Karolina Löfqvist on why femtech is essential for closing the gender health gap
Women’s healthcare is in crisis. The headlines about underfunded services and agonising waiting lists barely scratch the surface of a system that consistently deprioritises women’s health.
For decades, women have been dismissed, misdiagnosed, or left without answers. But a new wave of femtech innovation is stepping up where traditional healthcare has failed. Companies like mine—Hormona—are putting control back into women’s hands.
Projected to be worth $60 billion by 2027, the femtech industry isn’t just a trend—it’s a response to a broken system. And for me, it’s deeply personal.
“Doctors dismissed my pain as stress”
My journey into women’s health wasn’t a choice—it was a necessity.
In my mid-20s, I began experiencing chronic fatigue, depression, brain fog, and unexplained weight fluctuations. Mornings felt like an uphill battle.
I saw countless doctors, yet every appointment ended the same way: my symptoms were brushed off as stress. I was told to "relax," to “exercise more,” to “just get on with it.”
It wasn’t until years later that I was finally referred to a specialist and diagnosed with an underactive thyroid caused by a hormonal imbalance. Within weeks of starting treatment, I felt like myself again—but why had it taken so long?
This question wouldn’t leave me. I knew my experience wasn’t unique—1 in 3 women with female health conditions wait over three years for a diagnosis. Something needed to change.
“Hormona is the solution I wish I’d had”
Determined to understand why hormonal health was so overlooked, I started researching.
What I found was staggering:
80% of women experience hormone-related health issues.
Conditions like PCOS, PMDD, and perimenopause remain chronically underdiagnosed.
Women’s hormones impact every aspect of their health—yet are rarely a priority in mainstream medicine.
I knew we needed a new approach—one that put women in control of their own health.
Together with my childhood best friend Jasmine, I co-founded Hormona: the first end-to-end solution for hormonal health.
At Hormona, we’re building technology-driven tools that make it easier for women to understand their bodies, track their hormones, and access actionable insights—without waiting months for specialist appointments.
AI-powered tracking: Our app analyses daily hormone patterns, helping women connect the dots between mood, energy levels, and overall health.
At-home hormone testing: Our first-of-their-kind tests provide insights that previously required multiple doctor visits.
Science-backed supplements: Our Hormone Support supplement is designed to alleviate common hormone-related symptoms.
We’ve built the solution I wish I’d had—and today, Hormona is empowering women in over 185 countries.
“It’s about breaking the cycle”
Hormonal health shouldn’t be a mystery, yet for too many women, it is.
Our goal isn’t just to offer a product—it’s to change the conversation.
We want to:
Break the cycle of dismissing women’s pain.
Provide women with tools to advocate for their own health.
Push hormonal health to the forefront of medical research.
Already, our users are telling us that Hormona helped them uncover hormonal imbalances, get diagnosed, and seek the right treatment. This is why we do what we do.
But the work isn’t done.
“Femtech can drive systemic change”
Traditional healthcare has failed women for far too long—but I believe femtech can change that.
The term “femtech” itself is limiting. We’re not a niche—we’re solving a global health crisis that affects half the population.
For real change to happen, we need:
More investment in women’s health research.
Better education around hormonal health.
Solutions that put women first—not as an afterthought.
To fellow founders in this space, my advice is simple: stay bold, stay relentless, and don’t accept the status quo. Women’s health deserves better—and we’re the ones building that future.
The future of healthcare is female. Let’s make it happen.
Note: Originally published by https://startups.co.uk/
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