WWBA Member Spotlight: The Femmflo Journey
Improving hormonal health for women in South Africa
Welcome to the WWBA member profile series and our brand new Substack! We are using our platform to shine a spotlight on some of the amazing women building Africa’s tech and business ecosystem. First up, we’re heading to Cape Town for a look at a stealth-mode femtech solution, Femmflo. Femmflo is South Africa’s first hormone and mental health app, with in-lab and at-home testing.
The femtech industry is growing significantly globally, and is projected to rise from $7.75 billion in 2024 to $29.62 billion by 2032. Femtech refers to products, software, and tech-enabled solutions that are designed to solve problems related to women’s health. Naturally, this is one sector where women founders are in the lead - representing over 70% of startups in this space.
However, that doesn’t mean the fundraising journey is easy for these women - and in fact, their male counterparts still raise more capital, even in this space. According to Forbes, “on average, female-founded Femtech startups have raised $4.6 million, compared to $9.2 million by male-owned companies.”
Women in femtech face even more unique challenges than other women founders - from a perception that the market is oversaturated or too niche, to scepticism and lack of understanding around their solutions from male investors, to a pervasive stigma that often leads to ventures being dismissed as passion projects.
Unsurprisingly, these challenges are compounded for women building in Africa. But we’re hopeful this will start to change. Here we look at one up-and-coming femtech solution out of South Africa that’s on a mission to give women more control over their hormonal health.
Co-founded by Tal Ardenbaum and Justine Wheeler, Femmflo is leveraging AI to deliver a personalized approach to hormonal health—something that’s typically been neglected. The app acts as a companion to help women track their health metrics, and provide insights and tailored recommendations based on data that can empower women to take charge of their wellbeing.
We recently sat down with Tal and Justine to discuss their journey, the mission behind Femmflo and their vision for transforming women’s health.
WWBA: What inspired the creation of Femmflo and its approach to women’s hormonal health?
Tal: Our inspiration for Femmflo comes from a deeply personal place. After years of struggling with severe endometriosis that was dismissed and misdiagnosed, I sought answers through functional medicine, eventually healing without surgery. My journey—through burnout, trauma, and exploring science-backed approaches—made me realize how much women’s health needs a patient-centered approach that considers each woman's unique experiences and offers more than just symptom management.
With Justine, who’s also been navigating endometriosis, we aimed to create a space where women can find personalized support, track their hormonal health and receive meaningful insights. We conducted surveys with over 200 women, which confirmed what we suspected: women want tailored, accessible care that goes beyond just managing symptoms, especially given the often overwhelming costs involved in standard health checks. Femmflo is here to bridge that gap and empower women to understand and advocate for their own wellbeing.
WWBA: What are some of the challenges that you came across when speaking to these women that led you to develop Femmflo?
Tal: One of the biggest challenges is the significant delay in receiving a correct hormonal diagnosis, with many women waiting up to seven years. Surprisingly, only about 30% of women report issues with hormone imbalances, despite studies showing that 70% actually experience undiagnosed hormonal or mental health issues. This gap creates a prolonged cycle of health struggles, where symptoms like polycystic ovarian syndrome (PCOS) and reproductive pain often go untreated. The financial strain is also considerable, as comprehensive testing is expensive, and symptoms are frequently dismissed, leading to conditions that impact both physical and mental health.
Justine: Hormonal imbalances affect more than just physical symptoms—they play a huge role in mental wellbeing, too. Many women face anxiety, depression and other mental health challenges connected to hormone fluctuations. With so many symptoms brushed off by the system, we wanted to create an app that goes beyond treating isolated symptoms. Femmflo offers an accessible, scientific approach to help women proactively manage their health and find personalized support for their specific challenges.
WWBA: How are you working to ensure your solution stands out from other women's health apps on the market?
Justine: What truly sets Femmflo apart is our commitment to a personalized, data-driven approach. We’re not just developing this app from a tech perspective; we’re patients ourselves. This firsthand experience means our data comes from real cases, enabling us to deliver tailored support that other apps might miss. Additionally, having a lead research scientist on our team ensures we carefully validate each data point before introducing it to the market.
We’re also working closely with internationally accredited partners, like Optimal Diagnostics, who provide highly credible, comprehensive reports to help us build a robust platform right from the pilot stage.
Tal: We’re creating something unique by building an AI that doesn’t just focus on managing symptoms. Our app will feature comprehensive home testing kits, the first of their kind to be introduced in South Africa. Users will be able to test for various hormonal levels at home, including surfacing issues like STIs and HIV, which often go overlooked when hormonal health is considered. Additionally, we’re dedicated to providing in-depth reports that guide users through their health journeys with a team of professionals.
