Founded by a PayPal veteran and Navy officer. Built for the founders VC keeps overlooking.
Women-led startups deliver 2.5x better returns than male-founded companies — and still receive less than 2% of US venture capital. AQi, launched in 2024, is the only Regulation Crowdfunding platform built exclusively for women-owned businesses. Founders keep 90–95% equity. The traditional VC route is no longer the only option.
VIA FutureFemHealth
ŌURA has sold more than 5.5m rings to date, filed confidentially for a US IPO, and projects 5m paid members this quarter. Gaia Fertility raised a $100m debt facility to scale operations across the US, adding to $37 million in equity funding for its model that underwrites IVF risk. Nourish secured $100m in Series C funding to expand its AI-powered metabolic health clinic, now supporting over 10,000 registered dietitians with payer coverage reaching over 200 million lives. Cyclana Bio received Health Research Authority approval for a 500-patient clinical observational study to improve understanding of endometriosis, a condition affecting 1 in 10 women. These developments indicate significant investment and innovation across reproductive health, metabolic health, and chronic disease management, impacting femtech operators as customer access expands and new care models validate.
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— The Luteal Editorial Team
VIA STAT News
Brazil approved EMS's Ozivy, the first generic version of Novo Nordisk's Ozempic, for type 2 diabetes. EMS will sell Ozivy for 30% less than Ozempic and plans to offer 350,000 pens initially. This approval creates cheaper competition for diabetes and weight loss drugs.
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— The Luteal Editorial Team
VIA FutureFemHealth
Teal Health launched a pilot with Washington University School of Medicine to expand access to at-home cervical cancer screening across Illinois and Missouri. The initiative tests how community-based outreach and local partnerships can make women's health infrastructure more accessible. Findings could help health systems and public health organizations scale cervical cancer screening and preventive women's healthcare.
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— The Luteal Editorial Team
VIA Crunchbase News
Women-led startups consistently receive less than 2% of U.S. venture capital, despite delivering 2.5 times better returns than male-founded startups. Aequitas Invest (AQi), launched in 2024, helps women-led businesses raise capital through Regulation Crowdfunding. AQi, an SEC-registered and FINRA-member platform, is the only Reg CF platform founded by women, owned by women, and exclusively serving women-owned businesses. AQi takes a 6.5% success fee and currently has a pipeline of 20 businesses; founders typically give up only 5%-10% equity.
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— The Luteal Editorial Team
VIA FemTech World
14 million workdays are lost each year in Britain due to menopause, and 80% of UK employers have yet to implement proper support measures. Anthropologists and psychologists interviewed 60 women aged 45 to 61 between March and June 2021, revealing that 78% reported weight gain and 58% experienced mood disturbances. This information vacuum has led to a £14.7bn global 'meno-tech' industry, though reliable information and medical support for patients remain limited, impacting femtech operators and clinicians focusing on menopause.
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— The Luteal Editorial Team