Entrepreneur
“Female entrepreneurship in medtech is no longer an option. It’s a necessity”
By Léone Atayi, CEO of Hybrigenics and Stemcis
Léone Atayi, CEO of the French biotech companies Hybrigenics and Stemcis, discusses the importance of women-led businesses in medtech, biotech and beyond.
On November 14, a day that is also known as Equal Pay Day, the European Commission published some statistics that reinforced a grim point – the average gender pay gap in the EU stands at 13 per cent.
While there has been noticeable recent improvement, especially when it comes to women in STEM – science, technology, engineering and mathematics – the reality is that, due to long-lasting stereotypes and under-representation in decision-making positions, the majority of this industry is formed by men.
In the medical technology field, this is also the reality as female leaders are still a minority.
That being said, just because this is the current reality doesn’t mean that it needs to be everlasting.
However, in order to challenge the status quo and increase female representation in medtech, awareness about women in this industry needs to be raised.
Solving a need: why women-led businesses are crucial for medtech, biotech and medical devices
It is becoming increasingly obvious that there’s no such thing as one-size-fits-all when it comes to health.
For instance, by merging innovative technologies, more companies are focusing on enhancing genetically guided personalised medicine.
Similarly, an analysis of US biomedical patents led by Harvard Business School discovered that female-inventors teams are 35 per cent more likely to focus on women’s health and to discover ideas that are aimed at women.
As the title emphasised, “patents by women focus more on women’s health, but few women get to invent”.
That is not to say that men do not focus on women’s health. But as the Harvard Business School study suggested, it seems that the end product, the innovation, largely ends up benefiting those who invented it.
To give you an example, surgical specialties are still predominantly a male field. Female surgeons usually utilise oversized surgical instruments that were designed with men in mind, which, consequently, can put women at a disadvantage.
Therefore, unless both men and women are developing technologies for operating theatres, chances are that this problem will only be aggravated.
We need to make sure to incorporate female knowledge and expertise in our research as it has the potential to push innovation to the next level.
Female-inventors teams are 35 per cent more likely to focus on women’s health
Not only will this result in better care for women but also for men as cutting-edge products developed in collaboration with women can advance technologies “intended for men” just as much.
The most effective technologies are a result of collaboration between men and women, no matter who the end product is directed towards. After all, diversity in the workplace is a catalyst for innovation.
That being said, the annual analysis of the top 100 revenue-generating medtech companies conducted by Medical Design & Outsourcing revealed that only 23 per cent of the top executives at these companies are women.
While there’s more progress to be made, a noticeable positive change in medtech has been observed.
In the past two years, more and more women have moved into C-suite roles such as CEOs, CFOs, or CIOs.
However, we have to keep in mind that this is just the beginning. The increase in leadership diversity in the medtech industry will lead to a greater reaction on both a micro and macro level.
For example, on a micro-level, increased exposure will result in more women being encouraged to take action and act as leaders.
Complementarily, on a macro-level, this will also hold companies accountable and inspire corporate changes as it will encourage even more collaboration that defies gender or race.
The domino effect
In line with the micro consequences, a recent study identified exposure to innovation during childhood as a factor that determines who becomes an inventor.
Like the domino effect, an increase in women-led businesses in medtech would not only result in more inventions that benefit women but also in more women who are encouraged to act like leaders in this field.
As Gayatri Shenai, the founder of the annual Women in Technology and Operations conference, underlined, “You can’t be what you can’t see”.
For example, some women may fear entering or progressing in a male-dominated industry. However, labelling this industry as male is up to us.
More specifically, through increased exposure to women in medtech, a shift in the narrative about this industry could occur.
Raising awareness about changes that medical technology is currently undertaking can inspire women to create their own start-ups, apply for C-suite positions and tackle the fear that is holding them back from following their career dreams.
In fact, as Harvard Business Review highlighted, internalising a leadership identity is an essential step in becoming a leader.
So, presenting women as leaders in STEM will not only contribute to making medtech more accessible but could also help women embody a leadership identity.
A balanced medtech landscape is a better medtech landscape
It’s safe to say that female entrepreneurship in medtech is no longer an option, it is a necessity. After all, it’s a precondition for better and more efficient technologies for everyone.
On top of that, it’s a demand for more successful and effective businesses. In fact, according to Mckinsey’s Diversity Report, there is a higher chance of outperformance in workplaces with higher representation.
For instance, companies with more than 30 per cent women executives usually outperformed companies where 10 to 30 per cent of executives were women.
That being said, the complementarity of men and women in medtech will not only result in more extensive innovations that impact the health of the entire population but also in more successful businesses. It’s a win-win for everybody.
Léone Atayi is the CEO of the France-based biotech companies Hybrigenics and Stemcis. She has put her academic knowledge in human resource management, finance and strategy making at the service of multiple companies, including Polyplus and Inoviem Scientific.
You have until Friday to nominate your femtech company of the year.
The award is one of 10 featuring at Femtech World’s third annual awards event, which attracts entries from across the UK, EU and Europe.
The Company of the Year Award is for companies that have demonstrated exceptional leadership in tackling women’s health needs through groundbreaking products, services or platforms that are shaping the future of global femtech.
If your company is driving innovation, impact and growth in this space, this award was made for you.
About the sponsor: Femovate
The category is backed by Femovate, the global femtech incubator using design to fuel innovation across every stage of a woman’s health journey, from proactive prevention through to personalised treatment.
Femovate has invested over US$2 million in design capital, working side-by-side with founding teams to bring market-ready solutions to life.
The startups it supports have collectively raised US$120 million, launched 30 products, and secured seven FDA clearances.
Why enter?
The Femtech World Awards are free to enter.
