There is a shift toward recognising and investing in innovations that address women’s unique health needs. A panel at the 2025 MedTech Conference, which took place in San Diego in the US state of California from 5 to 8 October, emphasised that although women account for more than half of the global population, “women’s health” is still considered by some to be a niche market. But while many barriers remain, growing demand for more gender-specific medical innovation means that medtech devices related to women’s health are increasingly drawing investor interest. Go deeper with GlobalData
GlobalData analyses shows that the number of medical devices receiving approval for indications associated with women’s health is indeed growing (see Figure 1). These newly approved devices are associated indications such as female cancers, urinary incontinence, pelvic floor disorders, female infertility, systemic lupus erythematosus, iron deficient anaemia, pregnancy-related complications and postpartum haemorrhage. Figure 1: Number of medical devices approved per year associated with indications predominantly impacting women. Credit: GlobalData. Among women’s health devices approved between 2020 and 2025, there have been some notable success stories. The JADA system , first developed by Alydia Health Inc and sold by Organon & Co, received US Food and Drugs Administration (FDA) approval in 2020 for treating postpartum haemorrhage, a life-threatening obstetric emergency that requires rapid medical intervention. Sales of the JADA system grew 40% in 2024. Between 2023 and 2025, Organon & Co expanded sales to new geographies such as Canada and Australia. GlobalData Strategic Intelligence
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The Teal Wand is a self-collection device highlighted by the Innovator Showcase at the 2025 MedTech Conference. It allows women to comfortably, conveniently and privately screen for cervical cancer at home. It gained FDA approval in the same year and has been used by 600 women since its launch. The Focal One platform by EDAP TMS SA is a robotic, high-intensity focused ultrasound system designed for minimally invasive tissue ablation. Already approved for prostate disease, Focal One earned FDA breakthrough device designation in 2024 for treating deep infiltrating endometriosis. EDAP TMS SA has invested in several clinical trials aimed at expanding focal therapy to new clinical indications and in March 2025 Focal One received CE Mark certification in Europe for endometriosis. While many challenges remain, these advances signal a meaningful shift toward recognising and investing in innovations that address women’s unique health needs. Continued collaboration among researchers, regulators, investors and patient communities will be essential to sustain momentum and translate potential into widespread impact. Share

Women’s health: breakthrough medtech devices and investment momentum

The health and medicine honorees for 2025 reflect the wide-ranging efforts of health tech companies to develop better ways to predict, detect, and treat problems earlier and more conveniently. They also address a growing desire among patients and healthcare providers for more high-quality data to inform their medical decision-making. From Abbott's rapid test for brain injuries to Natera's noninvasive tracking of cancer markers to Teal Health's home collection device for cervical cancer screening, the tools for better health outcomes are increasingly in our hands.  Abbott For making invisible injuries visible, fast  Close to 10 million people in the U.S. each year incur a head injury that requires assessment. With just a couple of drops of blood, Abbott's i-STAT TBI test allows first responders to detect signs of traumatic brain injury and concussion in just 15 minutes using a portable handheld device. Cleared by the FDA in 2024, the test gained real-world traction in 2025 when it was incorporated into a new global framework for assessing TBI and adopted by the leading motorcycle road racing organization in the U.S. The blood-based test could potentially eliminate 40% or more of unnecessary CT scans while providing more accuracy than subjective field assessments.  Juniper Genomics  For developing a comprehensive measure of embryo health Juniper Genomics combines whole genome and transcriptome (RNA) sequencing with trio analysis, which looks at genetic information from both parents and the embryo to provide clinically relevant, “ethically responsible” insights into each embryo's health. Its next-generation test, available in more than 20 North American clinics, replaces almost all existing forms of preimplantation genetic testing, and it detects thousands of additional genetic variants linked to IVF failure, miscarriage, and medical conditions after birth. The private, Toronto-based company raised $4.5 million in seed funding this year, and it's running an insurance-company pilot to secure coverage for the test, which costs $2,000 per embryo.  Luminopia  For making lazy-eye treatment . . . fun?  Amblyopia, or lazy eye, is the leading cause of vision loss in children and affects about 1 million kids nationwide. The traditional treatment—patching up the patient's “good” eye to strengthen the weaker one—can be uncomfortable and embarrassing. In contrast, Luminopia 's treatment consists of watching an hour of TV a day while wearing a customized VR headset that encourages both eyes to work together. Developed in collaboration with researchers from Boston Children's Hospital and MIT, the device has received approval for kids up to age 12 this year. It also broadened access by securing payment coverage from Anthem Blue Cross Blue Shield.  advertisement  Natera  For detecting cancer recurrence early  Cancer patients in remission understand the terrible uncertainty that comes with regular checkups and scans. Natera is helping to make post-treatment monitoring less invasive and more useful. With a noninvasive blood draw, the company's Signatera test can detect tiny fragments of tumor DNA circulating in the blood (ctDNA) likely to appear in any future cancer cells, allowing precise, ongoing monitoring for many types of cancer sooner than other methods. A January 2025 study showed that “Signatera-positive” patients treated with chemotherapy plus the anti-inflammatory celecoxib had a 40% improvement in overall survival versus chemotherapy alone. The company says the test is used by nearly half of cancer doctors in the U.S.  Teal Health  For expanding access to cervical cancer screening With less than $12 million in startup funding and $10 million in seed funding this January, women-founded Teal Health brought to market the first and only FDA-approved at-home self-collection device for cervical cancer screening. Approved by the FDA in May 2025, the company's Teal Wand enables women to collect their own vaginal samples at home, with no office visit and no speculum. The device is paired with an end-to-end telehealth platform where women can follow up on their results and connect to continuing care.  The companies and individuals behind these technologies are among the honorees in Fast Company's Next Big Things in Tech awards for 2025. Read more about the winners across all categories and the methodology behind the selection process.  The extended deadline for Fast Company's Most Innovative Companies Awards is tonight, October 10, at 11:59 p.m. PT. Apply today.  Sign up for our weekly tech digest.

