Founders researching the vaginal microbiome recognised for ‘game-changing’ work

The founders of the biotech company Evvy have been included on this year’s Forbes 30 Under 30 list for their work in understanding the vaginal microbiome.

Co-founders Priyanka Jain and Laine Bruzek have been recognised by Forbes in the consumer technology category for “building a new understanding” of the female body.

Their female-founded start-up aims to close the gender health gap by discovering and leveraging overlooked biomarkers in the female body, starting with the vaginal microbiome.

After launching its at-home vaginal microbiome test, Evvy has built a testing community of over 10,000 members and has launched a “first-of-its-kind” clinical study to better understand the links between the vaginal microbiome and other health issues.

The women’s healthcare company has established the largest dataset on the vaginal microbiome and it has assembled an advisory board of OB-GYNs and researchers.

“We’re so honoured to be named to 2023 Forbes 30 Under 30 and represent the mission of the entire Evvy team,” said Priyanka Jain, co-founder, and CEO of Evvy.

“Evvy is building a new understanding of the female body by discovering and leveraging overlooked female biomarkers. We’re excited to continue radically reinventing how we understand and treat the female body as a whole, and we hope to inspire everyone — doctors, educators, lawmakers, researchers, and patients — to close the gender health gap for good.

“The female body shouldn’t be a medical mystery, and we won’t stop until it’s true.”

Laine Bruzek, co-founder and chief marketing officer, said: “Even though vaginal discomfort is the one of the most common reasons women seek healthcare advice, vaginal health is still an incredibly misunderstood and taboo topic.

“At Evvy, we’re building a world where female health is finally understood; where conditions are detected early and treated precisely; and where talking about vaginal health is as normal as talking about skincare.”

Even though the vaginal microbiome is an important biomarker, women have never had access to that information about their bodies, the founders added.

With at least 30 per cent of women suffering from imbalances in the vaginal microbiome every year, more research is needed to understand why it matters and what women can do about it.

The 28-year-olds lead a team of 10 and have previously secured more than US$6.5m in funding from General Catalyst, Box Group, Virtue VC, Human Ventures, BBG Ventures, and G9 Ventures.