India’s Femtech Space Driving Equity and Inclusivity

The Femtech ecosystem in India has made remarkable achievements in the recent past in the form of innovations driven by technology, elevating India to the position of a prime hub for women’s holistic wellness solutions. With women constituting 50 per cent of the population, the femtech industry reflects immense growth potential and has witnessed a surge in demand for personalised services. The market is booming with an influx of products impacting better health outcomes for women. Today the space that was primarily dominated by pregnancy and reproductive health solutions has diversified into segments like pelvic and sexual health as well. Business models invested in the women’s health space are churning out novel and incredible solutions proving to be major market disruptors.

And it’s finally in the spotlight and hogging all the limelight, the emergence of women’s health and wellness – a sector that has been under-prioritised for years on end! It is indeed heartening to see the transformative shift and progression in a society where women’s health and well-being were mostly being sidelined. There has been a renaissance in the outlook towards women’s health and well-being, where the focus has shifted to key challenges faced by women for aeons, with reproductive and hormonal health mostly taking centre stage. However, today the repertoire of women’s wellness solutions has taken on a different approach, broadening their horizons. Women-centric wellness solutions today not only encompass pregnancy test kits and ovulation tracking kits but have diversified into segments like menopausal issues, nursing care as well as sexual wellness.

By Sonali Patranabish

Today the female technology space a.k.a Femtech is a rapidly growing sector in India that is predicted to reach the $1.325 billion mark by 2030. The substantial leap in this sector is being fuelled by the growing and unique needs of the 624 million women who constitute at least 48 per cent of the Indian population. 

Businesses today have taken advantage of the immense attention that women’s wellness has been receiving to create tech-enabled solutions to empower women’s holistic health. They have forayed into key market segments like maternal care products, personal and intimate hygiene care products, managing menstrual cycles to even ensure women have a seamless pregnancy journey.

A deep dive into the imminent surge

The digital revolution in India’s healthcare sector is very pronounced, but what is even more heartening is to see digitisation paving inroads into this very niche sector.

Businesses have leveraged technology to create digital health platforms to address long-standing issues regarding women’s health like accessibility to healthcare providers, challenges with monitoring and tracking their health as well as trudging upon sensitive issues. Womens digital health has come of age with the space rapidly evolving with everything from mobile apps to guidance on nutrition, personalised health coaching on specific health parameters and many others. Emerging digital solutions are empowering women with information tailored to the individual health challenges of women. This promising sector has created surge of digital health technology and innovations all meant to uplift women’s holistic well-being. In reality, the femtech space has become a panacea for every health challenge that women have faced for ages.

Dr Subhash Gupta, Chairman, Red Cross Society, Ghaziabad states, “Technology has led to the creation of numerous goods and gadgets that are revolutionising women’s healthcare. With the help of technological advancements like smart fertility management devices and apps for tracking menstrual cycles, women are now more empowered than ever to take control of their health.”

Dr Avir Sarkar,Assistant Professor, Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, Noida International Institute of Medical Sciences (NIIMS) & Hospital states that with the advent of personalised care, digital healthcare platforms, wearable technology and apps focused on fertility, pregnancy, and menstrual health are providing women with convenient and personalised resources.

He further states, “These advancements empower women to take control of their well-being through real-time monitoring, telemedicine services, and remote consultations.”

“There is a cohort of mobile phone applications and online platforms that help track menstrual cycles, ovulations, HPV vaccinations, and more. They have become indispensable in monitoring menstrual health, early detection of cervical cancers, and PCOS management,” opines Dr Chandrika Kambam, Founder and Managing Director, Anastomosis.

Yet another breakthrough in the women’s wellness space has been the integration of telehealth services to ensure accessibility and timely monitoring of health parameters.

Such services offer women a safe space to discuss sensitive issues.

Sushant Roy, Co-Founder, CBO and COO, Alyve Health states, “The rise of telehealth services helps women gain better control over their health while ensuring timely monitoring and management of common health issues in women like PCOS and thyroid disorders.”

