Ovum secures US$4m in seed funding

Women’s health startup Ovum has raised US$4m in seed funding to develop its AI health journal and expand research using women’s health data.

The round valued the Melbourne startup at US$18m.

Ovum plans to use the funding to develop its artificial intelligence technology and longitudinal datasets, which track health information over time to reveal changes and patterns.

The AI captures symptoms, lifestyle factors, biometric measurements, reproductive health stages, medication, appointments and medical reports.

It uses this information to identify health patterns and create summaries and questions for medical appointments.

Ovum previously raised US$1.7m in pre-seed funding in February 2025 before launching its health journal app in August that year.

Since then, the company says the app has grown by 30 per cent month on month and recorded more than 20,000 downloads.

It has captured 57,000 health data insights and hosted more than 107,000 AI health conversations involving women aged between 15 and 84.

Founder Dr Ariella Heffernan-Marks developed the idea while she was a third-year medical student experiencing chronic migraines and was told that her pain was caused by anxiety.

The company describes the resulting women’s health journal as combining technology and clinical research to make health information more actionable and equitable for women.

Heffernan-Marks said: “I’ve sat on both sides of the desk, as a patient and as a doctor, and that’s why this mission matters so much to me.

“For too long, women have had to navigate healthcare systems that were not designed around their lived experiences or backed by sufficient female health data. Ovum exists to help women better understand their bodies, advocate for themselves with confidence, and contribute to research that improves care for future generations.”

Private health insurer Medibank is an Ovum partner, alongside Fernwood Fitness, Sweat and Menopause Friendly Australia.

Australian Red Cross Lifeblood is also involved in a pilot examining productivity losses caused by women reducing their working hours or leaving employment for health reasons.

Earlier in 2026, Ovum launched clinical trials with St George Hospital and the Royal Hospital for Women to assess AI as a preventative health tool for women.

The research is examining how women currently manage their health, which digital tools they use and whether AI could support health confidence, self-advocacy and continuity of care.

Continuity of care means receiving connected and consistent support across different appointments, healthcare professionals and services.

The funding round was led by Admiralty Capital Group, with participation from Antler, Giant Leap, Aviron Investments, Foggy Valley Aotearoa, Brisbane Angels and Think & Grow.

Existing investor LaunchVic, which is due to merge with Breakthrough Victoria, also participated through its Alice Anderson Fund, which focuses on female founders.

Amanda Andriano, founding partner at Admiralty Capital Group, said the gender health gap was a problem that should not be tolerated.

She said: “Ovum combines mission, market timing and technical capability with an exceptional founder uniquely positioned to lead this movement, and we believe that creates the foundation for a company of global significance.”