Ireland Poised to Become Global Leader in Femtech

Ireland has the potential to position itself at the forefront of the global femtech sector – but only if urgent investment and strategic support are put in place, according to a landmark new report.

The study, Femtech in Ireland: The Case for Prioritising Women’s Health Research and Innovation, produced by Health Innovation Hub Ireland (HIHI) and the Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology at University College Cork (UCC), calls for a national push to prioritise women’s health innovation.

The report highlights that while Ireland boasts a strong medtech, digital health and pharmaceutical base, femtech remains significantly underdeveloped and underfunded — despite women comprising half the population.

A Call for Strategic Investment

Among its recommendations are:

• Dedicated funding calls for women’s health research and innovation.

• Specific financial support to commercialise femtech discoveries.

• Establishing a femtech lab within a healthcare setting for rapid access to clinicians, patients, data, and testing facilities.

The authors also urge researchers and clinicians to focus on conditions that affect women exclusively, disproportionately, or differently, and to integrate sex and gender analysis into all stages of research design.

Economic and Social Impact

Closing the women’s health gap could add $1 trillion annually to the global economy by 2040, the report states. Meanwhile, the femtech sector itself is projected to be worth over $97 billion by 2030. In Ireland, the sector also offers a powerful opportunity to encourage more female entrepreneurship — with over 75% of femtech companies globally founded by women.

“We need to invest in women’s health – not just for equality, but because it’s smart research, smart healthcare, and smart economics,” said Dr Tanya Mulcahy, Director of HIHI and founder of FemTech Ireland. “There’s a real buzz in the femtech innovation sector here, but we need more support. This report is our call to action.”

Government Backing

Minister for Health Jennifer Carroll MacNeill described the report as an “important step toward better care for women across Ireland”, aligning with the work of the Women’s Health Taskforce.Minister for Enterprise, Tourism and Employment Peter Burke also welcomed the findings, noting their potential to boost Ireland’s innovation and start-up ecosystem.

Building on Early Successes

Ireland’s first dedicated femtech support programme, Femtech@HIHI, launched in 2023 and has already supported over 30 start-ups. Innovations range from wearable tech to monitor menopause symptoms, to advanced pelvic health and fertility devices — all designed with women’s health in mind.

Professor John R. Higgins, Principal Investigator at HIHI and Professor of Obstetrics and Gynaecology at UCC, emphasised the urgency:

“In women’s health, a long-standing gap in research has meant innovations haven’t always translated into meaningful solutions. Now is the time to bridge that divide – with focused funding, targeted research, and innovation supports.”

If implemented, the report’s recommendations could see Ireland not only closing critical health gaps but also becoming a global hub for femtech innovation — transforming care for women while strengthening the nation’s life sciences and technology sectors.