TIME Magazine has published its Best Inventions of 2025, spotlighting 300 innovations making the world a better place. Femtech World spoke to some of those addressing unmet needs in women’s health.

For 25 years, TIME’s Best Inventions issue has been highlighting the most impactful new products and ideas. 

This year, several femtech innovations made the list – from predictive pregnancy tools and safer postpartum care to hormone-free contraception and more accessible menstrual products.

Speaking to Femtech World, founders say this reflects a growing global recognition of the importance of technology and innovation for improving women’s experience of health and care worldwide.

“This recognition isn’t just about our company, it’s about what it represents for women’s health and women inventors,” says Sarah-Almaza Cox, co-founder of Joeyband, which made the Honourable Mentions list.

“Femtech has often been overlooked in the broader innovation landscape, yet it holds the power to change how care is delivered, experienced, and valued. For TIME to celebrate devices like Joeyband alongside global innovations signals a shift, one that honours the science, empathy, and leadership women bring to healthcare innovation.”

We take a closer look at the inventions that made the list and how they are helping to close the gender health gap.

HerBrain: “A breakthrough in pregnancy information”

HerBrain, developed by the Geometric Intelligence Lab at the University of California, Santa Barbara and recognised in TIME’s Health and Wellness category, is the first digital twin of the maternal brain.

Led by Professor Nina Miolane, who gave birth herself last year, the tool uses machine learning and brain imaging data from pregnant individuals to model how brain structures change throughout pregnancy and postpartum, allowing expectant mothers to track and anticipate weekly shifts in their brains. 

The app is currently in development and is expected to launch in 2027, with the aim of integrating the tool into popular pregnancy apps to give women a clearer picture of how their bodies and brains change during pregnancy.

“Our goal is not only to educate but also to advance understanding of maternal brain health, paving the way for innovations that could benefit all women,” the researchers said in a statement announcing the news.

Mirvie Encompass: “Predicting preeclampsia”

Femtech World award-winner Mirvie’s first-of-its-kind Encompass technology was named in the top Medical and Healthcare inventions category.

Encompass provides personalised predictions of the risk of preeclampsia early in pregnancy through a simple blood test. This allows women and their healthcare providers to take action earlier to support a healthy pregnancy and aims to address increasing preeclampsia rates. TIME highlighted a 10,000-patient study published earlier this year, in which Encompass correctly identified 91 per cent of women who would develop preterm preeclampsia. 

Maneesh Jain, CEO and co-founder of Mirvie, commented: “We are proud and honoured that Encompass is recognised as a TIME Best Invention of 2025. For 100 years, the reactive approach to identifying preeclampsia in pregnancy hasn’t changed – until now. “At Mirvie, we’ve invented tools that predict pregnancy complications – like preeclampsia – early enough for moms and their care teams to take preventive action. Innovations like Encompass are essential to delivering the next-generation pregnancy care that is needed to improve maternal health outcomes.” 

Miudella, Sebala Women’s Health: “A groundbreaking hormone-free IUD”

The first hormone-free copper IUD to obtain FDA approval in 40 years, Midudell by Sebala Women’s Health, also made TIME’s list. 

The device, which aims to improve women’s experience of contraception, was granted approval by the FDA in February 2025. Kelly Culwell, head of research and development at Sebala Women’s Health, explained that Miudella was designed to improve the insertion experience through a preloaded inserter with a rounded tapered tip and narrow insertion tube diameter.

The flexible nitinol frame and lower dose of copper were designed to decrease the side effects of using a copper IUD, including lower rates of expulsion and side effects of bleeding and pain.

“We are delighted that MIUDELLA was named to TIME’s Best Inventions of 2025 list,” Culwell told Femtech World.

“This recognition further supports our belief that the novel design of MIUDELLA will offer an innovative option for birth control for women nationwide.

“The response from healthcare providers, our current study investigators and women has been very positive since FDA approval. There is clearly an unmet need for additional non-hormonal contraceptive options in the US.”

Joeyband: “Uninterrupted skin-to-skin contact”

Making the Honourable Mentions list, Joeyband enables uninterrupted skin-to-skin contact between newborns and their caregivers in hospital settings such as operating rooms and NICUs. Created out of one mother’s experience, the device is now used in hospitals around the world to improve postpartum recovery and health outcomes.

“As a Canadian company, being honoured by TIME’s Best Inventions is deeply meaningful,”  says Cox.

