protano said: “Whilst London clearly remains a dominant location for women’s health businesses and investment – both in terms of deal activity and total funding – there is a gradual move to regional expansion outside of the capital, with the South West, South East and the East of England showing increased investment activity in the femtech sector. What the data also highlights is a growing North/South divide, with areas such as the North East, North West, and Yorkshire & Humber significantly underrepresented in the national figures.
“As a national firm, we are also witnessing that similar divide. More investments are being made into women’s health businesses based in the South – and more businesses are, often as a result, locating themselves there, rather than in the North. This is representative of the investment landscape as a whole. However, growth in the femtech sector is being supported by growing regional innovation hubs, the increasing influence of university spin-outs, as well as improved support for start-ups at a regional level.”
She added: “Looking at the positives, we have advised and are continuing to advise on some significant investments in the sector. This further evidences the growing nature of femtech, with sector specific investors also coming to the market.”
Examples include Northern Gritstone’s investment in IVF technology business IVF Micro and Phoenix Private Equity’s investment in London Gynaecology, a provider of private gynaecology clinics.
Other deals include an EKA Ventures-led investment in tech-enabled postnatal care company Hesta Health and Amulet Capital’s acquisition of TFP Fertility.
September marks 10 years since the term “femtech” was coined by Ida Tin, co-founder and chief executive of Clue, one of the first period-tracking apps for women, and founder of think tank Femtech Assembly.
The global market grew to US$9.12bn in 2025 and is projected to reach US$41.4bn by 2034.
Despite that growth, women’s health is still not treated as a priority and significant gender inequalities remain globally in research, trials, diagnosis and treatment, continuing to disadvantage women.
Tin said: “I want men with money and power to get femtech on their radar. The business opportunity is there. The societal economic argument is there.”
Charlotte Lewis, commercial health lawyer at Mills & Reeve who specialises in healthtech and women’s health, said: “For far too long, ongoing disparities in women’s healthcare across the UK have adversely impacted women’s health outcomes, often resulting in prolonged diagnosis and treatment – some of which are well publicised, including the time it takes to diagnose women’s health issues such as endometriosis and rising maternal mortality rates.
“However, we are seeing the landscape beginning to shift in a more positive direction. Our experience is that this is helped by more open discussion and conversations which highlight the issues.
“The data around the sector is valuable and growing and demonstrates the progress that is being made from an investment point of view, creating a better environment where digital innovation can thrive, with a renewed focus on prevention through market-leading consumer-driven products.
“The UK has a real opportunity to transform women’s healthcare into a model of fairness, accessibility, and excellence, and femtech businesses have a crucial part to play in achieving this transformation. As a firm, Mills & Reeve is passionate and dedicated to continuing to influence and support this transformation.”
A women’s and children’s health technology fund has raised US$58m at its first close towards a target size of US$125m.
Managed by Cross-Border Impact Ventures (CBIV), the Children’s Health Technology Fund II will invest in companies developing technologies for conditions that affect women and children specifically, differently or disproportionately.
It will mainly target Series A and Series B companies developing medical devices, diagnostics, therapeutics and AI-enabled digital health technologies, while retaining the option to invest earlier in selected high-potential businesses.
Annie Thériault, managing partner at Cross-Border Impact Ventures, said: “Women’s and children’s health is one of the largest and most attractive opportunities in healthcare today.
“We’re seeing a convergence of scientific innovation, policy support and institutional capital that is accelerating the development of technologies with the potential to improve millions of lives.
“This is a true blue sky opportunity, one where competition remains limited, and the potential to generate outsized returns is significant.
“Fund I validated our investment strategy, and Fund II allows us to build on that momentum at a time when the market is ripe for investment.”
The first close attracted commitments from returning and new institutional investors, and the fund is expected to reach its final close in 2027.
Its predecessor raised US$90.3m and invested in 11 technology companies across maternal and fetal health, neonatal care, cardiovascular disease, oncology, respiratory health, reproductive health and gut health.