Justine: Exactly. Femmflo is designed to be a lifestyle companion that goes beyond single-issue treatment. It’s something women can integrate into their daily routines. Our app considers every aspect of a user’s cycle, from phase to pregnancy status, ensuring that our recommendations are as personalized and accurate as possible. We’re excited for this to become part of women’s everyday lives, offering science-backed support.
WWBA: How has your fundraising journey been so far? Have you begun discussions or mapped out how you expect this process to unfold?
Tal: Absolutely. We recently went through a three-month accelerator program in the UK called Hive, which gave us a solid foundation when it comes to navigating fundraising. We connected with incredible people from networks like Techstars and Octopus Ventures, and we’ve already developed our financial model and go-to-market strategy to support our upcoming fundraise.
We’ve also made a detailed list of potential investors we’d like to approach. For us, fundraising is all about relationship-building, not just submitting online applications. We’ve been cultivating this network over time by attending events like Tech in Africa and engaging with key players in the industry. Our target is a pre-seed investment of around $200,000, which aligns with our growth plan and runway needs. We’ve also validated our product through 200 detailed customer questionnaires, demonstrating demand and laying a strong foundation for investor discussions.
Justine: I’d just add that this journey has been as much about learning as it has about strategy. When we first started, we had so many ideas, but the accelerator and the past year of development have helped us focus on what’s most essential. Along the way, we’ve received valuable insights from industry leaders who have helped refine our pitch and shape our strategic approach. This experience has given us not only direction but also the tools and confidence to enter this fundraising stage with a strong, informed vision for the next five years.
WWBA: What challenges have you faced so far building Femmflo?
Tal: While we feel we’re in a good position, one of our biggest challenges has been raising funding. As we know, only around 3% of women-led femtech startups actually get funded. Most investors are men, so we’ve often needed to adjust our language and approach, especially when discussing topics like menstrual cycles and hormones, which they might not fully understand. We’ve had to reframe these issues by emphasizing the clear problem and solution in ways that resonate with their perspectives.
Another challenge has been credibility. Since neither of us are medical doctors, some in the traditional medical space doubt our expertise, despite having a team of medical professionals that we work with and my own background as a women’s health specialist in functional medicine. Additionally, many organizations in women’s health are also run by men, so explaining not only the science but the deeper, lived experiences of women has been an obstacle. Ultimately, our biggest hurdle remains breaking through the funding barrier and bridging that gap.
Justine: Agreed. This situation has pushed us to be even more resourceful, looking beyond traditional VC funding to keep Femmflo going. It’s meant tapping into personal funds, exploring alternative pathways, and really understanding where our solution fits scientifically and commercially. We've had to validate Femmflo rigorously to ensure it’s seen as a reliable, impactful tool, even without traditional backing.
WWBA: How can communities like WWBA support you on your journey?
Justine: We’re incredibly excited about the work WWBA is doing and see a strong synergy between our missions and the types of organizations you collaborate with. For us, it’s essential to partner with those who resonate with our message. There’s a definite need for change across Africa, and with so many women serving as primary breadwinners, there’s massive potential to make a real difference. Amplifying our voice and our message through channels like WWBA is crucial, as we believe women are at the heart of Africa's future.
Tal: Absolutely. We’re also eager to get our name out there and build meaningful connections within this community. Working with people who understand and support our cause is so important to us.
WWBA: Can you share any upcoming dates or important releases that you would like people to know about?
Tal: Yes, we’re excited to announce that our solution will officially launch on January 31, 2025! We'll begin sending newsletters to everyone on our waiting list, and we can provide a link for those interested in signing up. This initial phase is crucial, as it allows people to start testing our AI, which is a key step for us to gather early feedback. Following this, we’re aiming for a full app launch by October 2025. Those are our two main goals right now, and we’re thrilled to see it all coming together.
About Femmflo
Femmflo is a B2C lifestyle companion app powered by AI-driven insights for hormonal and mental health monitoring. Through its platform, women can access both at-home and in-lab testing, integrating conventional and functional medicine practices with evidence-based care.
Femmflo was previously accepted for the prestigious Hive Accelerator which they completed just over a month ago. They are currently in the pre-seed stage, building traction and preparing for their next fundraising round.
To be the first to hear about Femmflo when it launches, visit their website and join the waiting list.