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From Buzz to business: Investing in women’s health live from HLTH Europe

Published on: 23 September 2025
Member News
Women
HLTH Europe 2025

At HLTH Europe 2025, one of the most talked-about sessions tackled a question that continues to challenge the industry: How do we turn momentum in women’s health into meaningful investment?

The discussion made it clear that while progress is real - more startups, more coverage, and the first European femtech unicorn, the funding gap remains stark. In 2023, women’s health represented only 4% of global healthcare venture capital. The disconnect between market potential and capital allocation is impossible to ignore.

What we heard in 2025

Our panel brought together leaders from across healthcare, investment, and strategy to examine both the barriers and the opportunities:

  • Dame Vivian Hunt, Chief Innovation Officer, UnitedHealth Group
  • Fabia Tetteroo-Bueno, Head of Global Sales, Philips
  • Frédérique Dame, General Partner, GV (Google Ventures)
  • Paula Bellostas Muguerza, Global Lead Healthcare & Life Sciences, Kearney 

Together, they explored how entrenched biases, outdated assumptions, and systemic barriers keep funding out of reach and how reframing women’s health as a commercial opportunity as well as a social imperative could change the equation.

Looking ahead to 2026

The session was an important step, but it was also just the beginning. At HLTH Europe 2026, we’ll revisit this conversation on a larger stage, with new voices and a sharper focus on solutions.

The goal remains clear: to move women’s health from an underfunded niche to a well-capitalised sector driving both innovation and impact.

We hope you’ll join us in 2026 to continue this conversation and push the industry further.