Femtech At Work

What does it really take to build a women’s health company in Asia when funding is tight, stigma runs deep, and the stakes are literally people’s futures?In this very real and unfiltered conversation, I sit down with my long-time friend and serial entrepreneur Anna Haotanto, founder of Zora Health. Anna shares her personal journey—freezing her eggs years before it became 'trendy' and her frustration with the healthcare system that drove her to build a fertility, menopause, and family health platform in Asia, one of the toughest and most complex spaces to operate in. Together, we unpack the emotional and practical realities of building a women’s health company, pitching to investors for a seed round, navigating stigma, regulations, and high treatment costs, and the dark days when Anna almost walked away from Zora. Raw, honest, and hopeful, this episode is for anyone interested in women’s health, building in FemTech, or needing a dose of real resilience behind the glossy founder stories.Key Takeaways:Discover how a Fintech and F&B founder ended up building Zora Health after thinking she was perimenopausal and hitting multiple medical dead endsLearn why egg freezing, IVF, menopause and even sperm health are still wrapped in stigma in Asia and how technology can start to break thatHow Zora Health actually works behind the scenes to connect users with trusted clinics, doctors, diagnostics and care navigators across multiple countriesExplore why men now make up a significant portion of Zora’s clients, and what this shift reveals about the evolving fertility journeys of couples today Find out how corporates really think about fertility and menopause benefits, budgets and internal stakeholders and why selling B2B in health is so complexLearn how Anna coped with days of not getting out of bed, and still chose not to quit when everything felt impossibleDiscover what “patient capital” truly means in women’s healthFind out how genuine human connection and “friction” might be our biggest advantage in an AI worldLearn the most practical advice Anna has for new FemTech founders in Asia, especially when it comes to monetization, mental health, and playing the long gameResources:Anna Haotanto: LinkedInZora Health: LinkedInZora Health: https://zorahealth.co/Maaike Steinebach : LinkedInWebsite Femtech Future https://www.femtechfuture.comInstagram Femtech Future: @femtech_futureIf this conversation moved you, let it be more than just another episode you listened to on the go. Women’s health in Asia is still being built from the ground up, one founder, one story, one hard conversation at a time and your support genuinely helps that movement grow.Share this episode with someone who needs to hear it, hit like, leave us a review so more people can discover these voices, and help us push women’s health higher up on every agenda.Thank you for listening, and see you next year for another episode of FemTech at Work, where we keep building this new future together!

Find out how a PhD biomedical engineer turned founder is building a wearable that cools hot flashes, collects real-world data and reframes menopause from “invisible problem” to solvable public-health priority.Today, we chat with Mabel Nguyen, co‑founder of Singapore’s EloCare, to unpack the science, product strategy and personal drive behind a startup creating wearable solutions for menopause. Mabel explains why menopause has been overlooked, why hot flashes matter far beyond a few uncomfortable moments, and how a combination of cooling technology and data collection can change diagnosis, care and daily life for millions of women. She shares the technical hurdles of building a new class of wearable, the trade-offs between clinical validation and rapid consumer launch, and the funding route that kept research alive through grants and early VC support. Along the way, Mabel offers candid founder advice about taking the first step, managing mental health during the grind, and what success will look like for her and her team. Let’s dive in!Key Takeaways:Find out why Mabel believes menopause is a public‑health problem, not just a personal discomfort, and what costs are hidden when hot flashes go untreatedLearn how combining cooling wearables with symptom‑tracking data could change how we recognize and treat menopauseDiscover the unexpected signals and noise that made lab-based hot‑flashes detection fail in real life, and how that led EloCare to reinvent its approachUnderstand why launching first as a consumer wellness product can accelerate iteration, even when clinical validation is a long‑term goalFind out how grants, university partnerships and early VC funding shaped EloCare’s R&D path and why each funding type matteredDiscover the habits that helped Mabel stay resilient and what she does to preserve mental health during the inevitable ups and downsUnderstand what “success” looks like for a Femtech innovator; is it scaling, clinical validation, or simply seeing your product help a woman live betterResources:Mabel Nguyen: LinkedInEloCare: LinkedInEloCare: https://www.elo.care/Maaike Steinebach : LinkedInWebsite Femtech Future https://www.femtechfuture.comInstagram Femtech Future: @femtech_futureMabel’s story is more than a product roadmap, it’s a reminder that quiet, widespread problems deserve bold, science‑backed solutions. From the lab benches of NUS to prototype bracelets and grant partnerships, this conversation shows how empathy, data and iterative design can turn menopause from an invisible burden into a measurable, treatable part of life. If you’ve ever felt ignored by health systems or wondered how founders build hardware that must also be trusted by clinicians and real people, this episode will leave you inspired and equipped to think differently about women’s health.If this episode moved you, don’t keep it to yourself. Share it with a friend, give us a five‑star review to amplify women’s health stories, and follow the podcast so you never miss an episode that champions founders making real change. Thank you, and see you on our next episode!