Winners and shortlisted companies receive extensive coverage across all Femtech World platforms.
Winners will also receive a trophy and the opportunity to be featured in an interview for the publication.
Find out more about the Femtech World Award and enter here by 4pm BST on Friday 17.
By Chaitra Vedullapalli, founder and president, Women in Cloud
Today’s leaders are carrying more than responsibilities.
They are carrying caregiving roles, financial pressures, legal complexities, and the quiet emotional weight of sustaining performance in unpredictable times.
And yet, most leadership forums still focus on productivity, growth, and scale, rarely addressing the human systems that enable sustained leadership.
At Women in Cloud, we believe the next generation of leadership will not be defined by endurance alone, but by discipline, preparation, and self-respect.
That is why we are proud to announce the #WICxWellness Summit 2026: The Disciplined Advantage.
This is a wellness summit focused on leadership preparedness.
Why This Summit Matters Now
Across our global community, a clear pattern has emerged.
- More professionals and executives are quietly navigating:
- Life-threatening health crises, personally or within their families
- Financial stress caused by medical, caregiving, or business shocks
- Legal and healthcare decisions with long-term consequences
- Career interruptions due to caregiving responsibilities
- Chronic exhaustion, grief, and emotional isolation
These experiences are widespread, yet rarely discussed in executive settings.
#WICxWellness 2026 brings these realities into the open with compassion, clarity, and practical guidance, so leaders can prepare, adapt, and continue forward without breaking.
This is wellness as a leadership discipline.
What We Will Explore
This year’s summit is designed to provide grounded, immediately applicable insights for founders, executives, and senior leaders.
Executive Function Under Chronic Stress
Keynote with Jennifer Brown
Focus Areas:
- Understand how chronic stress alters judgment, focus, and emotional regulation
- Identify early warning signs of cognitive overload in leadership roles
- Adaptability as a Cognitive Anchor: Navigating rapid change without compromising decision-making.
- Resilience Through Connection: Building human-centric teams to mitigate the stress of uncertainty.
- Navigating Change with Emotional Intelligence: Regulating stress responses to maintain clarity and empathy.
- Systemic Agility in High-Pressure Environments: Creating foundations of psychological safety that protect organizational function
Labs That Matter (And What to Do With Them)
Fireside Chat with Chelsey Galipeau and Chaitra Vedullapalli
Focus Areas:
- Which health tests are worth the time and investment
- Interpreting results without panic
- Preventive strategies for executive longevity
- Avoiding unnecessary medical spending
Caretaking Without Collapse
Panel With Karen Fassio, Anca Platon Trifan, Scilla Andreen, Clara Schroeder, Sheena Yap Chan
Focus Areas:
- Managing family and professional demands without burnout
- Setting humane boundaries
- Building sustainable support systems
- Ending silent sacrifice in leadership
Food as a Stability System (Not a Diet)
Fireside Chat with Nancy Watt and Meagan T. Copelin
Focus Areas:
- Nutrition for sustained energy and clarity
- Blood sugar and decision-making
- Realistic eating during travel and stress
- Food as operational resilience
Autoimmunity, Hormones & Cardiac Risk in Real Life
Fireside Chat with Dr. Linda Bing
Focus Areas:
- Managing invisible health risks
- Hormonal transitions and stamina
- Flare prevention at work
- Energy mapping for leadership performance
A Different Kind of Leadership Conversation
At Women in Cloud, we have learned something fundamental:
Performance is visible. Discipline is invisible.
Yet discipline determines whether leaders can serve, build, and lead over decades, not just quarters.
The Disciplined Advantage is about building that resilience intentionally.
Through science, lived experience, and practical frameworks, this summit equips leaders to:
- Anticipate strain instead of reacting to a crisis Design sustainable work rhythms
- Protect cognitive and emotional capital
- Lead from grounded strength
This is leadership infrastructure for the next decade.
Join Us
If you are a founder, executive, technologist, or senior professional navigating complexity and determined to lead well without sacrificing your health, clarity, or longevity, this summit is for you.
The #WICxWellness Summit 2026 is where performance meets preservation. Where ambition meets sustainability. Where leadership becomes truly durable.
We look forward to welcoming you. The Disciplined Advantage begins here.
Secure your spot: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/wicxwellness-summit-2026-tickets-1981616382945?aff=oddtdtcreator
Femtech World is continuing the search for a company to be crowned Startup of the Year.
The award is one of 10 to feature at the third annual Femtech World Awards.
The Startup of the Year Award celebrates an early-stage company making a bold impact in women’s health through innovation, vision and execution.
The winning startup will have demonstrated strong potential to transform care, accessibility, or awareness in women’s health with a scalable solution.
Consideration will be given to innovation, market traction, inclusivity, impact and the ability to address unmet needs.
The award is sponsored by Future Fertility.
The company is transforming fertility care with AI-powered solutions that close critical information gaps along the IVF journey.
Its clinically validated, non-invasive tools analyse oocyte images to predict each egg’s reproductive potential, supporting decision-making across key pathways: VIOLET™ for egg freezing, MAGENTA™ for IVF-ICSI, and ROSE™ for donor programmes and egg banks.
These reports deliver personalised insights into egg quality and ploidy potential, empowering patients and clinicians to make more informed decisions regarding next steps.
Today, Future Fertility’s technology is used in more than 300 clinics across 35+ countries.
Developed with the world’s largest oocyte image dataset linked to reproductive outcomes, Future Fertility’s AI models generate quality scores that not only guide treatment planning and manage expectations, but also serve as objective, actionable KPIs for labs—driving improved outcomes and transparency in fertility care worldwide.
The awards are free to enter, with winners receiving a trophy and an interview with Femtech World.
Find out more about the awards and enter for free here.
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