The first fund also achieved a strategic exit and helped its portfolio companies reach more than 356,000 women and children across 32 countries.
The second fund will continue to focus on early-growth-stage deep technology companies commercialising healthcare technologies that could generate financial returns alongside measurable health outcomes.
A climate element has also been added to the investment process, while the approach to measuring impact has been strengthened.
The healthcare sectors covered by the investment strategy are estimated to be worth US$625bn today and are projected to grow to US$1.1tn by 2035.
The forecast is linked to advances in AI, diagnostics, medical devices and precision medicine, alongside increased attention on longstanding gaps in healthcare for women and children.
CBIV said its second Women’s and Children’s Health Technology Fund builds on the strategy used for its first vehicle.
Since launching in 2021, CBIV has built an investment platform focused on women’s and children’s health technologies.
The firm has reviewed more than 2,000 investment opportunities since launching its first fund, selecting 11 companies with technologies intended to deliver commercial returns and measurable health impact.
Alongside providing capital, CBIV works with portfolio companies on commercialisation, regulatory and market expansion strategies, access to non-dilutive funding and governance through board participation.
It also works to expand healthcare access in underserved markets through its impact platform.
CBIV said this approach has helped portfolio companies secure FDA clearances, complete strategic exits, expand into more than 30 countries, attract further investment and grow across high-income and low- and middle-income markets.
Portfolio companies include Sonio, which develops AI-powered fetal ultrasound software and was acquired by Samsung Medison in 2024.
The integration of Sonio’s technology into Samsung ultrasound systems is under way, with the aim of expanding access globally.
Cardiosense received US FDA De Novo approval for its PCWP Analysis Software, which enables non-invasive assessment of a key indicator used in heart failure. The company says this includes forms of the disease affecting 1.5m women in North America.
mOm Incubators received US FDA clearance for its neonatal incubator and has deployed devices in hospitals and humanitarian settings across several regions. The company estimates the technology has reached 18,000 patients.
Daye has launched a patented diagnostic tampon for HPV and vaginal health screening. The technology has been piloted in the NHS and is expanding into North America and sub-Saharan Africa.
More than 13,000 patients have used the technology, with peer-reviewed clinical validation carried out across the UK, Tanzania and Nigeria.
Investors committing to the second fund include KfW on behalf of the German Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development, the Skoll Foundation with Capricorn Investment Group, Ceniarth, Equality Fund with RockCreek Group and Wire Group.
Several family offices and high-net-worth individuals have also invested, with some returning investors increasing their commitments.
CBIV said its investment and impact approach received BlueMark Platinum status in 2024, complies with SFDR Article 9 and has received multiple ImpactAssets Emerging Impact Manager designations.
Donna Parr, managing partner at Cross-Border Impact Ventures, said: “Fund I reinforced what we’ve believed from the beginning: some of the most compelling investment opportunities in healthcare exist in areas that have historically received too little attention.
“Advances in AI, diagnostics, medical devices and precision medicine are creating entirely new opportunities to improve care for women and children while building highly valuable companies. We’re seeing growing recognition from investors that financial returns and measurable health impact are mutually reinforcing.”
News3 days agoUK femtech investment surges 194% in a decade, research finds
Entrepreneur2 weeks agoFertility startup American Baby Company secures US$4m
Insight2 weeks agoNatural Cycles receives sixth FDA clearance for fertility algorithm
Wellness7 days agoCancer patient receives ‘landmark’ treatment in world-first
Insight2 weeks agoExperimental treatment significantly slows progression of fatal brain disease in women, study finds
Sponsored Content2 weeks agoThe room is filling up at WHW Europe 2026 with super early bird pricing ending this Friday
Insight1 week agoJohnson & Johnson offers to pay US$5.5bn to settle talc cancer lawsuits
Insight6 days agoWomen urged to be wary of menopause misinformation on social media
2 Comments