The 5 next big things in health and medicine for 2025

Each year in the U.S., around 4,000 women die from cervical cancer, and about 13,000 are diagnosed with the disease, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention  The most effective way to prevent cervical cancer is receiving the HPV vaccine, which offers protection against the HPV types that most frequently cause it, the CDC states . It's also important for women to get screened for the disease.  One common test for cervical cancer detection is a Pap smear, which doctors recommend once every three years for women between the ages of 21 and 65. Women ages 30 to 65 can also receive an HPV test and a Pap test every five years, or get tested for HPV alone every five years.  But, a recent report from the American Cancer Society shows that the rate of cervical cancer screenings fell during the Covid-19 pandemic, and haven't recovered.  Kara Egan , a health tech investor, saw a need for making Pap smears more accessible. She co-founded Teal Health, a healthcare company that created the Teal Wand , the first FDA-approved cervical screening test that can be done at home.  “What drove me to start Teal is just that women deserve better healthcare,” says Egan, who is also the company's CEO.  “And what does better look like? It looks like listening to a woman and seeing what she needs.”  ‘Even if the visit's free, you had to leave work, you had to get childcare'  For Egan and her team, accessibility was a huge focus when creating the concept for the Teal Wand.  “It's like, 'What are all of the touch points that we can do to make something easier for a woman, but to also build that trust with her, that she matters and that we care?” Egan tells CNBC Make It.  “I think a lot of them can be done in ways that you wouldn't expect or that healthcare doesn't do.”  Before receiving a Teal Wand, customers must go through the screening process with a doctor who helps them determine their eligibility based on their insurance coverage, and teaches them how to properly use the wand to get an accurate sample.  “We're doing the exact same test that's used in the doctor's office with the same accuracy, that's what our clinical trials show, but just you're collecting the sample at home,” Egan explains.  Once the sample is collected and tested, the results are shared via the company's online portal, and patients can connect to a medical provider via a tele-health visit to talk through next steps if a follow-up is needed.  What's unique about the process is that everything, from the screening process to the collection and receiving results is done from home. Egan says, that is by design, to make the process easier for people who struggle to get to in-person doctor's visits.  “Cost is important, and it's critically important to us, [but] that's not the main barrier a lot of times for people,” she says.  “There's also the cost of going into the doctor's office. Even if the visit's free, you had to leave work, you had to get childcare, you had to [find] transportation.”  ‘Over 50% of women getting screened with Teal have been behind on their screening'  The Teal Wand is now available in California, New York and Florida. Teal Health is in network with Cigna, Blue Cross Blue Shield, Aetna, Anthem Blue Cross and United Healthcare.  “We're able to take [care of] the telehealth portion, and then a woman pays $99. But we are working with insurers to get the full thing covered,” Egan says.  “Even with a $99 charge, we're seeing over 50% of women who are getting screened with Teal have been behind on their screening, and 20% of them had never been screened before, and were well within screening age.”  The driving factor for founding Teal Health for Egan and her team was to spread awareness of the importance of cervical cancer screening, and to offer a new option for testing, Egan notes.  “Cervical cancer is entirely preventable if you get screened,” she says. “There are new ways to do it. One is in the office and one is at home, but they're highly accurate, and you should be doing it.”  Last chance to save: Want to be your own boss? Final days to get 30% off Smarter by CNBC Make It's new online course, How To Start A Business: For First-Time Founders . Find step-by-step guidance for launching your first business, from testing your idea to growing your revenue. Use coupon code EARLYBIRD for an introductory discount from September 16 through September 30, 2025.  Plus, sign up for CNBC Make It's newsletter to get tips and tricks for success at work, with money and in life, and request to join our exclusive community on LinkedIn to connect with experts and peers.  I quit my job while pregnant to start a multivitamin company that brings in over $250M/Yr

This CEO is working to make a critical test for women's health more accessible: ‘Even if the visit's free,' there are other barriers, she says

