It's raining (wo)men! And by ☔️, I mean 💰 in women's health startups.

For years, women’s healthcare has been underfunded, under-researched, and underserved. The consequences are real: The US has the highest maternal mortality rate of any developed nation, women's health research remains minimal, and access to fertility treatments is often cost-prohibitive. Despite these problems, this sector has been sidelined in the investment world. Why? A culmination of reasons including but not limited to:

1. People calling the shots in the investment world are dominated (89%) by XY chromosomes.

2. Women have been historically under-represented the medical research pipeline, such as clinical trials, resulting in knowledge gaps of female-specific health conditions.

3. Many women’s health concerns (like endometriosis, PCOS, and postpartum depression) lack standardized diagnostic and treatment pathways (re: knowledge gap), making them less appealing for investors seeking quick returns.

However, the tides are shifting as stakeholders have come to realize there is money to be made. Venture capital (VC) firms are now pouring billions into women’s health startups, recognizing the untapped market potential and the urgent need for innovation in maternal care, longevity, and reproductive health.

So, why are investors suddenly paying attention?

Startups focusing on fertility, postpartum care, menopause, and maternal health are seeing record levels of investment. From established companies like Kindbody ($155M raised) , Progyny (IPO in 2019, now valued at over $5B), Maven ($300M+ raised), to newcomers like SimpliFed ($10.5M raised for virtual maternal care) and Partum Health ($6.6M raised) are leading the charge in transforming women’s healthcare.

Several factors are driving this investment boom:

1. Market Size & Untapped Potential

   • Women’s healthcare is a $1+ trillion industry, yet historically, only 1% of healthcare R&D funding has gone toward women’s health. Investors are realizing the vast, underserved market potential.

2. Regulatory & Policy Changes *

   • Policymakers are pushing for better maternal care coverage, expanded postpartum Medicaid benefits, and better access to contraception and menopause treatments. This makes the space more financially viable for long-term investment.

3. Consumer Demand & Shifting Norms

   • Women are more proactive and vocal about their health needs, demanding better options for birth control, menopause care, postpartum recovery, fertility treatments, and more.

4. Tech & Telehealth Boom

   • The rise of AI-driven diagnostics, telemedicine, and remote patient monitoring has made it easier for startups to scale services without relying on traditional brick-and-mortar healthcare systems.

5. Investing in Women Benefits All Genders

   • More research published shows overall economic impact of investing in women's health.

   • For example, WHAM found that $300 million investment in women's health research generates a $13 billion economic return, leading to reduced healthcare costs and increased productivity.

One of the biggest subcategories attracting funding right now? 🤰 Postpartum and maternal care.

We already mentioned how the US is failing its citizens on the Maternal Mortality front. One current factor being that postpartum care ends six weeks after birth—leaving many mothers struggling with health complications, depression, and lack of support.

Companies like Boram Postnatal Retreat, Yuzi Care, and Village Postnatal Retreat are pioneering luxury postpartum recovery centers, inspired by East Asian traditions of sanhujoriwon (postnatal care hotels) to tackle this problem. However, these services cost some major coins ($1,000+ per night), making them inaccessible for most women.

Real opportunity lies in scaling postpartum care to be more inclusive. Startups like Millie and SimpliFed (who recently raised more capital) are addressing this by integrating midwifery care, home visits, lactation support, and virtual monitoring—a model that could revolutionize maternal care at scale.

What about women after child-bearing years?

During JPM's 2025 conference this past January, I listened to a Female Founder pitch her company.

She started with the sentence, "My company tackles a problem that 50% of people in the world have or will suffer from, " she paused, letting us stew a little. "Menopause."

The joke earned an awkward (and hopefully self-reflective??) laugh from the predominantly male crowd making it evident their minds definitely did not come to the menopause conclusion. She then launched into more sobering statistics re: menopause struggles which had us all locked in.

Luckily, companies like Midi Health, Gameto, and Celmatix are attracting investment by addressing hormonal aging, menopause symptoms, and ovarian longevity. As women live longer and prioritize wellness, VC firms see huge potential in this space.

This creates new opportunities for women's health nurses, particularly those specializing in hormone therapy, longevity coaching, and metabolic health.

What does this mean for Nurses & other Clinicians?

Venture capital’s growing interest in women’s health startups is not just a financial trend—it’s a fundamental shift in how healthcare is delivered. While the initial wave of investment is focused on premium and concierge services, the next challenge is making these innovations accessible to all women.

Nurses, midwives, and women’s health Clinicians will play a critical role in shaping this new landscape. Here are key opportunities for nurses to build Nurse Forward healthcare:

1. Join Telehealth & Digital Health Startups

   • Many startups are looking for nurses, midwives, and lactation consultants to provide virtual care, patient education, and remote monitoring.

2. Become an Advocate for Policy & Coverage Expansion

   • Nurses can play a key role in advocating for insurance coverage of postpartum care, menopause treatments, and fertility services. This can be simple as encouraging patients to ask insurers about coverage for these services. More people asking = more demand.

3. Specialize in Emerging Fields Like Longevity & Menopause

   • As these sectors grow, nurses trained in hormone therapy, metabolic health, and longevity medicine will be needed.

4. Partner with Startups to Expand Access

   • Many of these VC-backed companies need clinical expertise to scale their models, making nurses valuable collaborators.

* At time of publication. The US Federal Government is making lots of changes daily (lol).