February 12th was Sexual and Reproductive Health Awareness Day, a time to shine a light on reproductive wellbeing. But we feel one day isn’t nearly enough. The gaps in care, access, and innovation run far deeper.
That’s why we took the entire month of February as an opportunity to celebrate reproductive health. For 28 days, we highlighted one startup every day. Because it takes more than a single breakthrough to bridge the gaps in research, access, and awareness.
Fun fact: February is the only month that typically has 28 days, which mirrors the average menstrual cycle length.
While it’s not the official reason for the month’s focus, it’s a fitting reminder that reproductive health is cyclical, continuous, and deeply tied to overall wellbeing.
How big is the reproductive health gap?
The numbers are worrying:
- 1 in 6 people globally experience infertility (WHO)
- Nearly 4.3 billion people will lack adequate reproductive health services at some point (Guttmacher–Lancet Commission)
- Complications from pregnancy and childbirth account for 1 in every 23 deaths among adolescent girls aged 15–19
- Nearly 50% of pregnancies worldwide are unintended
These aren’t just statistics; They’re millions of people navigating reproductive health without access, information, or support.
Why reproductive health is important
Reproductive system is a powerful barometer for overall health.
When we prioritise reproductive health, we’re not just thinking about fertility or contraception. It’s hormonal balance, mental wellbeing, metabolic health, and long-term physical resilience.
And despite how central it is to overall health, reproductive care remains one of the most underserved and under-researched areas in modern medicine.
What’s missing in the current reproductive health ecosystem
Despite advances in medical science and digital health, reproductive care still feels fragmented due to:
1. The funding gap
Only 2% of medical research funding goes to pregnancy and female reproductive health. And male reproductive health receives even less attention.
2. The data & gender gap
Clinical research historically excluded women and gender-diverse individuals, leaving major blind spots. Today, reproductive health innovation often focuses so heavily on women that it can feel like reproduction is “their responsibility alone.”
While male factor infertility contributes to nearly half of infertility cases, men remain under-researched and under-diagnosed. True progress requires treating reproduction as a shared responsibility, not a women-only burden.
3. The taboo barrier
In many regions, stigma and social norms still delay care for conditions ranging from endometriosis and infertility to erectile dysfunction and STIs until symptoms become severe or irreversible.
This is where innovation matters most. Not just billion-dollar unicorns, but mid-stage startups doing the hard, specialised work on the ground.
February 28: Global reproductive health innovators to watch
Fertility and reproductive health conversations usually circle back to the same few apps everyone knows.
However, there are several mid-stage startups quietly doing the hard work of closing gaps in access, diagnosis, and care. And they rarely get the attention they deserve.
This February, we shifted the focus to those innovators.
1. Adyn
Founders: Elizabeth Ruzzo
Year: 2020 | Location: Seattle, USA
We admire Adyn for using precision medicine to end “birth control trial-and-error.” They analyse your DNA and hormone levels to predict which contraceptive will cause you the fewest side effects.
2. Eli Health
Founders: Marina Pavlovic Rivas and Thomas Cortina
Year: 2019 | Location: Montreal, Canada
Eli Health is developing a first-of-its-kind device that tracks hormone levels daily via saliva at home. It provides you with a long-term view of your endocrine health instead of a single, static blood test.
3. Hertility Health
Founders: Dr Helen O’Neill, Deirdre O’Neill, Dr Natalie Getreu
Year: 2020 | Location: London, UK
Hertility Health offers clinical-grade at-home hormone testing and connects you with specialists. Their triage system helps you identify conditions like PCOS or endometriosis significantly faster than traditional routes.
4. Daye
Founders: Valentina Milanova
Year: 2017 | Location: London, UK
Daye turned the tampon into a diagnostic tool. Their “Diagnostic Tampon” allows you to screen for vaginal infections and microbiome health from the comfort of your home.
5. Kasha
Founders: Joanna Bichsel and Amanda Arch
Year: 2016 | Location: Kigali, Rwanda
Kasha is a discreet e-commerce platform for women in East Africa to access contraceptives and menstrual products. We love their focus on privacy, as they allow you to order via basic mobile phones without needing an internet connection.
