FemTech
FemTech - Where innovation meets inclusiveness
FemTech is changing the game and breaking barriers towards gender equality and empowerment of women and girls*. AFRY’s mission is to support companies developing innovative solutions within healthcare, design, and product development, ensuring inclusivity for everyone.
A holistic approach to FemTech
At AFRY, we believe in developing tools and methodologies with industry partners to take a gender-responsive approach to innovation. We understand the driving forces behind the MedTech industry, as well as other sectors where the FemTech concept can be applied.
Our dedicated and experienced consultants support you in advanced development and production in an extensively regulated environment, and within a broad range of sectors – all with the aim to support development of new gender diverse technical innovations. We always provide our clients with solutions tailored to their needs.
AFRY also strives to educate and build awareness to advocate for and grow innovative thinking that advances gender equality. We encourage girls and women to work as designers and engineers, and promote women as innovators and entrepreneurs.
Our broad offering within FemTech
AFRY is a global engineering and consulting company, employing thousands of highly skilled specialists with relevant competence to support and accelerate the FemTech industry. We have experience in managing development projects for many different types of products, and can support in a variety of areas, through all parts of the product life cycle. Regardless of what your challenge looks like, we will help you in the best way.
Examples of competences
AFRY develops mechanical design of hormone reader
inne by Feral, a German biotech start-up, is the world's first at-home fertility monitoring system, using your saliva. They contacted AFRY when they needed a reliable partner for mechanical plastic design. AFRY has offered extensive services and support, from mechanical engineering and plastic design to technical advice.
Can gender perspectives of the end user save lives?
A common challenge in product development is that the engineer does not have sufficient experience of what the environment looks like where the product is to be used. If both product developers and expert consultants are mostly men, how does this affect the end user experience if the end user is a woman?
FemTech changes the field of product development
Despite women making up nearly half of the world's population, there exists a notable disparity in investment and product development for female health. Furthermore, everyday items like furniture, smartphones, and cars are often tailored for the average white man. FemTech tackles the current gender imbalance in the industry.
FemTech explained
The official term FemTech, short for female technology, was founded in 2016 and describes the technological area addressing women's health concerns. Despite scientific and innovational advances in other areas of health care, female healthcare has been neglected for many years*. Did you know that only 4 % of the global healthcare research and development budget is allocated to women's health**, even if half of the world's population are women?
In the field of FemTech, companies are committed to innovate technical solutions for health conditions affecting women differently or disproportionately than men. In some cases, symptoms can vary between genders, which can lead to wrong diagnosis, followed by wrong treatment. Diagnostic tools, digital services and wearables are all example of FemTech products.
The term FemTech can also be used in a broader context, not just within the medical field. For example, products marketed as unisex such as office furniture, smartphones and cars are often designed based on men***. Design that takes into account the physiological differences between men and women, can also fall under the wider term of FemTech.
* Source: The World Economic Forum.
** Source: Forbes.
*** Source: Harvard University.
- There is a massive mismatch between investments and development of products and services addressed to females' health concerns – something that FemTech targets, with the intention of making a difference.
- The concept of FemTech contributes to reducing gender inequality in the tech-field, as many of the entrepreneurs within FemTech are women.
- FemTech often contributes to raising topics that are stigmatised, taboo or not generally well-known in society – increasing awareness about these topics.
- Many FemTech companies design their products and services beyond stereotypes and focus on marginalised groups and LGBTQI+ populations.
Source: Forbes; read more here
The rise of digital health and wearable technology has provided new opportunities for innovation in this space.
On the health care side, menstruation and period care products remain focal points. Areas such as fertility, birth control, menopause, and hormonal disorders are on the rise, with many unexplored opportunities. Studies also show that women are not only consumers but the primary decision makers both for themselves and their families – making them a great purchasing power*.
Designing for gender diversity presents several possibilities, not only within health care but across various industries. It not only offers opportunities for business growth and innovation but also contributes to a more inclusive and equitable society. By embracing diversity in design, companies can create products and services that better meet the needs of all individuals, regardless of gender identity.
FemTech is a largely untapped market with endless possibilities.
*Source: Medical News; Read more here
*On this page we have chosen to refer to girls/women/females due to the lack of officially recognised expressions that cover a more diverse population. Within the concept of FemTech, everyone born with a uterus is included no matter gender identity. We are aware that the term FemTech itself can give a sense of exclusion. We welcome all suggestions on better expressions and terms to use.
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