Femtech At Work

Maaike Steinebach

Femtech At Work is a new podcast that showcases inspiring femtech founders, corporate champions of women’s health in the workplace, and ecosystem innovators. Starting off in Hong Kong we will travel across Asia and Oceania and the rest of the world to explore the most innovative new women’s health solutions around reproductive health and diseases that disproportionately affect women, talk about the challenges and opportunities of starting a women’s health company and the role of the workplace for impact and change.

  1. Women’s Mental Health in Australia: Data, Policy, and the Liptember Legacy

    5H AGO

    Women’s Mental Health in Australia: Data, Policy, and the Liptember Legacy

    When a man launches a women’s mental health fundraiser and accidentally builds Australia’s leading organisation for women’s mental health, something in the system is clearly broken and ready for change. This episode is a front-row seat to that transformation. In this episode of Femtech at Work, we sit down with Luke Morris, founder and CEO of Women’s Mental Health Australia (formerly the Liptember Foundation), to unpack how a quirky fundraising idea turned into a national movement reshaping women’s mental health across the lifespan. You’ll hear how mental health systems were historically built on male data, and how Women’s Mental Health Australia is closing the gap by connecting women’s physical and mental health—from PMDD and PCOS to perinatal mental health and menopause. If you care about women’s health, gender equity, or simply want to understand how one idea can shift a national conversation, this episode will challenge, inspire, and move you to action. Key Takeaways: Find out how a casual fundraising idea based on lipstick evolved into Australia’s leading women’s mental health organisationDiscover why a male founder chose women’s mental health as his life’s work and what this says about true male allyshipHow mental health systems built on male physiology and data have failed women in both research and clinical practiceUnderstand how conditions like PMDD and PCOS dramatically increase women’s mental health burden and why they’re so often overlookedDiscover how gender-disaggregated data is rewriting the story of women’s mental health in AustraliaFind out how a long-term partnership with Chemist Warehouse became the catalyst that took Liptember from a small fundraiser to a national forceLearn how Women’s Mental Health Australia uses annual research to decide where every donated dollar can have the most impactUnderstand why geography, city vs regional and remote, still shapes access to quality mental health care for womenDiscover how new programs like the Working Mothers initiative aim to support women navigating the return to work after childbirth Resources: Luke Morris: LinkedIn Women’s Mental Health Australia: LinkedIn Women’s Mental Health Australia: https://www.womensmentalhealthaustralia.org.au/ Maaike Steinebach LinkedIn Website Femtech Future: https://www.femtechfuture.com Instagram Femtech Future: @femtech_future This episode with Luke Morris is more than a story about a charity. It's a blueprint for how courage, data, and relentless advocacy can reshape an entire system for women. If this conversation opened your eyes to how deeply the system has failed women, don’t let it stop at awareness. Share this episode with someone who needs to hear it, and become part of the movement that’s rewriting the story of women’s mental health. Let's keep amplifying voices that move women’s health forward. Thank you, and see you next week for another powerful episode of Femtech at Work.

    34 min
  2. Inside Inoya: Patented Menstrual Cup Design, Social Impact and the Future of Period Care

    APR 2

    Inside Inoya: Patented Menstrual Cup Design, Social Impact and the Future of Period Care

    What happens when a registered nurse and public health practitioner discovers that the menstrual products she relies on are filled with undisclosed chemicals—and decides to redesign period care from the ground up? Today at FemTech at Work, we have Helena U, founder of Inoya, to unpack her unexpected journey from clinical practice and public health into the world of femtech and sustainable period care. If you care about women’s health, ethical products, sustainable periods, or you’re a clinician or founder sitting on a big idea, this episode will challenge how you think about “normal” period care and what it takes to build a company that truly aligns with your values. Key Takeaways: Find out how a research session on hidden chemicals in pads pushed Helena from frustrated consumer to Femtech founderLearn what really goes into many conventional menstrual products and why ingredient transparency and regulation are still so “loose” in AustraliaDiscover why Helena abandoned the idea of single-use organic pads and pivoted to reusable products after listening closely to early customer feedbackLearn how being a nurse and public health practitioner influences Helena’s refusal to use fear-based marketing, even when agencies push for itFind out what makes the Inoya Cup’s patented bell shape and handle a more beginner-friendly and how small design changes reduce bladder pressure and discomfortDiscover how Helena navigates tough trade-offs between safety, sustainability, and profitability without compromising her mission or her customers’ healthUnderstand why accelerator programs like UQ Ventures were a turning point for Helena’s confidence, funding, and community as a solo founderLearn what policy changes like mandatory ingredient disclosure and stronger safety standards, Helena believes would radically improve menstrual health outcomesDiscover Helena’s advice for clinicians and aspiring women’s health founders who are afraid to start, and why feeling uncomfortable may be a sign you’re growing Resources: Helena U: LinkedIn Inoya: LinkedIn Inoya: https://myinoya.com/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/myinoya/ Maaike Steinebach LinkedIn Website Femtech Future: https://www.femtechfuture.com Instagram Femtech Future: @femtech_future Ready to rethink everything you thought you knew about your period products? Hit play and step into Helena’s world, where science, empathy and design collide to create safer, gentler and more sustainable menstrual care. If this story moved you, share this episode with someone who needs to hear it, hit like, leave a review so more listeners can discover these voices, and join us again next week for another powerful conversation on FemTech at Work.

