As an organisation that has worked in the FemTech space, supporting clients with innovation and sustainability initiatives, we recently attended the FemHealth Integrates event in Manchester. This gathering, organised by Samuel Thangiah and Christopher Watt, hosted by Bruntwood SciTech and sponsored by partners including Lifted Ventures and Mills & Reeve, provided valuable insights into the evolving FemTech landscape.
FemHealth Integrates 2025 offered an excellent opportunity to engage with the movement addressing equality in biotech and healthcare, tackling both long-standing inequalities and exploring the emerging field of FemTech.
Key Sessions and Discussions
The event opened with a thought-provoking fireside chat facilitated by Jordan Dargue, featuring panellists Elaine Galston and Kath Mackay. Their discussion highlighted the persistent gender health gap, noting that despite women generally living longer than men, they spend approximately 25% more of their lives dealing with debilitating health issues.
A session entitled "Women on Trial," facilitated by Steph Caird with panellists Dace Dimza-Jones, Claire Williams, Charlotte Chadwick, and Olivia Wickens, explored strategies to increase the inclusion of women in medical research - a critical step toward addressing healthcare disparities.
The "Investing in Women" discussion, chaired by Vicky Protano with insights from Jessica Jackson, Helen Oldham, Candice Brett, Nicholas Dodd, and Alison Maughan, examined how to build a cohort of female investors to support purpose-led, innovative, and commercially strong women-founded businesses.
Cultural change was another prominent theme, recognising women's significant contributions to shaping healthcare policies, advancing medical research, and transforming patient care. Kathryn Simpson chaired this session, with panellists Jackie Macritchie, Sahana Nayak, Alex Hogarty, and Eleni Menegatou exploring how to create a more inclusive culture that empowers women leaders in healthcare and business.
The day concluded with "The Future of FemTech," hosted by Aahuti Rai. This session featured Lydia Mapstone, Yasmin Baba, and Jean Ledger discussing how to ensure sustainable, long-term growth in FemTech to address healthcare inequalities effectively.
Looking Forward
Andy Roberts provided insightful closing comments, summarising three key themes to consider as the industry grows, with particular emphasis on understanding customer needs and identifying who the customer actually is.
The event provided valuable networking opportunities with industry leaders and innovators, including Anja Ueland, Anastassia Bolotkova, Helen Oldham, Varaidzo Mapunde, Dr. Tony Bairstow, Kath Mackay, Geoff Davison, Andy Roberts, Stella James, Phil Carvil, and Kathryn Simpson.
FemHealth Integrates 2025 reinforced our commitment to supporting advancements in women's health technology and addressing systemic inequalities in healthcare through collaborative innovation.