App raises US$600K to tackle menstrual health disparities in the workplace

An app, which helps women “elevate” their performance based on their hormonal cycle, has raised US$600K tackle menstrual health disparities in the workplace.

The Essence App aims to help companies attract and retain diverse talent to foster more inclusive workplaces.

The employee benefits platform, which acts like a period tracker, claims to use AI and science to boost women’s performance and wellbeing in the workforce by optimising their schedules, fitness routines and diets according to each phase of their hormonal cycle.

Most companies fail to provide resources and support to menstruating employees.

A UK study found that more than two-thirds of women have bad work experiences due to periods, and over 90 per cent of women suffer from cycle-related pain, which deteriorates the quality of their work life and performance.

“Femtech is a highly undervalued and impact-oriented market and half of the world’s population are potential users,” explained Elina Vale, co-founder and CEO of the Essence App.

“Menstrual health is a missing puzzle piece in improving women’s wellbeing. Cycle-related symptoms are still a real struggle for hundreds of millions.

“The Essence App offers a valuable digital tool for companies, helping businesses adjust their work environments and provide tailored support to those who need it.”

The app’s approach, Vale said, had attracted support from investors, especially female investors, who are passionate about inclusive healthcare solutions and joining efforts to serve working women.

The round, led by a majority of female investors, is hoped to help the company grow and improve its product and research the connection between productivity and the menstrual cycle.

Rosana Rabines, impact investor and Managing Partner of GWP Impact, said: “We are thrilled to be working with a team who brings world-class expertise, a responsible, data-driven approach and relentless energy to address menstrual wellbeing.

Marina Davidova, managing partner at Davidovs VC, said: “Helping women thrive in the workplace is not only a worthy mission but also a great way to increase overall productivity in companies.

“Redistributing workload around the cycle helps women align work with their wellbeing and truly be the better versions of themselves both at work and in life.”

Caroline Winnett, executive director at Berkeley SkyDeck, added: “It’s about time someone developed a technology to optimise women’s work productivity based on their cycles.

“SkyDeck chose Essence for our programme because we knew that they were the start-up that would relentlessly devote themselves to building this much needed platform.”

Essence advisor and angel investor, Ksenia Kapoor, commented: “Today we often talk about equality for women in the workplace, but that’s not enough.

“The Essence App is an actionable step towards creating a support system to help women get closer to where they want to be in terms of wellbeing.”

Konstantin Siniushin, angel investor and managing partner of Untitled Ventures, added: “I am happy to invest in the Essence App because, for me, it is not only an opportunity to enter a market that is still at the beginning of its wave, but also to incentivise a strong team to make this world better by removing the stigma of menstruation in the business environment.”