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A joint program by Foundation EPFL Innovation Park and Groupe Mutuel
Join us at Tech4Eva Conference on Dec. 4th
October 22, 2025

Menopause Awareness Meets Market Power

Why Innovation in Women’s Health Can’t Wait

Every year on 18 October, World Menopause Day reminds us of a simple truth: menopause is not just a health issue. It’s a societal, economic, and business issue — one that affects half the world’s population. And yet, despite its scale and impact, menopause continues to be under-recognized, underfunded, and underserved.

At Tech4Eva, we see menopause not only as an urgent health imperative but also as one of the most powerful opportunities for innovation and investment in the coming decade.

The Health Imperative

By 2025, more than 1 billion women worldwide will be in menopause (International Menopause Society). This transition can span years — starting with perimenopause in the early 40s and continuing well beyond the final period. Symptoms are wide-ranging:

Physical: hot flashes, night sweats, joint pain, weight changes

Cognitive: brain fog, memory issues, trouble concentrating

Emotional: anxiety, mood swings, depression

Social & Workplace: crowd fatigue, decreased productivity, lack of workplace support

For too many women, these symptoms are underdiagnosed, mismanaged, or dismissed entirely. This has profound implications — not only for health and quality of life, but also for workplace performance, relationships, and long-term well-being.

The Economic Imperative

At the same time, women in midlife — often referred to as“Queenagers” (a term popularized by Eleanor Mills and NOON research in the UK)— represent the most powerful consumer demographic worldwide.

o  Women 45–60 drive 93% of household consumer decisions

o  They out-earn women under 40 for the first time in history

o  In the UK alone, this group represents £92billion in annual spending power

And yet, 41% of midlife women say they do not feel represented by brands. This gap between influence and representation is not just a social injustice — it’s a missed market opportunity of staggering proportions.

The Market Gap

Despite their health needs and financial influence, midlife women remain underserved. Menopause is often reduced to “hot flashes” in popular discourse, when in reality it intersects with cardiovascular health, bone density, metabolic disease, and mental health.

Few products, services, or policies are designed with this life stage in mind — from healthcare innovation to workplace inclusivity.

This misalignment leaves the door wide open for Femtech start-ups and forward-thinking investors to step in with solutions that combine medical innovation, digital tools, and consumer insight.

The Investor Takeaway

Menopause is not a niche market. It’s a massive, underserved, and fast-growing sector with potential to transform not just women’s lives, but the global economy.

Investing in menopause innovation is investing in:

·      Health equity – giving women better diagnostics, treatments, and preventive tools

·      Workplace productivity – reducing absenteeism, retaining talent, and supporting thriving careers

·      Economic growth – tapping into one of the most influential consumer cohorts in history!

At Tech4Eva, we see start-ups rising to meet this challenge with groundbreaking solutions.

Start-ups to Watch in the Menopause & Midlife Health Space

From our Tech4Eva community, here are some examples of start-ups addressing menopause, hormone health, and preventive diagnostics:

2025 Cohort:

MenoQueens – Science-backed education and support empowering women through menopause. www.menoqueens.com

MoleSense – Wearable hormone monitoring technology, relevant for perimenopause transitions. www.molesense.ch

Silatha – Psychological safety at work with tools addressing taboo topics like menopause. www.silatha.com

Smartweave – Regenerative therapies for incontinence, a condition affecting many postmenopausal women. www.smartweave.xyz

Tech4Eva Alumni :

EmbrLabs –  The smart wristband that lets you cool down or warm up at the touch of a button. https://embrlabs.com/

Mysysters  –  A social and self-care mobile app to help women manage perimenopause and menopause. https://mysysters.com/

SinReglas  –  Complements DEI efforts and integrates diagnostics, health education, support community for the adoption of healthy habits, health care and marketplace. https://sin-reglas.mx/

Unpause (Ru Medical) –  Coolzen, a smart wearable, provides relief from hot flashes using the body’s natural cooling mechanism to bring instant relief to the user. https://unpause.club/

Final Word

Menopause awareness is growing. Science is advancing. The economic influence of midlife women is undeniable.

Now is the time to bridge the gap between unmet health needs and market opportunity.

For start-ups, corporates, and investors, the question is no longer “why menopause?” — but “why not now?”

At Tech4Eva, we’re proud to support the innovators shaping the future of women’s health.

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Sources & Further Reading

 

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