his episode explores the fast growing FemTech sector, where we talk about the technology being created to address women’s health needs.   Our guests Rachel Bartholomew and Dr. Jennifer Johnston are both FemTech founders, who created their companies in response to personal and professional frustrations with outdated tools and knowledge in women’s health.  They shed light on the persistent gender data gap, the importance of designing inclusive diagnostics and the massive economic and social opportunities that exist in women’s health innovation.  

Key Takeaways:

• Innovation is born of necessity.  Both Bartholomew and Johnston developed new tech after identifying major gaps in women’s care and treatment options. 
• Data is power.  FemTech offers new ways to generate objective, consistent health data.  This is essential to closing the gender data gap in medicine and in diagnostics. 
• It’s a sector on the rise.  FemTech in Canada is becoming a global player, but still receives just a fraction of healthcare funding. 

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• Rachel Bartholomew, founder and CEO  of Hyivy and founder of FemTech Canada
• Dr. Jennifer Johnston, family physician and founder of Elle, MD

The Fifth Wave is produced by Story Studio Network.