Tired of clinic trips and waitlists? Hear how one medtech startup gives mothers real‑time reassurance and lets doctors intervene earlier when it matters most.In this episode of FemTech at Work, we speak with Amrish Nair, co‑founder of Biorithm, about building a wearable at‑home cardiotocography solution and the broader mission to reduce preventable poor outcomes in pregnancy. Amrish shares the personal and technical origins of the company, why remote fetal monitoring matters, how Biorithm integrates maternal vitals (blood pressure, glucose) with fetal signals, and the clinical evidence from trials across Singapore, Australia, UK and the US. He also explains why Biorithm positions itself as medtech rather than FemTech, how they earned clinical trust through transparent data and key opinion leaders, and why AI must be grounded in high‑quality maternal datasets to be truly useful. This conversation also dives into fundraising lessons, regulatory strategy, and a long‑term vision that treats pregnancy as a window into a woman’s decades‑long health trajectory.Key Takeaways:Find out how a hospital cardiotocogram (CTG) was redesigned into a wearable patchLearn why combining fetal monitoring with home blood pressure and glucose data may detect pre‑eclampsia and gestational diabetes earlier, and how this might reduce stillbirth riskDiscover why Biorithm chose to pitch as medtech and how that positioning changed investor conversations, and what differences regulatory and funding strategies makeUnderstand how clinical trust is built and what role transparent trials and key opinion leaders play in convincing doctors to adopt remote monitoringFind out where the industry stands on AI for maternal health and why a better, causal, outcome‑linked data must come firstDiscover the founder tradeoffs behind long‑term health startups and why sacrifices and supports matter when you commit eight years to building medtechResources:Amrish Nair: LinkedInBiorithm: LinkedInBiorithm: https://www.bio-rithm.com/Maaike Steinebach : LinkedInWebsite Femtech Future https://www.femtechfuture.comInstagram Femtech Future: @femtech_futureToday’s episode shows how a personal mission became medtech that brings hospital‑grade fetal and maternal monitoring into the home. BioRhythm’s approach reframes prenatal care as prevention, builds clinical trust with transparent data, and paves the way for healthier mothers and babies long after birth.If this moved you, help turn listening into impact! Subscribe, leave a review, and share this episode with your network. Join the movement to bring better pregnancy care home! Tune in next week for another story that matters.