    36 min
  3. Closing the Gender Finance Gap: How Lift Women Is Funding Female Founders

    MAR 26

    Closing the Gender Finance Gap: How Lift Women Is Funding Female Founders

    What if women didn’t have to beg for capital, but could build, fund and scale their ideas on their own terms from anywhere in the world? In this episode of FemTech at Work, we have Irene Tsang, founder and CEO of Lift Women Group, Australia’s first women-focused crowdfunding and funding ecosystem. From growing up in China and Hong Kong to starting over in Melbourne as a single mother of two, Irene shares the deeply personal journey and purpose that led her to tackle the $1.5 trillion global gender finance gap. If you care about female founders, FemTech, women’s health, gender-lens investing, and new models of funding, this episode will inspire you to rethink what’s possible when we lift women together! Key Takeaways: Find out how Irene’s journey as a migrant single mother led her to build Lift Women and dedicate her life to closing the gender finance gap.Discover why less than 2.3% of venture capital goes to women-led startups and how reward-based crowdfunding can flip the script.Learn how Lift Women’s RISE model (reward crowdfunding, partnerships, community, education) creates an end-to-end funding and support ecosystem for female founders.Understand how early crowdfunding traction helped FemTech startup OVUM AI go from idea to MVP to raising a $1.7M seed round.Find out why men are a crucial part of the Lift Women story and how male allies actively support female founders on the platform.Discover real FemTech examples from HPV-detecting period pads to biodegradable menstrual products and brain–hormone monitoring that are changing women’s health globally.Learn how even small contributions and micro-backing can meaningfully change the trajectory of women-owned businesses worldwide.Understand why confidence, impostor syndrome, and lack of networks often hold women back more than the absence of capital itself.Discover how Lift Women’s new AI co-pilot helps women structure campaigns and businesses in minutes, and when it actually makes sense to use AI in a startup.Learn how Irene defines success over the next 5–10 years not just in terms of Lift Women’s growth, but in the collective wins of the founders they support. Resources: Irene Tsang: LinkedIn LiftWomen: LinkedIn LiftWomen: https://project.liftwomen.com/ Maaike Steinebach : LinkedIn Website Femtech Future https://www.femtechfuture.com Instagram Femtech Future: @femtech_future Ready to help rewrite the rules of who gets funded? Hit play now to hear how Irene Tsang and Lift Women are transforming the way female founders access capital, confidence and community and discover the simple steps you can take today to power the next generation of women-led innovation. If this episode moved you, be part of the movement: share it with a friend who needs to hear it, hit like, leave a review so more listeners can discover these stories, and make your voice count in lifting women everywhere. See you next week for another episode of FemTech at Work.

