For too long, women’s health issues like endometriosis, PCOS, and postpartum depression have been overlooked and stigmatised, leaving women to suffer in silence.
Moreover, a lack of women-specific health data has resulted in healthcare systems that fail to adequately address their unique needs.
Recognising this, Dr. Ariella Heffernan-Marks founded Ovum, an AI-powered platform designed to transform women’s healthcare. Now, with $1.7 million in pre-seed funding, the startup is on the verge of launching its groundbreaking AI-driven platform.
What is the platform? How will Ovum support women’s health?
Let’s find out!
What is Ovum and how does it work?
Based in Australia, Ovum is an AI-powered personal health assistant for women. It addresses the systemic gender health gap by providing women with accessible, intelligent, and personalised healthcare support.
The AI-platform provides:
- Personalised fertility tracking
- Telehealth consultations with specialists
- AI-driven diagnostic tools to enhance early detection and treatment of reproductive health conditions
At its core, Ovum’s mission is simple: transform how women experience healthcare. The startup has designed an extremely user-friendly interface to ensure ease of use for all users.
Recently, Ovum conducted a one-month pilot with over 150 women who shared their positive experiences with the platform. Participants found it as a supportive tool for women’s health. They highlighted Ovum’s strengths, including:
- Comprehensive health monitoring
- Accessible professional advice
- User-friendly interface
- Personalised and reassuring responses
What Ovum wants to truly focus on?
Faster endometriosis diagnosis
Over 190 million women suffer from endometriosis globally, yet it takes an average of 7-9 years to get diagnosed. Ovum uses AI to detect early signs and shorten this painful waiting period.
Closing the gender health gap
The gender health gap costs the global economy an estimated $1 trillion annually due to delays in research, diagnosis, and treatment. Ovum is building the first-ever longitudinal dataset focused on women’s health, helping to drive better medical outcomes.
Empowering women through better healthcare
Many women lose up to 8 days of productivity per year because of undiagnosed or untreated health conditions. Ovum’s AI gives faster, more accurate answers to empower them to make the right health decisions.
Ovum’s journey: From idea to reality
The idea for Ovum came to life in 2021 when Dr. Heffernan-Marks, a medical student at the time, saw firsthand how difficult it was for women to navigate the healthcare system. She knew there had to be a better way, one that combined the latest medical research with real, compassionate support.
Her journey started with conversations—lots of them. Over two years, she spoke with more than 350 women to truly understand the barriers they faced in getting the care they needed. These insights became the foundation of Ovum.
To bring her vision to life, she joined programs like the UNSW pre-accelerator and SBE Evolve, refining the concept and shaping the product.
By 2023, the first prototype of Ovum was built with the help of Nakatomi Venture Studio, which later became one of its investors. That same year, Dr. Heffernan-Marks won a $20,000 grant from the LiftWomen Global Pitch Competition—further proving that Ovum was something the world truly needed.
Funding to drive AI-powered women’s healthcare
Earlier this month, the reproductive health awareness month, Ovum secured $1.7 million in pre-seed funding, led by Giant Leap (a Venture Capital), with participation from Antler, Wollemi Capital, LaunchVic’s Alice Anderson Fund, Nakatomi Venture Studio, Dr. Nick Engerer, and Tim and Casey Cosh.
According to Rachel Yang, a partner at Giant Leap, the decision to invest was clear:
“Addressing women’s health is not just a rapidly growing market—projected to exceed $121 billion by 2033—but also a vital opportunity to tackle systemic gaps in women’s healthcare.”
This funding will be instrumental in launching Ovum’s AI-powered health assistant. The startup plans to use the fresh funds to:
- Expand its research and development efforts and further enhance its platform.
- Strengthen its digital infrastructure for a seamless user experience.
- Reach a wider audience by increasing accessibility.
- Develop partnerships with healthcare providers to integrate its services into existing medical systems.
The future of Ovum
With its official launch set for 2025, Ovum is set to make a real difference in women’s healthcare.
As part of Dr. Heffernan-Marks’ PhD research, Ovum is already undergoing clinical trials at two leading women’s hospitals in partnership with UNSW and The George Institute for Global Health.
When it officially launches, Ovum will be available for $180 per year, giving women access to a smart, AI-powered health assistant.
As the app prepares for its full-scale launch, the company is inviting women to join its community, provide feedback, and be part of the movement to close the gender health gap.
Click here to join Ovum’s waitlist and be among the first to experience its innovative platform.
-By Rinkle Dudhani and the AHT Team