“Joeyband was born from a moment of fear, but has transformed into a movement for safer, more connected beginnings for families everywhere. It started with a gap that Hayley Mullins (Inventor of Joeyband) recognised in how mothers and caregivers could safely practice skin-to-skin, and has grown into a device now used in hospitals and homes around the world. 

“For us, this recognition reinforces that meaningful innovation doesn’t always come from a lab; sometimes it starts in your living room, holding your newborn, dreaming of a better way.”

Egal Pads on a Roll: “Ultra accessible menstrual pads”

Designed to address poor access to menstrual products and make period care more convenient, Egal Pads’ ‘Pads on a Roll’ were also named in TIME’s Health and Wellness category. 

The concept was created by Tom Devlin, whose wife reported on women’s issues for the Boston Globe. By designing pads to resemble a toilet paper roll, which fit into standard dispensers, the aim was to normalise their presence while eliminating the costs associated with vending machines. According to TIME, the company now supplies more than 1,700 schools, libraries, and healthcare facilities. 

“We at Egal Pads are thrilled that ‘pads on a roll’ won as one of the best inventions in 2025,” said Penelope Finnie, CEO of Egal Pads. 

“This recognition celebrates a product that’s transforming lives with its innovative, accessible design – delivered right where it’s needed, like toilet paper. And we love the fact that it was designed by a man, Tom Devlin, demonstrating how important it is that we all support and understand one another.”

Osteoboost: “Reduce bone loss with a belt”

Another Femtech World award-winner, Osteoboost, also made the list for it’s device which aims to slow bone loss and reduce the risk of fractures in osteoporosis, a condition which disproportionately affects women. The FDA-cleared vibrating belt, which is worn around the hips consistently has been shown in studies to reduce spinal bone loss in by 85 per cent. 

In a statement, Osteoboost CEO, Laura Yecies, said: “This award is more than a milestone for Osteoboost; it’s a moment of acknowledgment that bone health matters, that it deserves focus, and that change is finally coming. 

“We’re proud to be taking a leadership role in a growing movement that’s driving women’s health into a new era. Women’s health is experiencing a golden age of innovation! From menopause and fertility to cardiovascular and skeletal health, scientific researchers and startup founders are tackling long-ignored needs with energy and empathy. Bone health is emerging into that same zeitgeist. And it’s about time.”

Teal Wand: “At-home cervical cancer test”

The Teal Wand, which aims to make cervical screening more comfortable and accessible for women, was also recognised by TIME. Earlier this year the device became the first at-home screening test for cervical cancer to be FDA-approved. 

In a LinkedIn post celebrating the news, the company said: “The Teal Wand was designed to meet women where they are, bringing privacy, comfort, and control to an essential part of preventive care. We’re proud to see women’s health innovation recognised on a global stage and to be part of a movement redefining what it means to design healthcare for women.”

Butterfly iQ3: “A portable solution for rural maternal care”

Approved by the FDA in 2024, Butterfly’s portable ultrasound with 3D imaging was listed in TIME’s Special Mention category. The iQ3 builds on Butterfly’s Ultrasound-on-Chip™ technology to “close critical gaps in healthcare delivery, supporting earlier detection, faster diagnosis and improved patient outcomes.” 

With features such as AI-enhanced processing, 3D imaging modes, and versatile anatomical presets, the technology enables clinicians to bring diagnostic capability to settings with limited infrastructure. TIME notes that Butterfly has received investments from the Gates Foundation to support its use for improving maternal outcomes in sub-Saharan Africa. 

Momcozy Air 1 Ultra-Slim Breast Pump: “A discreet and portable smart pump”

Also given a Special Mention in the parenting category is the Momcozy Air 1 Ultra-Slim Breast Pump, which allows users to track milk volume in real time and control suction strength via a smartphone app. The slim, discreet design also aims to reduce bulk without sacrificing performance or convenience. 

The company’s design philosophy leans on what it describes as “Cosy Tech”, with innovations built around the needs and lived experience of mothers, and feedback from women is crucial for refining usability, comfort, and portability in its products. 

Celebrating innovation in women’s health

To compile the list, TIME solicited nominations from its editors and correspondents around the world, as well as an online application process, paying special attention to growing fields, such as health care and AI. Each contender was evaluated on a number of key factors, including originality, efficacy, ambition, and impact.

For all those on the list representing the femtech sector, it’s welcome recognition, acknowledging the wider importance of innovation in women’s health.

As Joeyband’s Sarah-Almaza Cox put it: “This moment belongs to every woman whose idea has made the world a safer, healthier place.”