A Bristol-based biotech start-up has raised US$1m to bring to market a “smart” menstrual cup to help women get appropriate medical treatment and diagnosis.
Emm has developed a “first-of-its-kind” bio-wearable aiming to revolutionise female health.
The reusable cup, which is now in Beta testing, is made from medical-grade silicone and is set to be launched in 2023.
The product uses sensing technology to monitor and analyse specific biometrics and aims to track the flow, volume, rate and regularity of menstruation and has sensors that connect with a smart phone app.
The app allows users to check the cup’s fill level and download health data trends that they can share with their GP or gynaecologist.
The developers say the cup has been designed to help women understand their menstrual cycle and track irregularities or changes in their cycle that could signal different health conditions.
“There is so much biological information that could enable early intervention for healthcare, but no route to clear access,” says Jenny Button, founder of Emm.
“No one has the information on their menstrual volume at present, so diagnosis requires invasive tests or individual subjective recall of product usage.
“The menstrual cycle is a non-invasive route to giving our users better health data for better health outcomes.”
Button is hoping to help women better understand their bodies and transition to reusable menstrual cups to reduce the number of period products that go to landfill.
Her start-up founded in 2020 joined the business acceleration centre SETsquared Bristol in May 2021 and is currently working in partnership with the University of Cambridge to advance research into menstrual health.
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