Avestria Ventures Portfolio
Avestria is a venture capital firm investing in early-stage women's health and female-led healthcare companies.
As Director of Marketing, I'm responsible for the company's content, including pitch decks, blog posts, and social media among others.
I've written articles with my byline (including on Avestria's blog and in Forbes) and have ghostwritten articles on behalf of Linda Greub, Avestria's co-founder and managing partner (including in Crunchbase News, GirlTalk HQ, PitchBook, TechCrunch, and Withum Spotlight
You can also read my work on Avestria's Twitter and LinkedIn.
The November Election and Women's Health with Nurx's Caroline Hofmann
A Forbes article
May 14, 2024: May 12-18 is National Women's Health Week: a week dedicated to highlighting women's health issues and priorities. November 5, however, is Election Day: a chance to put that attention and awareness into action.
In this Forbes article, Nurx's Chief Business Officer, Caroline Hofmann, shares her thoughts on women's health for National Women's Health Week and ahead of the election. She highlights what issues she thinks are the most major and what women can do to protect, support, and improve their health for this year's National Women's Health Week, for Election Day, and beyond.
The Model Minority Is Not A Model Of Health - But Is Often Seen as One
A Forbes article
April 18, 2024: Due to their level of education to their median income and maybe even to their relatively low obesity and cancer rates, Asian Americans are often perceived as the "model minority".
But Asian Americans - as an aggregate as well as the various subgroups making up this population - are not a model of health. In fact, cancer, diabetes, and heart disease all affect Asian Americans differently from their Black, Hispanic, or white peers. The "model minority" label, as a result, not only perpetuates stereotypes but also prevents Asian-Americans from receiving relevant race- and ethnicity-specific research on and resources for their healthcare.
During National Minority Health Month in April and ahead of Asian American and Pacific Islander Heritage Month in May, this article looks at the health challenges facing Asian Americans.
Cities Are Designed For Men's Convenience - Not For Women's Health
A Forbes article
April 2, 2024: "When planners fail to account for gender, public spaces become male spaces by default" so says Caroline Criado Perez who tracks various gender biases and gender data gaps in her book: Invisible Women: Exposing Data Bias in a World Designed for Men. This article builds on that idea: that cities are designed for and by men. It explores city infrastructure including parks, snowplowing schedules, public transportation, while also highlighting cities around the world that are recognizing and trying to mitigate this male dominance.
A Novel Drug, A Protest, And The Fight to Prevent Breast Cancer Deaths
A Forbes article
March 19, 2024: On December 6, 1994, the worlds of science and activism collided at the South San Francisco headquarters of Genentech: a biotechnology company. At the time, Genentech had discovered a new target for cancer therapy and was developing a drug in response. Outside the lab, however, women diagnosed with HER2+ breast cancer weren't expected to live three to five years after their diagnosis. Taking inspiration from AIDS activist groups from the decade prior, they protested outside of Genentech's headquarters, wanting the company's novel drug, as risky and as limited as it still was, to be as accessible as possible.
This article tracks the journey of that drug, now known as Herceptin: from Genentech's development and breast cancer groups' protests to compassion use and the overarching fight to prevent future breast cancer deaths.
International Women's Day: How You Can Advance Women's Health
An Avestria blog post
March 7, 2024: While healthcare can seem complicated or overwhelming, Avestria is breaking it down into manageable steps this International Women's Day.
In this blog post, Avestria compiles actionable tips for women looking to improve their health: tips straight from our women's health portfolio company CEOs and/or founders as well as other experts in the women's health field.
We Shouldn't Dismiss the Diagnostic Power of Menstrual Blood. Period.
A Forbes article
March 4, 2024: 1.8 billion people around the world menstruate every month. But only recently have researchers and entrepreneurs looked into using menstrual fluid as a potential diagnostic.
