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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?”
Vespexx, the femtech company behind couples preconception health platform Soonr, has signed a memorandum of understanding (MOU) with Femtech Across Borders, a global femtech network supporting women’s health initiatives across 80 countries.
The agreement was signed on June 30 at Korea Femtech Summit 2026, the first global femtech summit held in Korea, hosted by Vespexx.
Femtech Across Borders is a global femtech community led by founder Rachel Bartholomew, who entered the field after her own battle with cervical cancer.
The organisation connects women’s health innovators, companies, and institutions worldwide, supporting collaboration across borders.
“For Korean femtech to reach the world, connection with the global community matters more than anything,” said Scarlett Joowon Jung, co-CEO of Vespexx.
“Through our collaboration with Femtech Across Borders, we’ll continue to strengthen our role as a bridge between Korea and the global femtech community.”
Through the MOU, the two parties will work to lower the barriers between Korean and global femtech, raising awareness of women’s health, sharing networks, and exploring future opportunities to collaborate.
Vespexx, in particular, intends to serve as a bridge connecting Korean femtech companies with the global community, widening the path for domestic companies to reach international markets.
The agreement builds on Vespexx’s recent global momentum.
On June 30, the company hosted Korea Femtech Summit 2026, bringing together femtech leaders from Korea and abroad, and used the occasion to announce the launch of Femtech Korea, an industry network that brings Korean femtech companies together and connects them with the world.
The partnership with Femtech Across Borders extends that effort outward, linking Korea’s domestic network to the global community.
Learn more about Vespexx at vespexx.com
W Group has opened applications for W Accelerate with Merck KGaA and M Ventures, inviting reproductive and maternal health startups, scaleups and spinouts to pitch for direct access to global pharma partnership and strategic investment.
Selected companies will pitch on 5th October, competing for the chance to accelerate their growth through commercial partnerships, investment, or both.
This is the third time Merck KGaA, a global leader in reproductive health, has partnered with W Group on the programme, which exists to close the innovation and investment gap in women’s health by connecting the sector’s most promising startups directly with the corporates and investors positioned to scale them.
What Merck KGaA and M Ventures are looking for
This year’s call is focused on breakthrough solutions in female infertility, fertility preservation, adenomyosis, endometriosis, polyendocrine metabolic ovarian syndrome (PMOS), ovarian insufficiency, preeclampsia and pregnancy comorbidities.
New for this round, applicants choose between three pathways depending on what they need from the programme:
- The Partnership Lane, for companies seeking commercial collaborations and strategic relationships
- The Investment Lane, for founders looking to connect with investors and secure funding to scale
- The Dual Lane, for innovators pursuing both partnership and investment opportunities
How the Accelerate event works
Selected companies get a 1:1 pitch practice session ahead of time, then a private 30-minute session with Merck KGaA and M Ventures leadership on the day itself, small-group sessions with regulatory and investment strategy experts, an “Ask Merck Anything” roundtable, and a VIP networking reception.
Key dates
- Open call launches: 8th July
- Open call closes: 2nd September
- Notification of successful companies: 11th September
- Pitch day: 5th October
Applications are open now at wplatform.typeform.com/to/KGzviBQM.
From AI embryo analysis in India to couples fertility care launching in the US, Korea’s women’s health startups are going global, and US investors are taking notice.
Vespexx, the femtech company behind couples preconception health platform Soonr, hosted Korea Femtech Summit 2026 on June 30 in Seoul, convening founders, clinicians, and investors from Korea, Singapore, Canada, and Japan to map the global expansion of women’s health technology.
A panel moderated by Kakao Ventures’ Jade Chung, an OB/GYN-turned-investor, captured the summit’s central theme: Korean startups taking on the world. On stage were three companies already building well beyond Korea. Vespexx, led by Co-CEO Scarlett Joowon Jung, is entering the US with Soonr; Kai Health, founded by CEO Hyejun Lee, has deployed its AI embryo-analysis software across more than 120 fertility clinics in India; and Endo Health, represented by the Head of Design Karlie Hyeonjeong Koo, has built Glow, an AI coaching app whose user base is 98% women and which is backed by US investors including a16z. Together they discussed what it takes for Korean startups to compete globally, where AI creates a real edge, and whether “K-femtech” can follow the path of K-beauty onto the world stage.
The program spanned the full arc of women’s health technology. Lindsay Davis, founder of FemTech Association Asia, opened with a look at where Asia’s femtech stands today. Dr. Juhye Lee of Ewha Womans University Mokdong Hospital offered a clinician’s view of how patient needs are shifting, arguing that women’s health is expanding beyond pregnancy and treatment toward care across the entire life course. Boram Bae, Head of Digital Health PM Part at Samsung Electronics spoke to how a consumer platform at global scale can connect women’s everyday health data with life-stage care. And Rimi Lee, head of the Femtech Center at KOSDAQ-listed diagnostics company Sugentech, traced the evolution of hormone testing from results read by eye to AI-assisted analysis, and pointed toward wearable continuous hormone monitoring as the next frontier.
Vespexx Co-CEO Scarlett Joowon Jung presented the company’s “dyadic health” approach on their ‘Soonr’ app, which brings both partners into fertility and preconception care rather than tracking a woman’s data alone, an approach validated by their legacy product, Signaling’s 800,000 users across Asia, as the company prepares for US launch.
The summit also featured Rachel Bartholomew, the Canadian founder of Hyivy Health and Femtech Across Borders, who built her pelvic-health company, and Megumi Kimura of the Japan Women’s Health Innovation Association, who outlined the investment and business models driving Japan’s fast-growing femtech market.
At the summit, Vespexx also announced the launch of Femtech Korea, an industry network intended to connect Korean femtech companies with global markets and partners, and to serve as a bridge for cross-border collaboration.
“Korea has world-class healthcare technology, but femtech has been one of its best-kept secrets,” said Scarlett Joowon Jung, Co-CEO of Vespexx. “The companies on this stage are proof that’s changing. We’re not just building for Korea anymore, we’re building for the world, and we want US partners and investors to be part of that.”
Korea Femtech Summit 2026 was hosted by Vespexx and co-hosted by FemTech Association Asia. The summit was sponsored by Sugentech, with additional support from Innerness and Octolabs.
About Vespexx
Vespexx is a Korean femtech startup and subsidiary of KOSDAQ-listed biotech Sugentech. The company operates Soonr Health, a couples-focused preconception health platform, and its earlier product Signaling has accumulated over 800,000 users. Vespexx is currently expanding into the North American market.
About Femtech Association Asia
FemTech Association Asia is the region’s first and largest specialist advisory and industry network for founders, investors, corporate partners, and ecosystem contributors, with a core focus on improving women’s health through technology solutions.
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