May Newsletter
A Ferris wheel, a name change, and a world waking up
PCOS finally has a new name, a BBC documentary on endometriosis, and pitching from 35 metres in the air.
Sunday afternoon, and I’m writing this at the end of a busy and slightly surreal month. A Ferris wheel pitch. A landmark name change for PCOS, a condition affecting 170 million women. And a BBC documentary I’m planning to watch this week! Emma Barnett on endometriosis, a condition that affects 1 in 10 women and still takes an average of over nine years to diagnose.
Two conditions. Millions of women. One has had the wrong name for decades. The other takes nine years to diagnose. Sharing, talking, investing, building, we can all play a part in driving the change that's needed. So thank you for being here.
As always, there’s news from us too. So settle in.
MenoVida News
Why we’re building it this way
One question I get asked a lot is: “Have you thought about just vibe coding it?” And I understand why. But when you’re handling sensitive health data, compliance isn’t optional, and trust isn’t something you bolt on later.
What we’re also seeing is a rush to put AI at the centre of health apps before anyone has properly understood the problem. Technology first, women second. Very little research, and almost no community behind it. Yet understanding human behaviour, involving the right stakeholders, and truly knowing what it’s like to navigate this life stage is so important before writing even a line of code.
That’s what the Growth for Purpose audit of our prototype confirmed. Matt Fern and his team looked hard at user behaviour, habit loops and friction, and their findings were straightforward: women at this life stage don’t need more features. They need something simple enough to use on a difficult day, where every design decision is held up against one question: does this reduce the mental load, or add to it? You can read more on LinkedIn.
I’d also like to say a big thank you to two of our ambassadors, Laura Phillips and Dr Kathryn (Kayt) Wiederman, who both bring their own lived experience of perimenopause to everything they do for MenoVida. Laura’s expertise in cutting through complexity to deliver simple, people-first digital products is instrumental in shaping how we build. And Kayt's rare combination of medical training, femtech passion and growth marketing expertise means we have someone who truly understands the problem we’re solving. We’re so lucky to have them both.
Investment Update
The things a founder will do to deliver on their mission…
This month I applied to pitch at the Founders Playground event at Bristol & Bath Science Park and only went and got selected! It was bittersweet, as it meant pitching from a Ferris wheel. Unfortunately, I don't like heights, and it was honestly the fastest one I've ever seen and now been on. It also looked like it was made of Meccano!
But it was worth every second. I was matched with the amazing Kate Clarke and we chatted non-stop about the impact of perimenopause on our quality of life and the problem MenoVida is looking to solve. The 15 minutes flew by, and Kate even wrote about it afterwards. You can read it here.
Every person planning to invest in MenoVida shares the same thing. They believe in the why, they see the problem, and they believe we’re building it the right way. Not one has asked for a pitch deck before deciding. So the Ferris wheel was perfect.
The first part of our round closes mid-June, and we're just over halfway there. We've made space for first-time angels from £2,000, and with up to 50% tax relief through SEIS, the real cost is much lower than it looks.
This community is made up of people who have felt the impact of perimenopause, directly or indirectly. So whilst "pitching" is the term that gets used, that's not what's needed here. When people know, like and trust a founder and what they're building, it becomes something else entirely.
We’re not just looking for capital. We’re looking for women (and men) who want to open doors, make introductions, and champion this mission.
If that sounds like you, or someone you know, the door is still open.
If you’d like to find out more about investing, just reply to this email and we can have a chat.
Our wild ride!
“It was such a good reminder that great business ideas often come from real frustration. Someone spots a problem. They understand why it matters. Then they decide to do something about it.”
Kate Clarke, Angel Investors Bristol
Women’s Health News
PCOS has a new name, and it’s been a long time coming
After 14 years of work and input from 22,000 people worldwide, polycystic ovary syndrome is now officially polyendocrine metabolic ovarian syndrome, or PMOS. A condition affecting 1 in 8 women finally has a name that reflects what it actually is. To find out more, read the Lancet paper on PMOS or the Endocrine Society statement
For support visit: Verity UK (a charity for those living with PMOS)
Emma Barnett: Fighting Endometriosis — BBC Two
A condition affecting 1 in 10 women, yet it still takes an average of over nine years to diagnose. BBC broadcaster Emma Barnett has made the first British television documentary dedicated entirely to endometriosis, which is on tomorrow at 21:00 on BBC Two. Apologies to anyone not in the UK. If we find out it’s available anywhere globally, we’ll share it in next month’s newsletter.
For support visit : Endometriosis UK; Endometriosis Australia; Endometriosis USA
Australia launches its first national perimenopause campaign
The Australian government has invested AUD $12.8 million in a national campaign across TV, cinema and social media. Since July 2025, over 105,000 women have used Medicare to access a menopause health assessment. Governments are starting to pay attention, and whilst this is a brilliant step forward, awareness still needs to reach every woman's experience, including those going through surgical or chemical menopause.
There are also still global supply issues for HRT. Organisations such as Lorai Health in Australia are seeking investment to develop new delivery options to ensure greater choice, improved efficacy and more reliable availability.
Thank you, as always, for being part of this community.
Best wishes,
Jo & The MenoVida Team 🌸