Menstrual fluid contains not only blood but also cervical mucus, endometrial tissue, a composition of immune cells, nucleic acids, and 1061 proteins, 385 of which are unique to it. Medical professionals may thus be able to use menstrual blood instead of circulating blood - which can require inconvenient lab visits and fear-inducing needles - to diagnose conditions such as high blood sugar. They also can use menstrual blood as a potential diagnosis for conditions in which circulating blood is inadequate, like for HPV and endometriosis.
For Women With Cardiovascular Disease, The Prognosis is Disheartening
A Forbes article
February 15, 2024: Although cardiovascular disease is the biggest cause of death in women, killing one in three, the prognosis for women isn't promising.
For one example, women's heart attack symptoms tend to present differently from men's. Since they don't always have the same chest pain that has become synonymous with a heart attack, their symptoms are often dismissed or misdiagnosed. In fact, women who complained of symptoms consistent with heart disease are twice as likely to be a diagnosed with a mental illness than men who complained of identical symptoms.
The overall result is that women do not get the diagnosis, care, or attention they need - leaving their prognosis to be absolutely disheartening.
"Every Mother and Every Baby": How PeriGen Improves Perinatal Outcomes
A Forbes article
February 1, 2024: The United States has the highest maternal mortality rate among developed countries, but over 80% of maternal deaths - and over 50% of fetal deaths - are preventable.
PeriGen's three technologies help medical professionals recognize early warning signs for pregnant mothers so medical professionals can see, at a glance, what women might need their attention immediately, act quickly, and make assessments objectively.
Whether through a wearable pregnancy monitoring device, on a hospital floor, or through servers located 9,000 miles away from a healthcare clinic, the information provided by PeriGen can help improve outcomes, including mortality rates, for "every mother and every baby".
Avestria Ventures and "Women & Health": a JPM24 Recap
An Avestria blog post
January 16, 2024: For the past few years, Avestria has hosted a Women & Health Breakfast - so named because it recognizes women founders, women's health, and women in healthcare - during the J. P. Morgan Healthcare Conference in San Francisco. This year, Avestria organized a panel featuring three of Avestria's portfolio company CEOs. This recap summarizes their thoughts on the need for their product, their choices around reimbursement, their ability to reach both patients and clinicians, and more.
2024 Could Be Women's Health Long-Awaited, Much-Needed Standout Year
A Forbes article
January 15, 2024: Women's health is a unicorn in the venture capital space; it is a sector worth over $1,000,000,000. Improvements in women's health, meanwhile, may seem like a different type of unicorn: something that is inspiring but ultimately non-existent.
However, if 2023 trends hold, women's health might be seeing the start of a transformation. This article analyzes trends in funding, as well as recent attention around women's health from the federal government, the number of billion-dollar-plus women's health companies, and the successes of female leaders in women's health. It concludes that improvements in women's health are happening and that 2024 might be the year that springboards women's health from perceived niche to an essential healthcare sector.
Nuvo Improves Pregnancy Care - Even for Women Living Through a War
A Forbes article
January 9, 2024: When resources in the largest hospital in Israel had to be freed up for those injured during the war, various patients were sent elsewhere - or, in the case of high-risk pregnant women, sent home. But they were monitored using Nuvo Cares' INVU solution, which allows healthcare providers to monitor and engage with expectant mothers, even when those women are outside hospital walls.
This article covers the story behind Nuvo and how it can change maternal care and monitoring, not just for the women living through a war in Israel - but for all women who are expecting a baby.
Why We Should Keep Using Terms Like "Female Founder" and "Female CEO"
A Forbes article
December 30, 2023: As the number of female CEOs and founders has grown so has the argument about whether to specify their gender.
This article argues that we should keep using the term "female" to describe those leaders. Noting a leader as "female" means recognizing that the idiosyncratic gender-biased challenges that she has to face, acknowledging that she doesn't have an equal playing field, and realizing, as a result, that her successes mean that she has overcome the challenges of not just being a leader but of being a woman.
This Startup Can Improve Cancer Screenings, Starting with Mammograms
A Forbes article
December 19, 2023: 50% of women have dense or extremely dense breasts - that is, a higher proportion of their breasts are made up of glandular tissue and fibrous tissue rather than fatty tissue. And yet, mammograms miss 50% of breast cancers in these women.