Serena Ventures participated in a series B investment round for the 3-on-3 basketball league Unrivaled. The round was led by Bessemer Venture Partners, and other investors included Warner Bros. This latest investment brings the value of Unrivaled to $340 million, which is a historic figure for a young league. The basketball league is transforming women’s sports by offering female players six-figure salaries, according to Front Office Sports. Athletes earned $220,000 last season, compared to the average of $66,000 to $150,000 in the WNBA. About Unrivaled
Unrivaled launched in 2023 to help empower athletes as real stakeholders, allowing them to capitalize on their performance. Outside of offering female athletes the highest average salary in professional women’s sports league history, it has a player-first compensation structure, which includes equity stakes for the athletes who participated in the inaugural season. This latest investment builds on the capital it raised last year, securing investments from industry titans such as Giannis Antetokounmpo and Build Your Legacy Ventures, as well as Ashton Kutcher and several other notable investors. “We’re continuing to align with partners who elevate our league and accelerate our strategic growth. With Bessemer Venture Partners leading this round, Unrivaled is in an unprecedented position for a new sports league,”  Unrivaled President Alex Bazzell said in a press release. Serena Ventues’ investments
Williams’ portfolio includes over 85 companies, including healthcare startup  HUED  and  Parfait , led by Black women. Remarkably, 14 companies in her  portfolio  have achieved unicorn status, each valued at over $1 billion. In January, the VC firm participated in a $10 million seed funding for  Teal Health  – a women’s health startup founded by Kara Egan (CEO) and Dr. Avnesh Thakor. The venture capital fund recently invested in Khloe Kardashian’s food company, Khloud. Image: Axelle/Bauer-Griffin/FilmMagic LINK

Serena Ventures Backs 3-On-3 Basketball League Now Valued At $340M

The company’s FDA-authorized self-collection device now serves over 15 million women across three states. Teal Health has expanded availability of its US Food and Drug Administration-authorized at-home cervical cancer screening device to New York and Florida, just weeks after launching in California , the company announced. The expansion brings the Teal Wand, the first FDA-authorized self-collection device for at-home cervical cancer screening , to more than 15 million women of screening age across the three states. The move comes in response to strong demand and a growing waitlist of women seeking access to the service, according to a release from the company. Early user data reveals significant screening gaps that the technology aims to address. Among Teal’s initial customers, 52% were overdue for cervical cancer screening, and 19% had never been screened despite being within the recommended screening age range. “We’ve heard our waitlisters loud and clear,” says Kara Egan, CEO and co-founder of Teal Health, in a release. “Expanding into New York and Florida is a direct response to the demand we’ve seen in these regions.”
Clinical Laboratory Testing Integration
The Teal Wand enables women to collect their own samples at home, which are then mailed to certified laboratories for HPV testing using the same highly accurate HPV tests recommended by medical guidelines for cervical cancer screening. The device tests for human papillomavirus, which causes nearly all cervical cancers. The at-home screening system includes both the collection kit and telehealth services, with Teal Medical providers prescribing the kit, reviewing laboratory results, and coordinating follow-up care when needed. Clinical studies show the method is as accurate as traditional in-office collection, with 94% of women preferring the at-home approach. “Cervical cancer is one of the most preventable cancers, yet too many women face obstacles that keep them from getting screened,” says Dr Liz Swenson, medical director at Teal Health, in a release. “By bringing the Teal Wand to New York and Florida, we’re making it easier for women to take control of their own health with a screening option that is not only accurate, but also comfortable and convenient.”
Market Access and Reimbursement
The screening service is available through in-network insurance plans, direct payment, or HSA/FSA accounts. The device is prescribed for individuals at average risk, with medical eligibility determined by national screening guidelines. Teal Health plans additional state expansions in the coming months. Women in other states can join a waitlist to be notified when the service becomes available in their region. The San Francisco-based company is a member of the Cervical Cancer Roundtable, a collaboration between the American Cancer Society and the Cancer Moonshot initiative focused on eliminating cervical cancer as a public health concern in the US. Photo caption: Teal Wand

Teal Health Expands At-Home Cervical Cancer Screening to New York and Florida

University of Cambridge

Digital Health 50: The most promising digital health startups of 2025

The digital health collection includes vendors developing software, platforms, sensor & robotic hardware, health data infrastructure, and tech-enabled services in healthcare. The list excludes pureplay pharma/biopharma, sequencing instruments, gene editing, and assistive tech.

Digital Health

This collection includes companies applying technology to address a spectrum of physical, mental, and social well-being concerns specific to women. Examples include companies in reproductive health, maternal care, fertility tracking, and menopause support. 

Women's Health Tech

This collection includes companies applying technology to cancer care, diagnosis, and treatment. Examples include vendors offering cancer detection and diagnosis, oncology clinical decision support, real-world data, and AI oncology drug discovery. 

Oncology Tech

Digital Health 50

Incubator/Accelerator

Seed VC - II

Seed VC - III

Teal Health focuses on women's health, specifically cervical cancer screenings. The company provides the Teal Wand, a device for at-home cervical cancer screening, which allows individuals to collect vaginal samples. Teal Health also provides virtual medical provider support. It was founded in 2020 and is based in San Francisco, California.

Name	Work History	Title	Status
Avnesh S. Thakor	University of Cambridge	Founder	Current
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Name	Avnesh S. Thakor	Subscribe to see more
Work History	University of Cambridge	Subscribe to see more
Title	Founder	Subscribe to see more
Status	Current	Subscribe to see more

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