Special
Five Asian femtech start-ups to watch out for in 2022
Countries like Singapore, India and Japan are set to make the most of the femtech boom
For centuries, women’s health has been overlooked and underfunded, remaining to this day a taboo subject in many parts of the world.
In the last decade, however, this historically risky industry has boomed, attracting approximately US$5.7 billion in funding worldwide in 2021.
Here we highlight five Asian femtech start-ups to watch out for.
Elo Care
EloCare specialises in the internet of medical things (IoMT), developing connected and smart healthcare devices for optimised chronic and ageing care.
Dr Mabel Yen Ngoc Nguyen
Founded by Dr Mabel Yen Ngoc Nguyen, a Phd researcher in biomedical engineering, EloCare has developed a wearable device and an app that monitors more than 35 symptoms of menopause and records and interprets women’s data to give them an insight into their health condition.
The Singapore-based start-up won Enterprise Singapore’s ESG Healthcare Open Innovation Challenge in June 2021 and it was awarded US$1.5m to develop and deploy its research-based solutions in partnership with other healthcare providers.
ZaZaZu
Jingjin Liu
The first B2B education platform for women that tackles taboo topics, ZaZaZu aims to help women better understand their bodies, remove self-limiting beliefs and unleash their true potentials.
Jingjin Liu, founder and CEO, created the platform to help women get to know themselves and better navigate life challenges. Through workshops and professional support, ZaZaZu tackles topics including microaggression, harassment, building confidence, female health and relationships, empowering women to take control of their lives.
Simone Health
In September 2020, Maria Wang-Faulkner co-founded Simone Health, a psychology-based digital therapeutic and remote screening and monitoring platform, to help women manage polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) – a condition that affects over 116 million women worldwide.
Maria Wang-Faulkner
The company works with experts, nutritionists, personal trainers and psychologists to help women get their symptoms under control so that they have the time, energy, and confidence to thrive.
The platform supports users through behavioural science, live group coaching, social support and unique accountability features, focusing on hormones that drive the most common PCOS symptoms.
Niramai Health Analytix
India-based start-up, Niramai, has developed a novel software-based medical device to detect breast cancer at a much earlier stage than traditional methods or self-examination.
Geetha Manjunath
As breast cancer remains the second leading cause of cancer death in women, the company aims to provide a low-cost, radiation-free, automated, portable cancer screening tool that can be operated in any clinic.
With more than 25 years of research expertise in IT industry, CEO and founder, Geetha Manjunath, has developed the computer-aided diagnostic engine as a cancer diagnosis test for hospitals as well as large scale screening in rural and semi-urban areas.
fermata
fermata, a Tokyo- and Singapore-based company providing market entry services and sales channels focusing on women’s health, is on a mission to close the opportunity gap by harnessing the power of new femtech solutions.
Amina Sugimoto
The company aims to equip women with the tools and knowledge about their bodies to achieve their goals, transform women’s biological changes from a deterrent to a driving force in achieving their goals and expand the femtech market in Asia by bringing in global solutions to Singapore and Japan.
Passionate about promoting a better access to medicine, Amina Sugimoto, CEO and co-founder, launched fermata to transform taboos into triumphs and question the status quo using the power of technology.
Fashion, beauty and lifestyle retailers have joined the American Heart Association to raise awareness of heart disease in women.
The Go Red. Shop with Heart. campaign launched at the New York Stock Exchange on 30 January.
Retailers will ask for donations at checkout in February or donate a percentage of proceeds from selected items.
More than four in 10 women in the US have some form of cardiovascular disease, a term for heart and blood vessel conditions such as heart disease and stroke.
Heart disease and stroke kill more women in the US each year than all forms of cancer combined.
Brands taking part include Away, Commando, Lafayette 148, Michael Kors, Reebok, ShopSimon.com, Summersalt, Torrid and White & Warren.
More than 40 other nationwide retailers are also inviting customers to support the organisation this February through its Life Is Why campaign.
Nancy Brown is chief executive officer of the American Heart Association.
She said: “Nearly 1 in 3 women die from cardiovascular disease each year, yet women are still profoundly under-represented in the clinical research, science and medicine that could save their lives.
“Retailers and consumers are uniquely positioned to turn everyday moments into meaningful change through Go Red. Shop with Heart.”