Deeplook Medical, a healthcare startup, is helping to improve cancer screenings, starting with mammograms. Its visualization tool can find areas of concern, segment and measure them, and color-code them to improve cancer detection and inform the healthcare decisions of patients and providers.
This article covers what Deeplook Medical's visualization tool and why its needed, especially for women with dense or extremely dense breasts.
Studies Find Nonsmoking Women Getting Lung Cancer But Going Unscreened
A Forbes article
November 27, 2023: Although cigarette smoking remains the most common cause of lung cancer, studies have shown that non-smoking women are developing cancer at increasing rates - even more so than non-smoking men.
And yet, lung cancer screening guidelines still apply only to women who are 50 years older and who are or have been smokers. This discrepancy between those who are getting lung cancer and those who are getting screened for it means that non-smoking women are not only vulnerable to lung cancer but are also overlooked as a population at risk.
Infertility Is Not Only A Woman's Issue - Or Only A Woman's Fault
A Forbes article
November 7, 2023: The reason for infertility is usually equally split among partners in a heterosexual couple - so why are women still taking the blame and the burden of care?
This article explains why women have taken the emotional, mental, societal, and physical pressures of infertility, even when they're not to blame. It also covers the biotech company, Celmatix, that is developing treatments to help women and men with fertility - and that, in the process, is overcoming the precedent that infertility is a woman's issue - and a woman's fault.
Women Handle 75%+ of All Unpaid Labor. Their Health Pays the Price.
A Forbes article
October 31, 2023: On Tuesday, October 24, 2023, Icelandic women and non-binary people held the largest single-day women's strike since 1975. The goals of the strike were to bring awareness to the gender pay gap and to violence against women - but it also highlighted the value of women's work, both paid and unpaid.
Around the world, girls and women are responsible for more than 75% of all unpaid labor, including caring for others, cooking, cleaning, doing laundry, running errands and more. However, though societies depend on healthy women for this labor, the labor itself is making women unhealthy - emotionally, mentally, and physically - in the process.
"The Damsels Are Depressed": What to Know and What to Do About Women and Depression
A Forbes article
October 17, 2023: A Gallup poll in May 2023 found that depression rates are rising - especially in women. 36.7% of women say they've been diagnosed with depression at some point, 23.8% of women report being depressed/being treated for depression, and women's rate of depression has risen nearly twice as fast as men's.
Despite the rising rates, individuals - regardless of sex or gender- are also increasingly talking about mental health and/or seeking treatment - and promising research could help women with depression in the first place.
This article explores reasons what to know about women with depression, what to do about women with depression, and why the gender gap might exist in the first place.
It's World Contraception Day - and Time to Improve Birth Control. Contraline and Twentyeight Health Share More
A Forbes article
September 26, 2023: September 26 is World Contraception Day: a day that, since 2007, aims to increase young people's awareness of contraception options and make informed reproductive and sexual health-related choices.
However, the current birth control options available - for men and women alike - are lacking. One survey found that 91% of women thought that no current birth control option meet their three biggest requirements: affordability, effectiveness, and lack of side effects.
This year's World Contraception Day, as a result, is a time to realize why and how society needs to improve its birth control options - and to celebrate the companies, like Contraline and Twentyeight Health, doing exactly that.
Fasten Your Seatbelts: A Female Car Crash Test Dummy Represents the Average Women for the First Time in 60+ Years
A Forbes article
September 12, 2023: An unexpected field in which women haven't been represented proportionately? Car crash testing. Car crash test regimes currently require only male-representing dummies. In fact, the only female dummies even available were so small that they could accurately represent a 12 to 13 year old child.
The results have been car crash safety features that have primarily benefitted male drivers and passengers, not women.
The creation of a new female dummy by a group of Swedish researchers, however, might mark a pivotal moment in representing women accurately - and ensuring that they're safe as both drivers and passengers.
This article was also a Forbes Editors' Pick.