What happens when a young founder decides to rewrite the conversation on menopause and midlife in Singapore—starting with her own mother? Join us for an inspiring episode of Femtec at Work featuring Valery Tan, co-founder of Surety Singapore, as she breaks taboos, builds communities, and empowers women (and men) to navigate this important life transition together.From pivoting away from pharmaceutical sciences to becoming one of the youngest startup founders in the region, Valery’s journey is deeply personal and profoundly impactful. Discover how her mother’s experience inspired her to fill crucial gaps in menopause education and support, why cultural relevance matters in women's health, and how Surety Singapore is tackling stigma, policy gaps, and even corporate inclusivity.Tune in, be inspired and be empowered!Key Takeaways:Find out why Valery started Surety Singapore and the moving story behind itDiscover how Surety Singapore is bridging cultural gaps and delivering credible, localized health content.Learn how Surety’s Midlife Festival is creating a more inclusive dialogue for families and workplaces alikeUnderstand the policy and awareness gaps in Singapore and what’s being done to close them.Find out what obstacles Valery has faced as a young founder and how she overcame skepticism and age bias.Discover how Surety’s new Pulse Play app aims to help women track symptoms and access supportFind out how Valery’s bond with her mother continues to shape Surety’s mission and what it means for those going through midlife transitions.Resources:Valery Tan: LinkedInSurety: LinkedInSurety: https://www.suretysg.com/Maaike Steinebach : LinkedInWebsite Femtech Future https://www.femtechfuture.comInstagram Femtech Future: @femtech_futureThis episode isn’t just a conversation. It’s a call to action to challenge the stigma, embrace new perspectives, and support loved ones through every phase of life. Valery’s journey is living proof that transformative change can begin at home, with one honest conversation. By shining light on menopause and midlife transitions, Surety Singapore is sparking vital discussions, building bridges across generations and genders, and showing us all what empowered care truly looks like.Don’t let these important stories stay in the shadows. If this episode moved you, inspired you, or made you think differently, share it with your friends, family, and colleagues. Hit like, leave us a review, and help amplify the voices that are changing the future of women’s health in Asia and beyond.

What if changing the conversation around women’s health could save lives, ignite confidence, and break taboos across an entire country? Dive into the world of FemTech in Malaysia, where one founder’s deep personal journey sparked a revolution for women’s access, dignity, and empowerment!In today’s episode of FemTech at Work, meet Rina Ho, CEO of Pistil—the pioneering Malaysian FemTech platform dedicated to transforming women’s healthcare. Discover how Rina’s personal story, after losing her mother to breast cancer, fueled her mission to challenge cultural stigma, expand access to reproductive care, and empower women to take charge of their health.Whether you’re curious about the realities of women's health in Asia, passionate about female empowerment, or eager to learn how digital health is rewriting the story, this episode will spark your mind and your heart. Don’t miss the inspiring insights, personal stories, and strategies for breaking silences and building breakthroughs!Key Takeaways:How does cultural stigma around menstruation and reproductive health still impact Malaysian women todayWhat innovative features does Pistol offer to empower women with confidential, comprehensive healthcare no matter their background?Why is sex education so limited in Malaysian schools, and what are the consequences for young women and familiesHow is Pistol leveraging technology, AI, and local cultural understanding to build trust and accessibilityWhat unique barriers like digital censorship and healthcare regulations do FemTech founders face in Malaysia, and how are they overcoming themHow is Pistol reframing women’s health conversations to be positive and empoweringHow can more prominent voices across Asia help break the silence on topics like endometriosis, fertility, and menopauseResources:Rina Ho : LinkedInPistil: LinkedInPistil: https://www.pistil.io/Maaike Steinebach : LinkedInWebsite Femtech Future https://www.femtechfuture.comInstagram Femtech Future: @femtech_futureListen now to discover the answers, learn from real-world journeys, and understand how FemTech is transforming not just healthcare, but the narrative around women's bodies, choices, and futures across Asia and beyond! Whether you’re passionate about breaking taboos, supporting FemTech founders, or simply believe every woman deserves access to safe, stigma-free healthcare, your actions matter. Share this episode with friends, family, and colleagues because your reach can open doors for someone who needs it most. Like, follow, and leave a review on your favorite podcast platform. Your support gives visibility to inspiring founders like Rina Ho and helps us amplify stories that matter! Thank you, and see you on our next episode!