Women’s health is opening new doors in science and investment
The landscape of women’s health is undergoing a seismic shift, driven by scientific breakthroughs, evolving policies, and a surge in investment.
A panel discussion at Biotech Showcase in San Francisco, California, explored the opportunities and challenges in this rapidly growing sector. Their insights revealed a compelling argument: women’s health is a transformative business opportunity and a moral imperative.
The report “Losing the Women’s Health Gap: A $1 Trillion Opportunity to Improve Lives and Economies,” published in 2024 by the World Economic Forum (WEF) in partnership with the McKinsey Health Institute (MHI), highlighted that the women’s health gap results in women spending 25% more of their lives in poor health compared to men. Addressing this gap could lead to an annual gain of 75 million disability-adjusted life years – equivalent to adding seven healthy days per year for every woman – and generate $1 trillion in additional global GDP annually by 2040.
“We really need to mainstream this space and build the market,” said Jessica Federer, founder of the Women’s Health Fund. She described how they want investors in the space “but we want the decisions to be evidence based. We want solid companies to be funded [because] we don’t have time for a ten-year hype curve. We don’t have time for that bubble. We need to make progress, and we owe it to the women in our lives, to our families.”
Federer also pointed out to the audience how women use GLP-1 medicines at a higher rate than men and commented how it is “the most profitable sector of the most profitable industry in the world that’s largely driven by women.”
Data could equal dollars
Federer’s argument is clear: the sector must avoid the pitfalls of overvaluation and hype and focus instead on evidence-based investment and sustainable growth. In turn, the sector’s untapped potential could offer both societal impact and lucrative returns.
Tracy Warren, senior managing director at the American Heart Association’s Go Red for Women Fund, also called for evidence-based interventions to ensure accountability and rigor. “Evidence and data are the greatest way to show progress,” Warren stated. Her argument about the need for strong clinical outcomes and validated studies aligns with the broader push for scientific rigor in women’s health innovation, a critical factor in attracting mainstream investment.
The push for robust clinical data and validation also links to potentially more sustainable capital. Fellow panelist Stacy Seltzer, managing partner at Pontiva Healthcare Partners, emphasized the importance of sustained funding to scale innovation. “What this market really needs is kind of the next stage of investment – the clinical and commercial stage larger dollars,” she explained. While early-stage investment has driven innovation, Seltzer argued that the sector’s growth hinges on larger, long-term funding to translate breakthroughs into impactful solutions.
The need to collaborate
Partnerships are often hailed as an integral mechanism for driving success. Kristina Simmons, founder of Overwater Ventures, emphasized the transformative potential of collaboration.
“How can you put one plus one together to equal ten? It’s all around partnerships at every level,” she said. Her vision for impactful alliances spans pharma, government, and technology, creating a foundation for scaling solutions and driving systemic change.
Alice Ng, partner at Foreground Capital, highlighted the critical need of collaboration because “we all deserve a seat at the table to help fill these gaps.” Ng also pointed out how we must “absolutely celebrate the men in the room because we can’t just have women innovating in women’s health, investing in women’s health. We actually need everybody to care, and everyone should care because it’s a good business opportunity.”
Together, the panelists underscored that women’s health is not a niche market but a significant opportunity for innovation and impact.
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