Under the Microscope: Axena Health
An Avestria blog post
September 7, 2023: Like Avestria, Axena Health is a company run by women to improve the health of women - and it specifically is starting with pelvic health improvements.
Kegels are among the most commonly prescribed exercises to strengthen both men and women's pelvic floor. However, out of 100 women, only about seven will both perform Kegels and perform Kegels correctly. Axena's first product, the Leva® Pelvic Health System: an FDA-approved, at-home, clinician-prescribed solution to help women perform Kegels correctly - and avoid the consequences of a weak pelvic floor or a pelvic floor disorder.
Learn why Avestria invested in this blog post.
Stuck in the 70s: Why the "Reference Man" Needs to Be Replaced as the Standard
A Forbes article
August 30, 2023: When it was first created in the 1975, the Reference Man was a landmark composition: the first serious attempt to represent detailed body composition data. It also meant to represent men and women alike.
The Reference Man is still used today in everything from teaching anatomy classes to sizing organs for transplants.
However, that same once-innovative reference is now out of date. This article argues for the replacement of the Reference Man with new models that accurately represent today's men and women and the physiological differences that exist between the two.
Artificial Intelligence and Women's Health: the Pros, the Cons, and the Guardrails Needed to Improve Care
A Forbes article
August 1, 2023: From identifying pre-cancerous changes to identifying at-risk pregnant women, artificial intelligence has been part of healthcare since the 1970s and into today. However, the lack of scientific information about women's health specifically - as well as the societal biases around women and women's health - can not only limit AI's effectiveness as a healthcare tool but also perpetuate misinformation.
This article reviews the pros and cons of using AI in healthcare. It also highlights Wellen, a women's health startup focused first on osteoporosis, as a case study of a company that has recognized the challenges of relying on AI and has implemented its own guardrails so that its use of artificial intelligence only helps - not harms - users.
Women's Health Ads Are Still Being Censored; The Center for Intimacy Justice Takes Actions with FTC Complaint
A Forbes article
July 17, 2023: This article was published the very same day that the Center for Intimacy Justice (CIJ), a non-profit social organization, announced that it had filed a complaint with the Federal Trade Commission against the tech giant, Meta.
The CIJ is alleging that Meta is engaging in unfair and deceptive trade practices by not allowing healthcare ads, especially for sexual health and wellness products, aimed at women and people of diverse genders, to run. In contrast, ads for men's health issues are allowed to run.
This article also includes interviews from women's health companies whose ads have - and continue to be - censored by Meta.
26 Million New Cases, Three Dimensions, and One New Technology: How Bioprinting Can Improve Cancer Treatments
A Forbes article
July 11, 2023: Passed at the end of 2022, the FDA Modernization Act 2.0 authorized the use of alternative testing models to replace animal testing: the standard for almost 85 years.
One of those alternative testing models? Bioprinting.
This article covers this novel 3D printing technology, its advantages over current standards of care, and its potential ability improve cancer treatments for current cancer patients - and the 26 million new cancer patients expected by 2030.
Happy Fourth Birthday, Avestria: The Whos, Whats, and Whys of the Firm
An Avestria blog post
July 9, 2023: On July 9, Avestria celebrated the fourth anniversary of the first close of its first fund. Now, the firm is looking at the whos, whats, and whys behind it, including who Avestria Ventures is, what our portfolio is like, and why we invest in women's health and female-led life science and healthcare companies. This blog post also gives a quick summary of each of the 19 investments that Avestria has made over the last four years.
$10 Trillion and Counting: Three Best Practices for Female GPs Looking to Capitalize on the Growing Power of Female LPs
A Forbes article
June 27, 2023: Today, American women control more than $10 trillion in assets - but they're still underrepresented and underfunded as asset managers, GPs, and founders.
How can female GPs take advantage of the growing power of women?
Sophia Platt and Emna Ghariani- co-founders of Bridge Funding Global, which connects female GPs with investors - share their three best practices to help break the historic cycle of only men funding only men.