    38 min
  4. Making Menstrual Cycles Suck A Little Less With Kooze Wellness

    MAR 19

    Making Menstrual Cycles Suck A Little Less With Kooze Wellness

    Imagine a world where period pain doesn’t derail your workday, your workout, or your weekend plans—just because smart, playful, science-backed products are finally within reach. In this episode, we have the Sydney-based founder Annelise Grosman of Kooze Wellness, the cheeky Gen Z brand behind heart-shaped heat patches designed to make menstrual cycles “suck a little less.” Annelise shares how a personal struggle with period pain, and a desire to avoid constant painkillers, led her to create on-the-go heat therapy patches for menstrual cramps, ovulation pain and chronic conditions like endometriosis. If you’re curious about FemTech, endometriosis, women’s pain relief, or launching a product-based business from scratch, this conversation is packed with insight, honesty, and inspiration! Key Takeaways: Learn how Annelise turned a simple idea for heat relief into a real FemTech brand without any prior product development experienceFind out what you can take from her decision to prioritise heat therapy over traditional pain medications for menstrual pain reliefDiscover how Kooze’s heart-shaped period patches actually work and what makes on-the-go heat therapy so effective for cramps and chronic painFind out what surprising insights emerged when endometriosis and chronic illness communities started using her patchesDiscover how she is navigating strict Australian healthcare regulations and retail barriers while keeping Kooze fun, accessible, and affordableLearn in what ways building an e‑commerce brand plus a B2B workplace wellbeing channel has reshaped her original vision for Kooze WellnessUnderstand what mindset shifts aspiring founders can apply from Annelise’s advice to “not doubt what you don’t know” and just startDiscover how Kooze uses authentic, story-led social content to help women feel seen, heard, and supported in their menstrual and chronic pain journeys Resources: Annelise Grosman: LinkedIn Kooze Wellness: LinkedIn Kooze Wellness: Instagram Kooze Wellness: Tiktok Kooze Wellness: https://www.lovekooze.com.au/ Maaike Steinebach: LinkedIn Website Femtech Future https://www.femtechfuture.com Instagram Femtech Future: @femtech_future Step into a future where your period doesn’t call the shots. Hit play now to discover how KOOZ Wellness is turning lived experience, science-backed heat therapy, and bold FemTech storytelling into real relief for menstrual and chronic pain, one heart-shaped patch at a time. Be one of us! Share this episode with someone who needs it, like it, leave a review so more listeners can discover these stories, and subscribe so you don’t miss out. See you next week for another episode of FemTech at Work, where we spotlight the founders reshaping the future of women’s health.

    27 min
  5. From Shame to Science: Rethinking Pelvic Floor Health with PeriCoach

    MAR 12

    From Shame to Science: Rethinking Pelvic Floor Health with PeriCoach

    What if treating “just a bit of leakage” early could keep you out of aged care, off pads for life, and back to running, jumping and living freely? In this powerful conversation, we have Chelsea Cornelius, mechanical-turned-biomedical engineer and CEO of Stratos MedTech, the company behind PeriCoach—a clinically-backed pelvic floor training system designed to treat urinary incontinence and mild to moderate pelvic organ prolapse. You’ll hear how PeriCoach was developed in deep collaboration with clinicians, using vaginal sensors, biofeedback and an app to help women finally see and feel whether they’re doing their Kegels correctly. This episode is a must-listen if you care about pelvic health, FemTech, medical devices or simply want to understand how one founder turned an overlooked, stigmatized issue into a global, tech-enabled solution for women. Key Takeaways: Learn how Chelsea went from race-car-obsessed mechanical engineer to biomedical innovator tackling women’s incontinenceDiscover what your pelvic floor actually is, how it functions, and why pregnancy, sport, chronic cough and aging can quietly undermine its strengthUnderstand why up to half of women perform Kegels incorrectly and how biofeedback helps you see in real time whether you’re truly activating the right musclesFind out how PeriCoach’s insertable probe, sensors and app work together to guide at-home pelvic floor training and support remote monitoring by cliniciansLearn how stigma, shame and silence around incontinence shape women’s care-seeking behaviour and what’s starting to shift that narrative.Discover the surprising differences between launching a FemTech device in Australia versus the US and why the US has been more receptive to commercial innovationUnderstand how Pericoach is working with systems like Veterans Affairs, private insurers and future reimbursement pathways to scale access for womenFind out what hard-won advice Chelsea has for today’s FemTech founders about minimum viable products, regulation, fundraising and not over-perfecting before launch Resources: Chelsea Cornelius: LinkedIn PeriCoach: LinkedIn PeriCoach: https://www.pericoach.com/ Maaike Steinebach : LinkedIn Website Femtech Future https://www.femtechfuture.com Instagram Femtech Future: @femtech_future Ready to move pelvic health out of the shadows and into the spotlight? Hit play now to discover how PeriCoach is helping women swap pads for power, shame for science, and quiet suffering for confident, leak-free lives. This episode pulls back the curtain on a silent epidemic affecting millions of women and spotlights the FemTech innovation daring to change that story. From hidden pelvic floor muscles to breakthrough biofeedback, Chelsea Cornelius shows what’s possible when engineering meets empathy. If this conversation opened your eyes, don’t keep it to yourself; be part of the movement to normalize women’s health. Share this episode with a friend, like it, and leave a review so more listeners can find these stories. And see you next week for another powerful episode of FemTech at Work.

