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Entrepreneur
‘It’s about showing empathy’: the woman behind the DEI software of the future
Diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) are essential elements of a thriving workplace, but how do we ensure these policies are not built on empty promises? This founder proposes empathy.
Thorey Proppe is not your average businesswoman.
A self-described adventurer, she became a female activist at a young age and was a board member of the National Committee for UN Women Iceland, fighting for gender equality.
She got into politics but found her true purpose when she started working in diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) for a consulting firm.
“I knew that was what I wanted to do,” she tells me when we meet on Zoom.
We are here to talk about Alda, Proppe’s latest venture, or – as she cheekily describes it – a “DEI software that actually works”.
Founded in collaboration with Sigyn Jónsdóttir, Alda provides employers with DEI metrics, action plans and gamified micro-learning content to foster a positive work environment. The aim? To dismantle toxic work culture and build spaces where everyone can thrive.
In an era of transformational changes across the landscape of work, having an intentional focus on DEI has emerged as one of the most important things that a company can do to succeed.
This is a long overdue development since the research has been overwhelmingly clear that companies that prioritise DEI perform better financially and have more engaged employees.
The question is, what is good DEI? A full suite of inclusive company policies sounds promising, but how do we ensure meaningful progress is made?
“When discussing DEI, it can be challenging to talk about changing the culture in a work environment,” says Proppe.
“The results are often upsetting and revealing, especially for marginalised groups who often don’t feel comfortable to openly discuss the obstacles they face.”
Good DEI, she says, doesn’t just mean having a set of policies in place. Rather, it refers to inviting everybody into a conversation where they can openly talk about different issues without feeling uncomfortable.
“It’s about showing empathy, I think. If we all had 100 per cent empathy, we wouldn’t need a platform like Alda – everybody would put themselves in each other’s shoes and see their perspectives. Unfortunately, that is not the case.
“That’s why we strive for helping everybody thrive at work. In order for that to happen, it’s important that those with privilege are able to see their biases and make fair decisions.”
A critical aspect of DEI is the connection between DEI and mental health. Proppe says understanding and addressing the intersection of these two crucial dimensions is pivotal for building a truly inclusive and supportive work environment.
“A lot of people, especially those from marginalised groups, feel like they can’t be who they are in the workplace,” she explains.
“However, pretending to be someone else for other people can be very detrimental to your health. Putting a mask on every time you go into the workplace is not just hard and exhausting but can have a real impact on your wellbeing.
“Research shows that women, especially those in positions of power, have much more obstacles than men. This gets worse around menopause, when women are more likely to quit their jobs or reduce their number of hours due to a lack of support. The consequences are of course even more severe for those with intersecting marginalised identities.”
So, what advice would she give to employers looking to improve their DEI policies?
“Get Alda,” she laughs. “We’ve done the research and it’s all you need.” More generally, however, collecting data that reflects the culture would be a great place to start, she adds.
“Data is queen. A lot of people who don’t belong to marginalised groups don’t believe there is a problem. Collecting data helps them recognise the issues and see them for what they are.
“Plus, how are you going to set goals if you don’t know where you’re at?”
Rapidly scaling startups often make rushed hiring choices that disadvantage women, a recent study has found.
The findings draw on more than 31,000 new ventures founded in Sweden between 2004 and 2018.
Researchers at the Stockholm School of Economics report that in male-led startups, scaling reduces the odds of hiring a woman by about 18 per cent, and the odds of appointing a woman to a managerial post by 22 per cent.
Mohamed Genedy is co-author and postdoctoral fellow at the House of Innovation, Stockholm School of Economics.
Genedy said: “During those moments of rapid growth, even well-intentioned leaders can fall back on familiar stereotypes when assessing who they believe is best suited for the role.”
The patterns emerge even in Sweden, regarded as a highly gender-equal national context.
Founders with human resources-related education counteract these challenges.
In ventures led by founders with HR training, the odds of hiring a woman increase by more than 30 per cent, and the odds of appointing a woman to a managerial role increase by 14 per cent for the same level of growth.
Genedy said: “When founders have experience with structured hiring practices, the gender gaps shrink, and in some cases even reverse.
“This shows that getting the basics of HR right early on really pays off.
“When things start moving fast, founders with HR knowledge are less likely to rely on biased instincts and more likely to hire from a broader talent pool.”
Prior experience in companies with established HR practices also helps, though to a lesser degree.
It raises the likelihood of hiring women as ventures scale, but does not significantly affect managerial appointments.
The study additionally shows these patterns are not driven by founder gender alone.
Even solo female-led ventures display similar tendencies when growing rapidly, though to a somewhat lesser degree.
In female-dominated industries, rapid growth increases the hiring of women for regular roles but still reduces the likelihood that women are appointed to managerial positions.
“When scaling accelerates, cognitive bias kicks in for everyone. Female founders are not immune to these patterns,” said Genedy.
Midi Health has closed a US$100m Series D, lifting the menopause care provider to a valuation above US$1bn and achieving unicorn status.
The company, originally focused on virtual menopause care, says it will expand to what it calls lifelong care, adding cardiology, obesity management, autoimmune survivorship and longevity services.
Joanna Strober is co-founder and chief executive officer of Midi Health.
She said: “This is validation for the movement we’re leading.
“Women’s health has been treated like an afterthought for too long.”
Midi reports it now sees more than 25,000 patients per week and has insurance coverage reaching 45 million women nationwide.
To support scale, the firm is rolling out a proprietary artificial intelligence engine intended to slot into clinical workflows.
It analyses patient charts before virtual visits to help personalise care, automates triage and documentation, and reviews data on midlife women to refine protocols.
The company has also strengthened its leadership. Jason Wheeler, formerly in senior finance roles at Tesla and Google, has been appointed chief financial officer. He joins chief marketing officer Melissa Waters, previously at Meta and Lyft, and chief commercial officer Matt Cook.
Each year, about two million women in the US enter menopause.
Untreated symptoms are estimated to cost the economy US$25bn annually.
Women’s telehealth company Wisp has acquired TBD Health, a sexual health platform, in its first acquisition and expansion beyond direct-to-consumer care.
The deal adds TBD Health’s diagnostics infrastructure and hospital partnerships to Wisp’s platform, which the company says serves 1.8 million patients across the US.
Wisp, which describes itself as the largest women’s telehealth company in the US, said the acquisition marks a move into enterprise and hybrid care models that combine consumer-first digital care with hospital systems, enterprises and public health programmes.
TBD Health operates a sexual health and diagnostics platform across all 50 states, combining routine STI and HIV testing, virtual clinical support, and partnerships that help remove cost barriers for patients.
The company has established relationships with Mount Sinai Health System, San Francisco AIDS Foundation and Planned Parenthood Direct.
Monica Cepak, chief executive of Wisp, said: “This acquisition reflects where healthcare is going and where women have been left behind.
“TBD Health brings the infrastructure and partnerships that allow us to move into hybrid and enterprise care quickly, while staying true to Wisp’s patient-first approach.
“Together, we are making preventative care more accessible especially to women and integrating them into proven care models.”
The companies say gaps in access remain in sexual health and preventive care, particularly for women.
While women account for 19 per cent of new HIV diagnoses in the US, they remain underserved by existing prevention models, which have historically been designed and marketed for men.
Of the 2.4 million people eligible for PrEP, a medicine that reduces the risk of getting HIV, only around 25 per cent are currently enrolled.
Daphne Chen, co-founder of TBD Health, said: “By joining forces with Wisp, we can provide partners with a turnkey solution for PrEP along with sexual health diagnostics and care that integrates seamlessly into their existing workflows, ensuring no patient falls through the cracks.”
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