June 10, 1993: 10 Facts About the NIH Revitalization Act As It Turns 30
A Forbes article
June 6, 2023: June 10, 2023 marks the 30th anniversary of the NIH Revitalization Act, which allowed women and minorities to participate in clinical trials. In honor of the June 10 passage of the Revitalization Act, this article covers 10 facts about it, including its history, legacy, triumphs, and challenges that it still faces today.
CDK Inhibitors: Why Women - and Men - Should Know About This 'New Era' of Cancer Treatment
A Forbes article
May 30, 2023: 40% of U.S adults will be diagnosed with cancer at some point in their lives - and, while cancer has a cultural presence, such as the pink breast cancer ribbons, cancer literacy doesn't always follow. Learning about what cancer treatments are available - including novel ones like CDK inhibitors - and how they work can keep cancer patients and their families from being overwhelmed and can allow them to make the most informed choices for their healthcare, especially as cancer cases and costs continue to rise.
Startup Radar: VCs on Femtech Startups Worth Watching
A PitchBook News interview
Ghostwrote for Linda Greub, Avestria's Co-Founder/Managing Partner
May 18, 2023: Only about 1% of all venture capital funding goes to women's health (also known as FemTech) companies. This article interviews four female venture capitalists, all focused on investing in women's health, about startups - both in and outside their current portfolios - that they think will be worth watching. The eight companies they list address a range of women's health issues: from pregnancy, labor, and delivery to cancer detection, diagnosis, and treatment.
Women's Health Apps Are Among The Least Trusted: What To Know and How To Keep Your Data As Safe As Possible
A Forbes article
May 16, 2023: One recent study found that five women's health apps were on the list of the top 10 apps that responders found the most untrustworthy. Although the survey also found that mistrust to be semi-misplaced, due to the relatively small amount of data that women's health apps collect, this article explores what to know about privacy and security and what to do to keep data safe regardless. After all, about 1/3 of American women utilize a period-tracking app: one of the most common women's health apps used today.
Are (Male) Investors Missing the Obvious? Why Investing in Female Leaders in Healthcare Can Increase Returns and Improve Health Outcomes
A Crunchbase News op-ed
Ghostwrote for Linda Greub, Avestria's Co-Founder/Managing Partner
May 12, 2023: Male investors still control the majority of financial assets and of investment power. However, they have historically under-invested in female leaders in healthcare. This op-ed argues that female leaders in healthcare should be an obvious, not an overlooked, investment opportunity because of women's involvement as healthcare decision-makers, patients, and workers - and because of female teams' superior performance to male teams'.
Beyond the Mythos of the 4%: Three Alternative Sources of Funding for Companies Looking for Capital
A Forbes article
April 27, 2023: Venture capital still seems to go from white male investors to white male founders. But founders who don't fit that mold don't have to reply on venture capital for funding; they can turn to angel investors, crowdsourcing, or grants to help their companies receive capital.
Under the Microscope: Candesant Biomedical
An Avestria blog post
April 20, 2023: Published only about a week after Candesant's first product received FDA clearance, this blog post explores why Avestria first invested in Candesant Biomedical.
Candesant is focusing on treatments for hyperhidrosis, or excessive sweating, which affects 15.3 million people in the United States. Candesant's Brella™ SweatControl™ patch helps treat patients in under three minutes, allowing them to remain sweat-free for three to four months and regain the quality of their lives.
Learn why Avestria invested in this blog post.
Women's Health is an Unseen Opportunity
An Avestria blog post
April 17, 2023: This article looks forward to a webinar that Avestria Ventures hosted with Startup Tri-Valley and Raydiant Oximetry. Despite the fact that women are half the population, only 4% of all healthcare research and development goes specifically to their health products and services. The result is that women's safety is compromised, including in childbirth. This article previews the webinar, which features why women's health has been overlooked, what we can do, and how one of Avestria's portfolio companies specifically is helping to fill the gaps in healthcare for women.
International Women's Day: By the Numbers - 10 Challenges Facing Women & Women's Health
An Avestria blog post
March 7, 2023: Every International Women's Day, Avestria publishes a special themed blog post. This year's counts down from 10 to 1 and gives a specific challenge facing women and/or women's health for every number.
