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The femtech market is set to reach $60 billion USD by 2027.
Why? Because it provides crucial innovations to improve the health and happiness of 50% of the global population – the women that menstruate, and those that don’t want to. Those that go through pregnancy and those who want to prevent it. Those who are tackling menopause, or teenage hormonal fluctuations, or new motherhood and want to understand and respond to the totally natural changes their bodies are undergoing. The list goes on.
While femtech used to refer to the uterus and little more, its definition has expanded to infant nutrition, egg freezing, childcare support, menstrual tracking, data-driven health products and more. Unsurprisingly, the majority of the business leading the space are founded by women – women who noticed gaps in the market and recognised the expansive healthcare and lifestyle needs of billions of women worldwide that have traditionally been left behind by advancements in medicine and technology. And yet, only 10% of global investment goes into female-founded businesses – despite the fact that female-led businesses are more likely to exit than their male-founded counterparts.
This is something that all of us in the investment space are looking to change – and it starts by recognising the ambitious, game-changing startups dedicated to improving the lives of women, at every phase of their lives, around the world. &SISTERS is one of these.
Founded by daughter mother duo, Lucy and Claire, &SISTERS is developing the menstrual health ecosystem of the future. They recognised that a person menstruating uses 11,000 period products in their lifetime on average – and most are completely unaware that the products they reach for in the period care aisle are laden with chemicals and plastic. So, they set out to create a brand that honours the body of its user, and the planet around them. They developed one of the UK’s widest ranges of natural, certified organic period care. Every last bit of their cotton period care is sustainably sourced, plastic-free, recyclable and biodegradable. In fact, the production of their organic cotton uses 91% less water, 62% less energy and saves 46% greenhouse gas emissions versus conventional cotton. Even their nüdie (menstrual) cup is made of naturally occurring silica – and everything they create is packaged sustainably and beautifully to boot.
Not only are they building a greener, kinder future, &SISTERS is smashing the stigma of menstruation by giving women the tools they need to do what’s right for them. But ethical products are just the beginning – &SISTERS have their sights on a holistic, data-driven platform to allow women to navigate their menstrual, sexual and hormonal health, all from their device.
The global demand for better, cleaner, sustainable period care products is incontrovertible. This year alone &SISTERS have sold over 300,000 tampons, pads and liners and more than 1,800 nüdie period cups* throughout the UK, Europe, Asia and Australasia. They’re currently serving over 1,000 customers through their D2C platform and are stocked in over 75 small chains and independents, including Oliver Bonas, Next Beauty, Abel & Cole, Farmdrop, Ecovibe, Feel Unique and Planet Organic.
&SISTERS are on a mission to change the lives of ‘Sisters’ around the world – they even donate 10% of their profits to helping eradicate period poverty through education and empowerment.
At Seedrs, our mission is to celebrate and power the growth of businesses that will drastically change their industries for the better – especially when they’re female-founded, female-focused and will pave the way for many more of their kind to do just the same.
To support &SISTERS’ vision for ethical period care, and continue to fuel a change toward equal gender representation in the private equity investment space, visit their pitch now.
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*Based on figures from Jan-Oct 2020
