The Pink Pineapple Podcast

What happens in therapy when someone else says the thing you thought only you were feeling?

This week, we’re joined by Claudia Radu, co-founder of Circe, a platform connecting women with therapist-led online group therapy.

Claudia shares how her own experience of group therapy shaped Circe, and why she’s starting with maternal mental health, hormonal mental health and neurodivergence.

We explore what actually happens in a therapy group, how screening and matching work, and why being supported—and sometimes challenged—by other people can be so valuable. We also discuss loneliness, the appeal of AI when you need someone to talk to at 2 a.m., and where human connection fits into the future of mental health care.

Plus: the question many of us would ask before joining a group… do I really want to share all this with strangers?

Find Circe on Instagram: @hello.circe

Losing words, struggling to concentrate, feeling less confident at work - what are we actually describing when we say “brain fog”?

Dr Claudia Pastides and Dr Emma Thornton are joined by neuroscientist and Cerebella founder Nahid Zokaei to explore women’s brain health in midlife. Nahid explains why she dislikes the term “brain fog”, how cognitive assessments can miss changes women notice in themselves, and the personal experiences that inspired her to build Cerebella.

We discuss the non-drug programme she’s developing for midlife cognitive symptoms, why co-creating with women matters, and how to turn health data into something people can act on. Plus: the realities of pitching women’s brain health to investors—and why this conversation is about confidence and working life as much as memory.

Expect fascinating neuroscience, frank founder stories, and a pine cone and an apple standing in for our usual pineapple. 🍍

We’re back for series two of The Pink Pineapple Podcast! 🍍

Our first guest is Laura Cortes, founder of Velaia. Laura was designing an app to help children with emotional regulation when conversations with mothers made her ask: who is supporting them?

Laura joins Claudia and Emma to share how her experience of postpartum depression shaped Velaia, and why she believes support for mothers needs to bring together thoughtful design, community and real-world connection. We also talk about building mental health technology with the people who will use it.

Find Laura on LinkedIn and follow Velaia at velaia.app or on Instagram.

Celebrate 30 episodes with us on the Pink Pineapple Podcast!

Discover the bold truths behind women’s health innovation as we share inspiring stories from trailblazers in femtech. Learn how personal experiences fuel groundbreaking solutions and explore the challenges and opportunities that lie ahead.

Whether you're an aspiring founder, healthcare professional, or investor, this episode is packed with insights and inspiration to drive change in the world of women’s health.

Tune in and be part of the conversation that could spark the next big breakthrough!

In this episode, we speak with Dr Clare Tower, the Authentic Pregnancy Doctor, about honesty, trust and the role of social media in maternity care.

Clare shares why transparent, evidence-based pregnancy education matters, how clinicians can use social media responsibly, and why silence, fear and outdated paternalistic practices still shape too many maternity experiences.

We talk about misinformation, burnout in obstetrics, patient trust, antenatal education and what it really means to empower women before, during and after pregnancy.

Follow Clare on social media:

TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@theauthenticpregnancydr

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/theauthenticpregnancydoctor/

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@TheAuthenticPregnancyDoctor/shorts

Join us as Ksenia Fortin-Brazeau, founder of Mothercore, shares her journey in transforming pelvic health care. Discover the real challenges women face and how innovative solutions are making a difference. This episode sheds light on the importance of pelvic health at every life stage, offering insights and practical advice for women seeking better care.

Check out Mothercore.

Follow Ksenia on LinkedIn.

In this episode we are joined by Roswitha Verwer and Dr. Muskaan Bhan from YON E Health. They discuss their innovative medical device designed to measure vaginal pH and basal body temperature, aiming to empower women with early insights into their reproductive health. The conversation delves into the challenges of developing such technology, the personal stories that inspired it, and the broader implications for women's health.

In this episode, Doyinsola Kuku, founder of Portaul, shares how her platform is transforming sexual health communication through privacy-first technology, combating stigma, and integrating prevention into everyday social interactions. Discover how Portaul aims to normalize STI testing and empower individuals to take control of their sexual well-being.

Key topics

• The mission behind Portaul: addressing the $60 billion global STI prevention gap
• The three pillars of stigma: social, informational, and conversational, and how the platform addresses each
• How Portaul facilitates discreet sharing of test results and real-time exposure alerts
• The role of community and user feedback in shaping the platform's features
• Privacy and security measures ensuring user trust and confidentiality
• Strategies for navigating social stigma and cultural barriers in sexual health
• The future vision of integrating Portaul with dating apps and wider health systems
• Challenges of marketing sexual health in a stigmatized environment
• Lessons from startup scaling: balancing perfectionism with iterative development

Resources & Links

Portaul Official Website

Portaul on TikTok

Connect with Doyinsola Kuku

LinkedIn

In this episode, we speak with Paulina Cecula, Co-Founder of Dama Health, about why women’s health prescribing still relies too heavily on trial and error, and how AI, data and personalisation could change that.

We explore hormone therapy, prescribing inequities, pharmacogenetics, clinical AI, women’s health data gaps, responsible model development, and what it really takes to build in women’s health.

Most women are told to prepare for birth, but far fewer are prepared for the emotional, psychological, and identity shift that can come with motherhood. In this powerful episode, we speak with Vanessa Rio, founder of Mothering Minds, about the hidden mental health crisis affecting new parents and why so many still suffer in silence.

Vanessa shares her journey from linguistics and journalism into women’s health innovation, and explains why specialist perinatal mental health support should be seen as essential care, not a luxury. We explore intrusive thoughts, postpartum stigma, overlooked maternal identity shifts, and the concept of matrescence: the profound brain and body transformation that occurs through motherhood.

We also discuss how technology can widen access to expert support, why fathers and partners matter in the conversation, and what modern maternity systems should look like if they truly prioritised family wellbeing.

A vital listen for parents, clinicians, and anyone interested in where women’s health meets what’s next.