For example, about 10% of girls and women didn't have health insurance recently, about six months have passed since the creation of the first car crash test dummy that represents the average female, and cardiovascular diseases kills one in three women.
Read the full list in this blog.
Read this post on Medium.
Being a Woman Doesn't Have to Be a (Chronic) Pain
A Forbes article
April 5, 2023: 70% of those with chronic pain are women - and yet, women are more likely than men to be dismissed, to be misdiagnosed and mistreated, and to wait for emergency services. This article demonstrates the various ways that women in chronic pain are at a disadvantage to their male counterparts as well as recommends a few strategies, such as representing women proportionally in clinical trials around chronic pain, to start mitigating this difference.
Why Investing in Women's Health is Impact Investing
A Fast Company op-ed
February 24, 2023: Impact investing is growing in popularity, offering investors a chance to contribute to social good as well as financial gains.
This op-ed argues that women's health is a sector that has been historically overlooked but meets the goals of impact investing. Investing in women's health betters not just individual women but also families, workforces, and economies.
Plus, investing in female founders - who are the usual founders of women's health companies - offers economic advantages as well as social ones.
The Rise of Interest and Investment in Women's Health
A MedCity News article
January 19, 2023: In the third century BCE, the Greek philosopher Aristotle believed that women were deformed: the opposite of strong, healthy men.
Thousands of years later, this gender bias still persists - and affects the way that women's health is diagnosed, understood, and treated.
However, the interest and investment in women's health and in women's health companies has slowly been rising over the past few years. This article tracks the reason for that increase, the new understanding that women are not just small or deformed men, and the social and economic benefits of investing in the women's health market.
Avestria and "Women & Health": A Recap of the J. P. Morgan Healthcare Conference
An Avestria blog post
January 17, 2023: The J.P. Morgan Healthcare Conference is the largest healthcare symposium in the industry - and, after a two-year hiatus, returned to in-person events in 2023. Avestria, in turn, hosted its traditional "Women & Health" Breakfast, which is named because it supports women's health, women entrepreneurs and (women) in healthcare and the life sciences.
Read a recap of Avestria's event, including major takeaways from the three panelists and other insights from the room of entrepreneurs, investors, strategics, and supporters.
The Top 10 Women's Health Opportunities for 2023
An Avestria blog post
December 20, 2022: The end of one year marks the season of making predictions for the year ahead - and Avestria is jumping on this trend. Changes in digital advertising policies, new political attention on maternal and reproductive health, and changes in standards and references for medical care and education are all included on Avestria's list of the top 10 opportunities for women's health innovation in 2023.
Under the Microscope: ENB Therapeutics
An Avestria blog post
November 3, 2022: In 2018, James P. Allison and Tasuku Honjo won the Nobel Prize for Medicine for their work in advancing a relatively new field of cancer treatment: immunotherapy.
ENB Therapeutics, the first investment of Avestria Ventures Fund II, is building off their work: developing a small molecule drug that increase the effectiveness of a common immunotherapy treatment: Immune Checkpoint Inhibitors
Learn why Avestria invested in this blog post.
5 Questions Emerging Managers Should Ask Before Selecting LPs
A TechCrunch op-ed
Ghostwrote for Linda Greub, Avestria's Co-Founder/Managing Partner
February 24, 2023: For emerging managers - those who are still new to running a venture capital fund - finding investors (also known as LPs, or limited partners) is crucial.
However, not all LPs are created equal. In this op-ed, Linda Greub covers the five questions that emerging managers should ask before adding an LP to their fund: which LPs are the emerging managers targeting? Do your target LPs understand your investment thesis? Are you close to the decision-maker? Do your target LPs understand venture capital investing? What other resources can your potential LPs provide?
Happy Third Birthday, Avestria: We're Answering Your FAQs
An Avestria blog post
July 9, 2022: July 9 marks Avestria's third birthday or, in other words, the third anniversary since the first close of its first fund.