    31 min
  6. How Lacevo Built a Better Wearable Breast Pump for Modern Working Mothers

    MAR 5

    How Lacevo Built a Better Wearable Breast Pump for Modern Working Mothers

    What if the breast pump you rely on at work was finally built around your body, your ambition, and your autonomy, engineered by a mom who refused to let a boardroom of men decide what “good enough” looks like for breastfeeding women? In this episode of FemTech at Work, we sit down with Australian founder and stunt‑performer‑turned‑entrepreneur, Sally Grice, the CEO of Lacevo, the first black wearable breast pump endorsed by the Australian Breastfeeding Association and now stocked in major retailers like Target US and Baby Bunting. We explore how Lacevo is helping women breastfeed longer and on their own terms, why word‑of‑mouth and in‑store retail were strategic growth levers, and how billboards about nipple sizes and public pumping controversies are shifting the conversation on breastfeeding at work and in public. If you care about breastfeeding, FemTech, or simply building products that truly serve women’s lives, this episode is for you! Key Takeaways: Learn from Sally’s journey from professional wakeboarder and stuntwoman to building a global FemTech hardware brand for breastfeeding mothersHow did one painful, failed pumping session in a Zoom meeting become the catalyst for designing a new kind of wearable breast pumpWhy is nipple sizing so misunderstood, and what will you discover about how incorrect sizes drive pain, trauma, and poor pumping outcomesHow did Sally navigate Chinese manufacturing, skeptical engineers, and a male‑dominated supply chain to create a pump truly designed by and for momsFind out about Lacevo’s bold design choices like launching an all‑black wearable and how that ties to empowerment and working motherhoodHow did Lacevo grow from a baby expo in Australia to shelves at Target US and baby bunting, largely through word‑of‑mouth and in‑person retail discoveryHow are public incidents like the Virgin lounge pumping controversy reshaping the debate on breastfeeding and pumping at work and in public spacesUnderstand building an ecosystem around pumping from sizing studios and apps to future products supporting storage, transport, and daily routines Resources: Sally Grice: LinkedIn Lacevo: LinkedIn Lacevo: https://lacevo.com/ Maaike Steinebach : LinkedIn Website Femtech Future https://www.femtechfuture.com Instagram Femtech Future: @femtech_future If you’ve ever felt forced to choose between your career and breastfeeding, Sally’s story is your reminder that we deserve and can build better. This conversation is part of a much bigger movement to redesign work, products, and policies around women’s real lives. If this episode resonated with you, don’t keep it to yourself. Share it with a friend, colleague, or leader who needs to hear it, hit like, and leave a review so we can amplify the voices of FemTech founders like Sally even further. You are part of this change. See you next week for another episode of FemTech at Work, where we continue to spotlight the people rewriting the future of women’s health.

    31 min
  7. Revolutionizing Labor Induction: Gravida Health’s Clinician-Led Innovation in Women’s Health

    FEB 26

    Revolutionizing Labor Induction: Gravida Health’s Clinician-Led Innovation in Women’s Health