6. Ease Healthcare
Founders: Guadalupe Lazaro and Rio Hoe
Year: 2020 | Location: Singapore
Focused on the Asian market, Ease offers teleconsultations for birth control and STI testing. They use unbranded packaging to help you bypass local social stigmas associated with sexual health.
7. Nabta Health
Founders: Sophie Smith
Year: 2017 | Location: Dubai, UAE
Nabta Health creates personalised care pathways for women in the Middle East and Africa. Their platform uses AI to help you manage fertility and chronic conditions like diabetes during pregnancy.
8. ExSeed Health
Founders: Morten G. Ulsted, Emil Andersen and Daniel Daugaard-Jensen
Year: 2017 | Location: London, UK
ExSeed specialises in high-tech home sperm testing. Using your smartphone camera and their “sperm-on-a-chip” technology, they provide you with lab-grade semen analysis in minutes, removing the need for a stressful clinic visit while providing actionable health advice to improve quality.
Founders: Hana Janebdar, Leighton Turner
Year: 2018 | Location: London, UK
Juno Bio uses machine learning to map the vaginal microbiome. By analysing your unique bacterial profile, they help you understand the root causes of recurring infections.
10. Syrona Health
Founders: Chantelle Bell, Anya Roy
Year: 2017 | Location: Cambridge, UK
Syrona Health, through its app, SORA, supports people with endometriosis and PCOS. We appreciate its focus on the “patient-workforce” gap, helping you manage symptoms while educating your employer on reproductive health.
11. NextGen Jane
Founders: Ridhi Tariyal, Stephen Gire
Year: 2014 | Location: Oakland, USA
NextGen Jane is a data-science company that uses menstrual blood as a “natural biopsy.” By analysing the cells shed during your period, they aim to detect reproductive disorders years earlier than current methods.
12. Dawa Health
Founders: Tafadzwa Kalisto Munzwa
Year: 2020 | Location: Lusaka, Zambia
Dawa Health uses an AI-powered platform to provide last-mile maternal care. They equip community health workers with kits to triage you in your own home, reducing the need for long, difficult commutes to clinics.
13. ScreenMe
Founders: Dr Golnoush Golshirazi and Dr Lukasz Ciszewski
Year: 2019 | Location: London, UK
ScreenMe provides at-home testing for vaginal health and fertility. They pair your lab results with tailored nutrition and lifestyle plans to optimise your reproductive environment.
14. Maya Apa
Founders: Ivy Huq Russell
Year: 2011 | Location: Dhaka, Bangladesh
Maya uses an anonymous messaging platform to connect you with doctors and therapists. In regions where sexual health is often taboo, this startup provides you with a safe, judgment-free space for medical advice.
15. Peli Health
Founders: Kerstin Recker, Helen Grimshaw
Year: 2021 | Location: Miami, USA / London, UK
We are impressed by Peli Health’s virtual “one-stop shop” for pelvic health. They provide you with MD-reviewed courses and expert workshops to manage leaks, pelvic pain, and postpartum recovery from home.
16. Bia Care
Founders: Fernanda Dobal, David Huang
Year: 2020 | Location: London, UK
Bia Care specialises in menopause, a phase often ignored by traditional tech. They offer virtual group consultations with specialist doctors, providing you with high-quality care at a fraction of the cost.
17. Fellow Health
Founders: Brian Hogan
Year: 2018 | Location: San Francisco, USA
Fellow offers the only diagnostic-grade mail-in semen analysis that is peer-reviewed and clinically validated. Their kits allow you to collect a sample in the privacy of your home and receive a comprehensive report from a CLIA-certified lab, making the first step of the fertility journey much easier for men.
18. Fizimed
Founders: Émeline Hahn, Julien Guay, Allan Mabilais and Paul Grandemange
Year: 2016 | Location: Strasbourg, France
Fizimed focuses on pelvic floor rehabilitation through connected medical devices. Through the combination of their Emy device and mobile app, it allows you to strengthen your pelvic floor, preventing long-term issues like incontinence.