He further goes on to add that these services have been a saviour for women in remote areas to consult with experts and specialists like endocrinologists pertaining to hormonal issues.  The rapid expansion in the women’s digital health market has been due to the rising demand for these specialized healthcare services. The need of the hour is to address pressing concerns around women’s health especially early cancer detection, issues around anaemia and reproductive health.

Technology and Novelty – The Trump Card

The women’s health space holds a landmine of opportunities for businesses. This critical market has been tapped into by various businesses rolling out attractive and effective solutions to address women’s health challenges. This sector has even grabbed the attention of investors, who are focussed on innovations in the women’s health sector which can bridge the gap in women’s health advocating for equity and inclusivity. With an increasing focus on women’s health needs, an increasing number of companies are joining the space in an attempt to reimagine focus around women’s healthcare.

Amit Gandhi ,Founder and CEO, Insight Tribe states that start up’s are rising to become pioneers in technologies dealing with maternal health , breast cancer screening using thermal changes for early detection , creating sustainable solutions , affordable products and educational resources to increase know-how on menstrual hygiene as well as constructing accessible and inclusive platforms for sexual wellness.

Dr Shakey Bansal, Obstetrician, Gynecologist, and Laparoscopic surgeon, Bansal Hospital and Nursing Home, Mansa, Punjab shares a few popular women’s wellness products like menstrual trackers, fertility monitors, and smart breast pumps, which provide personalised health insights and convenience.

Dr Sarkar goes on to add the impact of AI and machine learning has been a game changer and a key enabler in helping better women’s health outcomes in terms of timely diagnosis and treatment. He goes on to say that such innovative solutions aid in enhancing the accuracy and the efficiency of health data analysis and treatment personalisation.

“AI has been instrumental in revolutionising the field of foetal medicine, gynaecologic oncology, antenatal and intrapartum care and contraception. It has become quite easy to draw diagnosis and tailor our treatment regimens,” opines Dr Sarkar. 

Initiatives

She goes on to cite a few examples of such technologies which include apps like Clue and Flo for menstrual health and fertility, wearables like the Ava bracelet and Tempdrop; devices like the Elvie Pump and Owlet Pregnancy Band for pregnancy and postpartum care; devices like the Embr Wave for menopause management; pelvic health devices like the Elvie Trainer and KGoal; sexual wellness devices like those from Dame Products and the Lioness Vibrator; and general wellness and mental health wearables like Muse and Fitbit.

Mind and Mom has been using AI to help women navigate through the life-changing process of motherhood. Pioneered by Padmini Janaki, the fertility app helps would-be mothers with counselling services, consultations and IVF centres as well as creating awareness about fertility procedures like IVF. PregBuddy, another AI-backed digital health platform aids women right from preconception to the early stages of motherhood with their team of specialists and doctors. Similarly, Bengaluru-based Healofy has garnered a lot of attraction as it has created a community and network of women dealing with issues ranging from preconception to motherhood.

FemTech solutions like NIRAMAI, a novel AI-based medical device to detect breast cancer early, claim to offer accurate and portable screening tools. It is radiation-free, non-invasive, and suitable for all ages. The patented machine-learning algorithms ensure reliable detection, suitable for hospital diagnosis, and large-scale screenings applicable to Tier II and Tier III cities too. 

Insight Tribe a healthcare consultancy firm is currently working with a FemTech company to build a business of enhancing diagnostic accuracy in endometriosis using AI in surgical imaging demonstrating the transformative power of technology in this space.

Given the high incidence of cervical cancers in India, organisations like CervAstra have come up with a revolutionary point-of-care device powered by AI for cancer screening. The state-of-the-art system leverages the combined use of mechatronics, optics, cloud technologies and deep learning to analyse pap smears to detect the presence of abnormal cells, the results of which are shared with oncologists over the cloud platform. 

