For too long, women’s health has been under-researched, underfunded, and often misunderstood. Conditions unique to women, from endometriosis to menopause, were frequently brushed aside as inevitable or “just part of aging.” Finally, that narrative is shifting.
Today, women’s health is emerging as a dynamic frontier in medicine and innovation. Spurred by a wave of advocacy, transparency, and new technologies, a long-overlooked space is being taken seriously by investors and healthcare leaders.
The shift didn’t happen overnight. In fact, women weren’t even required to be included in federally funded health research until the 1990s. But momentum has been building—driven by younger generations unwilling to accept discomfort or dismissal as the norm. However, disparities still exist in the vast funding gaps between male and female health conditions. Women’s health tech peaked in 2021, and though overall healthcare funding dipped in 2022, the category stayed strong in 2023 with nearly half a billion dollars in deals.
Other challenges remain—like expensive fertility treatments with inadequate insurance coverage and many underfunded female-specific conditions. Yet, the future looks encouraging. McKinsey’s global estimates suggest that by 2030 the menopause care market alone could exceed $200 billion.
It’s more than a market trend. Women are demanding better care, and startups are answering with bold solutions. The potential? A healthcare future that closes the gaps in women’s care.
For too long, women’s health has been under-researched, underfunded, and often misunderstood. Conditions unique to women, from endometriosis to menopause, were frequently brushed aside as inevitable or “just part of aging.” Finally, that narrative is shifting.
Today, women’s health is emerging as a dynamic frontier in medicine and innovation. Spurred by a wave of advocacy, transparency, and new technologies, a long-overlooked space is being taken seriously by investors and healthcare leaders.
The shift didn’t happen overnight. In fact, women weren’t even required to be included in federally funded health research until the 1990s. But momentum has been building—driven by younger generations unwilling to accept discomfort or dismissal as the norm. However, disparities still exist in the vast funding gaps between male and female health conditions. Women’s health tech peaked in 2021, and though overall healthcare funding dipped in 2022, the category stayed strong in 2023 with nearly half a billion dollars in deals.
Other challenges remain—like expensive fertility treatments with inadequate insurance coverage and many underfunded female-specific conditions. Yet, the future looks encouraging. McKinsey’s global estimates suggest that by 2030 the menopause care market alone could exceed $200 billion.
It’s more than a market trend. Women are demanding better care, and startups are answering with bold solutions. The potential? A healthcare future that closes the gaps in women’s care.