This blog post covers the questions that we've been asked most frequently since then - ranging from why Avestria focuses on women's health and female-led life science ventures to why the term "FemTech" is relevant to how the readers can support Avestria. It also touches upon some lessons learned after three years, two company exits, and one closed fund behind the company.
Under the Microscope: Antiva Biosciences
An Avestria blog post
April 21, 2022: If one women dies of cervical cancer every two minutes, then treating cervical lesions before they become cancerous can save the lives of millions of women around the world.
Antiva Biosciences is targeting this market with its novel, at-home topical therapeutic for pre-cancerous cervical lesions.
Learn why Avestria invested in this blog post.
How can we get more dollars to diverse asset managers and founders?
An Avestria blog post
March 22, 2022: Currently, it'll take ~200 years for female fund managers to have equal status to male ones.
How can we start to close this gap? One way is to rethink college and university endowments in order to benefit both diverse asset managers and founders.
International Women's Day: By the Letters - Opportunities in Women's Health
An Avestria blog post
March 8, 2022: A is for autoimmune disorders...
B is for birth control...
C is for cardiovascular disease...
D is for...?
On International Women's Day 2022, Avestria tracks opportunities for improvement, innovation, and investment in women's health - one for every letter of the alphabet.
Under the Microscope: Curio Digital Therapeutics
An Avestria blog post
November 4, 2021: Postpartum depression affects 10-20% of mothers around the world (14 million to 28 million women) - and yet fewer than 20% of them get treated.
Through a suite of digital tools, Curio Digital Therapeutics is helping to identify, diagnose, prevent, and treat these women.
Under the Microscope: AmplifiDx
An Avestria blog post
October 21, 2021: The COVID-19 pandemic brought an exponential interest in quick, reliable testing, especially PCR testing, and a massive backlog as laboratories tried to fulfill this demand.
AmplifiDx is developing a low-cost platform to detect infectious diseases, starting with COVID-19, not only with PCR-level sensitivity but also with the convenience of testing and receiving results at home and within an hour.
Learn why Avestria invested in this blog post.
Under the Microscope: Mae
An Avestria blog post
September 16, 2021: What if you're pregnant but worried about racial and/or gender discrimination from doctors?
Mae's "digital marketplace" for pregnant women - starting with Black women - aims to mitigate the treatment they receive. The company helps connect these women to the education, resources and support they need for a healthy pregnancy and postpartum period.
Learn why Avestria invested in this blog post.
Investing in FemTech
A 2021 FemTech Market Report
August 16, 2021: How did "FemTech" go from a word first coined to make male investors comfortable with investing in women's healthcare to a market projected to be worth $60B+ by 2025?
This chapter in investing in FemTech for FemTech Collective's 2021 Market Report covers the challenges facing founders of femtech companies, areas for innovation, and the positive economic impact of putting dollars into women's health.
Happy Second Birthday, Avestria: Looking at the Past, Present, and Future of the Firm
An Avestria blog post
July 9, 2021: To celebrate Avestria Ventures' second birthday, this blog post looks at the past, present, and future of the company. It covers why Avestria was originally founded, what three major lessons the team has learned, and what the company is looking forward to in the years to come.
Under the Microscope: AOA Dx
An Avestria blog post
June 28, 2021: By 2035, new cases of ovarian cancer are predicted to increase by 55% and deaths by 67%. One way to decrease the fatality rate, though, is through early diagnosis: the focus of AOA Dx.
AOA'snovel blood test, which focuses on detecting circulating tumor gangliosides, can help increase early detection, decrease cost, and save patients' lives.
Learn why Avestria invested in this blog post.
International Women's Day: By the Numbers - Investing in Women & Women's Health
An Avestria blog post
March 8, 2021: Although women are the major workers, decision-makers, and consumers when it comes to healthcare, Avestria still hears that women's health is a niche investment sector.
This blog post for International Women's Day 2021 focuses on the numbers behind women’s healthcare - including female founders of and female investors in women's health - to show the current lack of support for women's health and the economic opportunity that it represents.
