FemTec Health is a health technology startup bringing women’s health data, from all stages of life, and predictive analytics under one roof. Founded by Livongo’s Dr. Kimon Angelides, the company’s BiomeAI platform customizes care based on genetic, microbiome and biometric data. In 2021, FemTec launched with over $38M investor dollars and three acquisitions – beauty box subscription company Birchbox, AI beauty and health company Mira Beauty, and social marketing platform Liquid Grids. Pulse writer Niki Bakhru connected with Chief Medical Officer Dr. Laura Clapper to learn more about how FemTec is positioning itself to translate data into actionable outcomes for women. 

Dr. Laura Clapper, Chief Medical Officer of FemTec Health

The Pulse: Can you please walk us through your career journey and your path to FemTec Health?

Dr. Laura Clapper: I always had an interest in how communities work together and support each other. When I went to college, I became particularly interested in how this works within the healthcare ecosystem and that soon became my passion. How do we improve healthcare systems to improve the health of individuals and their communities? And so, in my gap year between college and medical school, I was a CORO Foundation Fellow in San Francisco, where I spent much of my time thinking about how we can move care into the home while working at our community health clinic in Tenderloin. I took lessons from that time with me when I went to military medical school at the Uniformed Services University, where I began to explore ways to offer large communities preventive medicine and occupational medicine remotely.

Jumping forward to where we are today, we are thinking about revolutionizing care for women by thinking similarly about the ecosystem they are in today. I’ve been involved in digital health since the early 90’s, dating back to the first video phone. The idea that you could connect with your doctor over the phone formed the DNA of how I think about things today. What brought me to FemTec in particular was our goal to create a mobile-first, virtual destination where women can have all of their health needs met and their care personalized. At the same time, I’ve always admired Dr. Kimon Angelides, the Founder and CEO of FemTec so the opportunity to work with him  was a huge draw for me as well.

The Pulse: Diving deeper into the idea of using data to improve women’s care, how does FemTec’s AI engine customize patients’ care journeys through their information?

LC: We use predictive analytics to, with consent, help a woman better understand her risk factors and make personalized recommendations. So, for example, if a patient shared her symptoms, tracked her cycle, or inputted her sleep cycle, our diagnostics could make recommendations about probiotics or dietary supplements that may help. We offer shared decision support; the women always make decisions for themselves at the end but we’re here to provide relevant information based on all the data available including self-reported, clinical data/EHR and claims data.

The Pulse: In addition to claims, clinical data and  patient-reported outcomes, do you plan to collect data more passively from women who consent to measures such as wearable devices?

LC: Definitely. We’re planning on having wearable devices as another way to bring data that feeds into the BiomeAI to build personalized recommendations. Wearables have already created a huge industry and there have been great instances in the past where people with wearables have been able to diagnose things that may have otherwise gone unnoticed. Continuous data also offers much more depth than points of data, and that data can be used to develop better products and services for patients. We’ve seen examples of this success with things like blood pressure monitoring, continuous glucose monitors, and more in the past.

The Pulse: To reach patients in the first place, do you see FemTec adopting more of a direct-to-consumer or B2B approach? 

LC: We’re planning to have our business model follow a two-pronged strategy. The first prong is direct to consumer – thinking of a subscription approach that brings stability but also allows us to have an ongoing relationship with the customer. As they provide feedback, we can bring that into consideration when improving our insights and recommendations.

The second prong is working with large employers and health plans to bring better women’s primary care to their beneficiaries. In doing so, we hope to address certain conditions with higher prevalence in women than men, ranging from some mental health conditions to particular autoimmune diseases. There’s a whole range of conditions besides the ones you would traditionally think of for women, such as fertility, maternity, menopause, vaginal health… Looking at population health, for example, there are many opportunities to improve the health of women. There are also issues around access to care for women. Health models today are built primarily for men; many women were not even represented in clinical trials until 1993, leading to implicit bias and diagnoses based on predominantly male symptoms. Women’s heart attack symptoms are different. Systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE or Lupus) often has delayed diagnoses in women.

We want to use data and predictive modeling to help pursue not only the right diagnosis, but also a more timely diagnosis with better access through virtual care.

The Pulse: FemTec has had some exciting recent acquisitions, including the beauty companies Birchbox and Mira Beauty as well as the social marketing platform Liquid Grids. How do you see these companies playing a role in your overall business model? 

LC: I’ve been very excited about our acquisition companies because our company’s DNA needs to include people who understand how to design for and market to women. It really puts women at the center of the conversation. In the healthcare space, when we talk to women, it’s very task-oriented – “you need to get a mammogram, you need to get a cervical screening…” It’s almost just being told what to do, instead of being informed to make your own decisions. Birchbox spent the last 11 years perfecting their ability to build deeper customer relationships and become a pioneer in the beauty subscription space. Liquid Grid has the history and legacy of building informed relationships with their customers – 1.3 million women in curated communities with chronic conditions. Our acquisitions enable direct-to-consumer communication and education about diseases and healthcare solutions, which we really think is in line with our vision to revolutionize the health and beauty of women while also creating a more holistic model.

The Pulse: Can you talk a bit more about how FemTec hopes to pursue a more holistic care model – what might this look like in the future? 

LC: That’s a great question. The women’s healthcare space is now very fragmented with so many point solutions. I’m not sure that really serves women well because at the end of the day how many apps are you going to have? Our mission is to bring it all together into one place, combining our BiomeAI platform with a virtual first curated women’s health provider network to make it easy for women who already have a lot on their plate.

Women spend 21% more than men do on healthcare per year. Delay in diagnosis, poor access, and uncoordinated care also lead to higher costs. Today, women’s health is a clearly growing market, and I think it is finally starting to get the attention it deserves. We hope to provide the right care at the right time in the right place. There’s a huge opportunity to create a holistic, integrated, seamless, and convenient experience for women.

Interviewed by Niki Bakhru, December 2021.

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On Feb 10-11, 2022, Wharton is excited to feature more expert perspectives at our annual Wharton Health Care Business Conference. This year’s conference is virtual and themed ‘A Fair Shot at Health’. Tickets available here