According to the American Heart Association 2026 Heart Disease and Stroke Statistics Update, heart disease is the leading cause of death in the US and stroke is the number four cause of death.
The organisation projects that at least six in 10 US adults will have cardiovascular disease within the next 30 years and related costs are expected to triple.
However, approximately 80 per cent of cardiovascular disease is preventable through lifestyle changes.
Mindy Grossman is a volunteer board member at the American Heart Association and partner and vice chair of Consello.
Grossman said: “Retail has always been a powerful connector.
“Shop with Heart gives our industry a shared platform to lead with purpose and unite consumers in support of heart health.”
Milken Institute has launched the Women’s Health Network digital platform with Velir x Brooklyn Data to speed collaboration and investment across research, care and technology.
The new website creates a hub for members to share content, connect and coordinate projects, with branding and the first public Drupal build delivered by Velir x Brooklyn Data. A launch video premiered on 4 November 2025 at the inaugural steering committee and member luncheon in Washington DC, then featured at the Milken Institute Future of Health Summit.
Phase two is scheduled for February 2026, adding member log-ins for networking and content exchange. Phase three in April 2026 will add advanced collaboration tools and expanded community features.
“This launch represents the type of mission-driven, cross-sector digital work we are incredibly proud to support,” said Eliza Pare, vice-president of client services at Velir. “The Women’s Health Network is poised to transform collaboration in women’s health, and we’re honoured to help build the digital infrastructure that will make that possible.”
Chaired by former first lady Dr Jill Biden, the Women’s Health Network brings together leaders from industry, startups, investors, health systems, patient groups, academia and philanthropy. More than 100 members have joined, with a steering group that includes organisations such as the American Cancer Society, American Heart Association, Amgen, Deloitte, GE Healthcare, Merck, Microsoft, Northwell Health, Organon and others.
Innovate UK has opened the Women in Innovation Awards for 2025 to 2026, with grants of up to £75,000 for as many as 60 winners.
HealthTech winners in 2024 included a tampon that prevents bacterial infections, an AI audio device for visually impaired people, and an app for gynaecological conditions.
The awards target female founders of late-stage start-ups with a minimum viable product, early user traction or revenue, growing teams and plans to raise significant capital within 12 to 24 months.
Liz Kendall, science secretary, said: “The Women in Innovation Awards are unlocking the UK’s untapped potential within our community of women innovators; if men and women started and scaled businesses at the same rate this could be worth as much as £250 billion for the UK economy.
“This record £4.5 million investment will empower ambitious women founders to scale their businesses, drive economic growth, and inspire the next generation of innovators.”
Applicants must operate in advanced manufacturing, digital and technologies, or life sciences, three of the high growth sectors identified in the UK’s Industrial Strategy. Winners receive up to £75,000 plus training, networking and role-modelling opportunities, with tailored support also offered to highly commended applicants.
The competition opened on 26 November 2025 and closes on 4 February 2026.
Since 2016, Innovate UK has invested more than £11m in 200 women innovators through these awards, with up to 60 more to be funded this year.
Last year’s programme drew criticism after Innovate UK initially said it would fund 50 women, then announced only 25 awards at £75,000 each. Following a campaign led by Emma Jarvis, founder of Dearbump, and the ‘Let’s Fund More Women’ group of more than 400 supporters, Innovate UK reversed the decision and confirmed all 50 awards and £4m, saying it was “a mistake and we prioritised wrongly”.
-
Features4 weeks agoWomen’s health enters a new era – the trends shaping femtech in 2026
-
Insight4 weeks agoDesigner perfumes recalled over banned chemical posing fertility risk
-
Features4 weeks agoBest menopause apps and products for 2026
-
Insight2 weeks agoParents sue IVF clinic after delivering someone else’s baby
-
Insight2 weeks agoWomen’s health could unlock US$100bn by 2030
-
Insight4 weeks agoHigher maternal blood pressure increases risk of pregnancy complications, study finds
-
Hormonal health4 weeks agoXella Health closes US$3.7 million in pre-seed financing
-
Insight4 weeks agoInside the first wave of speakers confirmed for Women’s Health Week USA 2026
Pingback: Top 5 femtech apps thriving in Southeast Asia - Tech Collective