Under the Microscope: DrugViu
An Avestria blog post
February 18, 2021: About 40% of the U.S population is a minority - but clinical trial participants for healthcare products remain mostly white and male.
DrugViu is serving the needs of minority patients, especially those with autoimmune diseases, to help them understand their symptoms, receive a diagnose, connect with others, and learn about the efficacy of different medications.
Learn why Avestria invested in this blog post.
Under the Microscope: Genome Medical
An Avestria blog post
January 14, 2021: The era of genomic medicine arguably started in 1990 with the Human Genome Project and is still going strong today, more than 30 years later.
Genome Medical has differentiated itself in this massive market through its platform and clinician network, which allow the company to deliver low-cost, high-quality genetic counseling, including to those in underserved areas.
Learn why Avestria invested in this blog post.
Under the Microscope: Knowledge to Practice
An Avestria blog post
January 7, 2021: When medical information doubles every 73 days, how can medical professionals keep up and deliver the best care possible?
Knowledge to Practice (K2P) helps physicians with their board reviews and continuing medical education by offering convenient and personalized microlearning modules - allowing physicians to access needed education without a huge sacrifice on their time.
Learn why Avestria invested in this blog post.
Under the Microscope: Rhinostics
An Avestria blog post
December 16, 2020: By December 2020, the COVID-19 had led to nearly 192 million tests with more than a million done daily - but processing 500 tests is more than a full day’s work for a single technician.
Rhinostics' one-piece cap-and-swab combo, dual barcodes, and automated workflow help save time, reduce manual error, and
Learn why Avestria invested in this blog post.
Under the Microscope: Raydiant Oximetry
An Avestria blog post
December 9, 2020: The current standard of care to monitor fetal safety during labor and delivery is electronic fetal heart rate monitoring: a technology that was introduced in the 1970s and hasn't been significantly changed since.
Raydiant Oximetry's LUMERAH helps monitors fetal oxygenation and detect fetal hypoxia during labor, working with fetal heart rate monitoring, to provide objective results, reduce medically unnecessary C-sections, and keep mothers and babies safe during childbirth.
Learn why Avestria invested in this blog post.
Under the Microscope: Madorra
An Avestria blog post
December 3, 2020: Around 50% of menopausal women and 70% of breast cancer survivors experience vaginal atrophy: a condition that only worsens without treatment.
Madorra's device provides a non-invasive, non-hormonal treatment to these women - and all others who don't want to or can't use common hormone treatment options - to bring them relief and an improved quality of life.
Learn why Avestria invested in this blog post.
Under the Microscope: Uqora
An Avestria blog post
November 19, 2020: Feeling stressed, swimming in a lake, or having a profession — like an ambulance driver — that doesn't allow bathroom breaks as needed: all these factors increase an individual's risk of urinary tract infections. In fact, 12% of men will have at least one UTI in their life while 50% to 60% of adult women will.
Uqora is developing a line of urinary health products that include FDA-approved for their ability to flush bacteria from the system. The company's products have helped over 100,000 people!
Learn why Avestria invested in this blog post.
Under the Microscope: Alydia Health
An Avestria blog post
November 12, 2020: The United States has the highest maternal mortality rate in the developed world.
But one of the main causes of maternal mortality - postpartum hemorrhage - can be treated. Alydia Health's Jada System helps stop postpartum hemorrhage within minutes and without the same risks to the mother as other treatment options such as blood transfusions or hysterectomies.
Learn why Avestria invested in this blog post.
The healthcare system has long ignored women's health and failed female patients. Female-backed health startups can change things.
A Business Insider op-ed
September 27, 2020: Although women compose 50% of the population, only 4% of all healthcare research and development goes towards women's health issues specifically.
Ignoring sex-based health differences only puts women's health at risk. This op-ed not only argues for increased research in and funding towards women's health but also proposes a solution - levying female investors and women-centric health ventures to replace the male standard in healthcare and develop women-centric care.
Read this op-ed on Business Insider.