19. Calla Lily
Founders: Dr. Lara Zibner, Thang Vo-Ta
Year: 2016 | Location: London, UK
We are watching Calla Lily for their innovative progesterone delivery device. It is designed to prevent miscarriages by delivering medication exactly where it is needed, addressing a critical gap in early pregnancy care.
20. Moom Health
Founders: Mili Kale, Maya Kale
Year: 2021 | Location: Singapore
Moom Health blends Ayurvedic tradition with modern science to create supplements for hormonal balance. They provide you with personalised “ritual” packs based on your specific symptoms, like acne or PMS.
21. illumicell AI
Founders: Michel Bielecki, Jeyla Sadikova and Loup Cordey
Year: 2022 | Location: Zurich, Switzerland
illumicell AI is developing a portable, AI-powered platform for real-time male fertility testing. They make fertility analysis faster and more accessible for men, shifting the burden of fertility testing away from only women.
22. Peri (formerly IdentifyHer)
Founders: Heidi Davis and Donal O’Gorman
Year: 2021 | Location: Dublin, Ireland
Peri uses an AI-driven sensor to track menopause symptoms passively. It gathers data on hot flashes and sleep disturbances without disrupting your day, giving your doctor a clearer picture of your needs.
23. FertilAI
Founders: Rohi Hourvitz, Ariel Hourvitz, Micha Baum, Ettie Maman, and Almog Luz
Year: 2021 | Location: Tel Aviv, Israel
FertilAI leverages AI to optimise clinical outcomes for fertility treatments. Their platform helps you and your doctor make better-informed decisions during IVF cycles to increase the chances of success.
24. Curio Digital Therapeutics
Founders: Shailja Dixit
Year: 2020 | Location: Princeton, USA
Curio offers digital therapeutic programs for women’s health. We love their MamaLift suite, which uses neurobehavioral interventions to reduce your risk of postpartum depression.
25. Posterity Health
Founders: Barrett Cowan, Pamela Pure
Year: 2021 | Location: Centennial, USA
Posterity Health is a digital platform designed to provide “Male Factor” evaluations. They provide you with virtual consultations with specialised urologists and at-home diagnostic kits to identify and treat male infertility early, ensuring that both partners are treated simultaneously in the conception process.
26. Bastion Health
Founders: Reza Amin
Year: 2018 | Location: Miami, USA
Bastion is the first digital health clinic specifically for men’s reproductive and prostate health. They offer you a “full-stack” experience, from at-home testing for sperm health and testosterone to tele-urology consultations, helping you manage your sexual wellness and long-term urological health.
27. Malaica
Founders: Dr. Lorraine Muluka, Pascal Koenig, Victor Ndegwa and Isis Nyong’o
Year: 2021 | Location: Nairobi, Kenya
We love Malaica’s focus on making pregnancy safer through a digital-first approach. They pair you with a personal midwife and a dedicated support group via your phone to ensure you receive expert guidance throughout your journey.
28. Leia Health
Founders: Astrid Gyllenkrok Kristensen, Sandra Wirström
Year: 2021 | Location: Stockholm, Sweden
Leia is a postpartum health tracker designed to support you during the “fourth trimester.” We appreciate how their AI-powered platform screens for physical and mental health issues, ensuring you aren’t left behind after your baby arrives.
Looking towards a better future
After 28 days of highlighting innovators across fertility, maternal care, menopause, male reproductive health, pelvic health, and postpartum recovery, one thing is clear:
The solutions exist. The urgency exists. What’s missing is scale, investment, and systemic commitment.
We cannot improve reproductive health outcomes without systemic change. To move forward, the industry must prioritise
- Universal access to contraception and essential reproductive services
- Greater investment in both female and male reproductive research
- Responsible integration of AI and diagnostics into standard care pathways
- Normalising open, stigma-free conversations around sexual and reproductive wellbeing
Because reproductive health is not niche. It is not optional. And it is not a “women-only” issue.
It is foundational to public health, economic stability, and generational wellbeing.
Spotlighting these innovators is about building a movement that ensures better care, better data, and better outcomes for everyone.
-By Rohini Kundu and the AHT Team
