If e-health is breaking fundraising records, the shares of the pie are far from equal. Femtech, a sector specific to women’s health, only collected 1.8% of funds raised in digital health in the United States in 2020, according to the company Frost & Sullivan. Barely $ 254 million ($ M) out of a total that exceeds $ 14 billion. Worse, this proportion is declining: its record was 6% in 2018. The difficulty in finding financing is a black spot for femtech. According to Rock Health, the sector accounted for only 3% of fundraising between 2011 and 2020. Yet the market is expected to reach $ 1.15 billion in 2025, with an annual growth rate of over 12%, according to Frost & Sullivan. Specific female health issues, such as menopause, endometriosis and uterine fibroids, are little exploited to date. The same applies to certain therapeutic areas, including genital and pelvic health, fertility, contraception and menstruation. Frost & Sullivan notes a favorable economic and social context: more and more women are setting up and running businesses, specific investment funds are created, the Gafams are interested in the subject, and women are better acquainted with their body. But the obstacles remain significant, in particular the low awareness of existing products among users such as health professionals, the lack of data on these products, the gender bias of investors, and the social stigma of issues related to the body and health. women. The shift could perhaps come from the pharma industry: Frost & Sullivan describes its impact on the development of femtech as “weak” within 1 to 2 years, as “moderate” in 3 to 4 years, and “strong” over a 5-year horizon. In 2020, Bayer bought the biotech specialized in menopause Kandy Therapeutics. Will we see a large industrialist acquire a digital femtech solution in 2021?
–