    What if the most transformative innovation in childbirth isn’t an app or an algorithm, but a simple, clinician-led medical device that turns “threading a needle in the dark” into a precise, compassionate experience for every mother? In this episode of FemTech at Work, we sit down with Dr. Densearn Seo, founder and CEO of Gravida Health, to explore how one clinician’s curiosity, frustration and global experience are reshaping labor induction and maternal care. If you’re a clinician, founder, investor or simply someone who cares about safer births and better maternal outcomes, this episode offers a rare, inside look at what it takes to build high-impact MedTech in women’s health without losing sight of the women and families at the center of it all. Let’s get into it! Key Takeaways: Find out how a curious medical student who never stopped asking “why” became a founder transforming labor induction on a global stageDiscover why pregnancy and labor are both over-medicalized and under-innovated and what that really means for mothers and clinicians todayLearn how Gravida Health’s device turns “threading a needle in the dark” into a more precise, comfortable and clinically intuitive labor induction processUnderstand how working across Malaysia, Singapore and Australia shaped Densearn’s view of healthcare equity and women’s health innovationFind out why it can take 17 years for medical research to reach the bedside and how Gravida is challenging that timeline for medical hardwareDiscover how a fully clinician-backed cap table changes the way a women’s health startup is funded, built and judged for successLearn from Densearn’s perspective on male allyship in FemTech and what responsible, merit-based support for women’s health really looks likeUnderstand the biggest funding myths in women’s health, and why simply rebranding “FemTech” as “MedTech” sometimes unlocks investor interestFind out the single most practical step clinicians and aspiring founders can take today to improve maternal and perinatal outcomes in their own ecosystem Resources: Dr. Densearn Seo: LinkedIn Gravida Health: LinkedIn Maaike Steinebach : LinkedIn Website Femtech Future https://www.femtechfuture.com Instagram Femtech Future: @femtech_future The heart of this conversation is a simple but radical idea: women’s health is not just a niche, and birth should never feel like “threading a needle in the dark.” From med school curiosity to clinician-led innovation, Gravida Health’s story shows what’s possible when we refuse to accept discomfort, delay and underinvestment as the status quo in maternal care. If this episode moved you, be part of the movement. Share it with a friend, colleague or investor who needs to rethink women’s health. Like this episode, leave a review so more people can discover these founders, and help amplify the change they’re fighting for. Thank you and we’ll see you next week for another exciting episode of FemTech at Work.

    38 min
  8. Breaking the Taboo with Menopause Friendly Australia

    FEB 19

    Breaking the Taboo with Menopause Friendly Australia

    What happens when a former accountant, nurse and IVF patient turns her frustration with menopause misinformation into a nationwide movement transforming workplaces across Australia? In this powerful episode, we have Grace Molloy, founder and CEO of Menopause Friendly Australia, to unpack how one “impatient advocate for women” is changing the way organisations talk about and support menopause at work. From the role of leadership and HR to the impact of poor medical training, government policy, AI, and gender pay gaps, this conversation is a masterclass for HR leaders, executives and changemakers who want to retain midlife talent, improve psychosocial safety, and normalise menopause as a core workplace wellbeing issue—not a career-limiting secret. Let’s dive in! Key Takeaways: What did Grace discover when she realised that even a nurse from a “women’s health family” knew almost nothing about perimenopause, and how did that spark Menopause Friendly Australia Understand the five global standards of a menopause friendly workplace and translate them into real policies, training and culture change instead of one-off awareness daysThe impact of menopause support using data like absenteeism, engagement, policy downloads and training outcomesFind out which of the “four compelling reasons” for becoming menopause friendly, gender pay gap, productivity, talent retention, or legal/psychosocial risk matters most in your organisationUnderstand the gaps in GP and medical training, and why that makes workplace education and advocacy so critical for women seeking menopause careDiscover the practical first steps as an HR or DEI leader to build a business case for menopause support, even in the face of DEI backlash or limited budgetsUnderstand the potential risks of AI and job change for women, and how that intersects with existing gender pay and leadership gaps Resources: Grace Molloy: LinkedIn Menopause Friendly Australia: LinkedIn Menopause Friendly Australia: https://menopausefriendly.au/ Free resources on menopause: https://menopausefriendly.au/news/ Dove x Menopause Friendly: https://menopausefriendly.au/dove/#download Maaike Steinebach : LinkedIn Website Femtech Future https://www.femtechfuture.com Instagram Femtech Future: @femtech_future Menopause doesn’t have to be a silent struggle or a career-limiting secret. As Grace shows, when workplaces choose to listen, learn and lead, they don’t just support women—they unlock wisdom, loyalty and powerhouse performance across their teams. If this episode moved you, be part of the movement, share it with a colleague, like it, leave a review so more people can discover these conversations, and join us next week for another episode of Femtech at Work, where we keep rewriting the rules of what thriving at work really looks like.

    37 min
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About

Femtech At Work is a new podcast that showcases inspiring femtech founders, corporate champions of women’s health in the workplace, and ecosystem innovators. Starting off in Hong Kong we will travel across Asia and Oceania and the rest of the world to explore the most innovative new women’s health solutions around reproductive health and diseases that disproportionately affect women, talk about the challenges and opportunities of starting a women’s health company and the role of the workplace for impact and change.

Information

  • Creator
    Maaike Steinebach
  • Years Active
    2024 - 2026
  • Episodes
    67
  • Rating
    Clean
  • Show Website
    Femtech At Work