Menstrual and intimate care is being redefined by businesses who are invested in becoming pioneers in various segments be it safe and naturals pads by Carmesi and Nua , that provide women with a safe and comfortable experience through their menstrual cycle or even Helathfab a Bengaluru-based based D2C start up that aims at providing women with healthy and sustainable solutions in the form of period panties.

Sirona , a leading female hygiene brand backed by the Good Glamm group is committed to creating a rash-free menstrual experience with their range of rash-free sanitary pads. Several new-age start-ups like Sanfe and PeeBuddy have also captured the feminine hygiene market in India.

“Reusable menstrual products are at the forefront, offering a sustainable and effective alternative to traditional options. Advanced technology is used in these reusable menstrual products to enhance comfort, absorption, and environmental impact,” opines Mahipal Singh, Founder and CEO, Revaa.

Regarding these exceptional products states that these are made of 100 per cent cotton which makes them highly absorbent , the inner core is strengthened by high-absorption cotton material which prevents leaks and stains which is otherwise a common issue with other menstruation products. 

With infertility becoming the next epidemic, health platforms like Zealthy assist couples and become their ally while navigating through the arduous journey of infertility. They offer at-home fertility testing kits, fertility coaching and assistance for fertility procedures like IVF.

The femtech sector in India is replete with health – tech startups. These unicorns are rolling out products and services to cater to the growing health concerns of women in the 21st century. Organisations like Care Mother are redefining the mother care , prenatal and post-natal care space. Products like Fetosense – a wireless foetal heart monitor and Baby beat – an at -home fetal heart monitoring device speaks volumes of the way the Femtech space has been flourishing in recent times.

Deep Bajaj, Co-Founder, CEO, Sirona Hygiene says, “The postpartum period presents a significant opportunity for innovation in healthcare. Startups are addressing the gaps in this domain with personalized solutions, from health monitoring to mental support and community building.”

Stifled by stumbling blocks

The women’s health tech businesses have been grappling with long-standing issues of investment. While one can say that this domain has received much-needed attention, there has been an evident dip in investments in the femtech space. Investors dont’s find a strong reason to invest and fund research projects as they consider this an unfamiliar space.

“FemTech also stumbles on investment hurdles. Many VC companies and family offices thus employ wise clauses to avoid investing in particular sectors,” opines Dr Kambam.

Dr Gupta further goes on to add and says, “Progress is still being hampered by problems like societal judgment, investment gaps, and regulatory barriers.”

Dr Bansal states that cultural taboos around women’s health, underfunding due to investor biases, lack of awareness and navigating complex regulatory approvals together add to the compounded challenges faced by the Femtech sector.

“Market monopolies can stifle innovation, and there remains a considerable need for increased awareness and education about Femtech products. Ensuring that these creations are available to women across all regions and socioeconomic backgrounds is crucial,” opines Chandra Ganjoo, Group Chief Executive Officer, Trivitron Healthcare.

Clinical research and trial data also pose a limitation. Due to the lack of female participants, and insufficient data, rolling out effective treatment modalities and remedies becomes a challenge.

Dr Kambam further exemplifies that data on female specifics is limited due to studies focusing on general populations and not particularly women, except for diseases involving female reproductive organs.

Propelling onward with progressive plans

The femtech industry is at the crossroads of rapid expansion driven by technological innovations. The women’s health landscape in India is a grossly untapped market capable of displaying growth and profitability. With the spectrum of women’s health needs being diverse and multifaceted, this sector offers a plethora of opportunities and holds great potential. In a hyper-connected world, we see women in the digital age taking charge of their health with proactive adoption and integration of various technological innovations to circumvent the diverse health needs.

Bajaj states, “With increasing investment and interest from both consumers and the industry, we anticipate a wave of innovation that will further disrupt the healthcare sector.”

In order to further scale up the Femtech space, collaborations and partnerships can be leveraged between governments, businesses and healthcare providers to create a congenial and robust ecosystem. Creating comprehensive health services for women is hinged solely on the unification of technology as well as concerted efforts of all the stakeholders in the healthcare industry.