Chicago–(business wire)–caseThe premier healthcare incubator and innovation hub has launched 51 Labs, a women+ health-focused accelerator. This name comes from the fact that the female+ is her 51% of the population.1 The inaugural program focuses on the menopausal transition and includes partners Astellas Pharma US, Walgreens, Parkview Health and the University of Chicago School of Medicine.
Women+ health has long been underfunded and underinnovated given the scale of need and opportunity. There are hundreds of conditions and diseases that affect only or mostly women, such as menopause, breast cancer, and heart disease+. Despite its prevalence, women’s health is inaccurately categorized as a niche sector, with only 5% of U.S. digital health funding going to women’s health start-ups.2
The first 51 Labs accelerator cohort will focus on advancing solutions that empower and support women during the menopausal transition, the biological transition that marks the end of a woman’s menstrual cycle and fertility. Women+ spent 7 to 14 years in perimenopause and menopause and experienced 34 different symptoms, including hot flashes, night sweats, mood and mental health changes, weight gain, brain fog, memory deterioration, and painful sex. Experience the combination3,4 Menopause-focused innovation is relatively scarce, with more than 1.3 million U.S. women transitioning to menopause each year, making this life stage a prime time for innovation.Five
Menopause is exacerbated by the different health conditions of historically marginalized women. For example, black women+ go through menopause earlier than white women+, have worse symptoms, and are less likely to seek treatment.6,7
“51 Labs is a new opportunity for entrepreneurs focused on solving Women+ health challenges to rapidly accelerate their progress. and will benefit greatly from working with our healthcare system partners,” said Stephen Collins, CEO of MATTER.
The first 51 Labs accelerator cohort will address the following questions:
How can you empower and support women through the menopausal transition with innovative healthcare solutions?
The 2022 program has two tracks. One focuses on recognizing and identifying menopausal symptoms and the other on symptom and lifestyle management. Parkview Health and the University of Chicago Medicine are focused on providing accessible and integrated care for diverse patient populations, and both tracks are developing solutions that address the needs of underrepresented women. We focus on sourcing+.
“Astellas is addressing an underserved and underserved area of healthcare,” said Jeanine Gallagher, Associate Director of Marketing, Women’s Health US, Astellas Pharma US.
“We are committed to making healthcare more equitable and accessible to everyone, everywhere. We help drive innovation in women’s health and make a difference in women’s health,” said Marni Allen, Director of Consumer Healthcare Futures at Walgreens.
Applications for the 12-week accelerator are now open. Participating startups will benefit from his one-on-one mentoring with industry experts, workshops, interactive roundtables, forums and more. The program will culminate in a showcase in March 2023.
For more information, please email us at 51labs@matter.health.
The “+” in women+ covers the full range of health needs experienced by cisgender women, including nonbinary, transgender, noncis, and all female-identified persons. The term “women+” was coined by Rock Health.
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1 “Population Distribution by Gender,” Kaiser Family Foundation, 2019.
2 “Building Inclusive Women+ Digital Health: 8 Sectors to Meet Women+ Needs,” Rock Health, 27 September 2021.
3 “What is Menopause?” National Institute on Aging, 2021.
Four “What Are the 34 Symptoms of Menopause?” Medical News Today, 2021.
Five “Menopause,” National Library of Medicine, 2022.
6 “Reproductive Age and Midlife Health Disparities Between Black and White Women: A National Women’s Health Study (SWAN),” Women’s Midlife Health, 2022.
7 “Twenty-Five Years of Research Shows Insidious Effects of Racism on Menopausal Transitions and Health in Black Women,” University of Michigan School of Public Health, 2022.
About MATTER
At MATTER, we believe collaboration is the best way to improve healthcare. The MATTER collaboration includes over 700 current and alumni startups from around the world, working with dozens of hospitals and healthcare systems, universities and industry-leading companies to build the future of healthcare. I’m here. Together we accelerate innovation, advance care and improve lives. For more information, visit matter.health and follow @MATTERhealth.
About Astellas Pharma US, Inc.
Astellas Pharma US, Inc. is a US affiliate of Tokyo-based Astellas Pharma Inc., a pharmaceutical company with operations in more than 70 countries worldwide. Astellas is at the forefront of medical change, transforming scientific innovation into value for patients. By focusing on addressing unmet medical needs and conducting business with ethics and integrity, we can improve the health of people in the United States and around the world. For more information about Astellas, please visit https://www.astellas.com/us. You can also follow us on Twitter (@AstellasUS), Facebook (www.facebook.com/AstellasUS) and LinkedIn (www.linkedin.com/company). /stellas-pharma-us.
About Walgreens
Walgreens (www.walgreens.com) is included in the US segment of Walgreens Boots Alliance, Inc. (Nasdaq: WBA). The company is an all-around leader in healthcare, pharmacy and retail, serving millions of customers and patients every day. A heritage that cares about the community. As America’s most beloved pharmacy, health and beauty company, Walgreens’ purpose is to champion the health and well-being of all American communities. Operating approximately 9,000 retail stores in the United States, Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands, Walgreens is proud to be a regional health destination serving approximately 9 million customers every day. Walgreens pharmacists play a vital role in the US healthcare system by providing a wide range of pharmacy and healthcare services. To best meet the needs of its customers and patients, Walgreens offers a true omnichannel experience with fully integrated physical and digital platforms, supported by the latest technology and highly accessible to communities across the country. We provide quality products and services.
About Parkview Health
Parkview Health is a nonprofit, community-based health care system serving a population of more than 895,000 in northeastern Indiana and northwestern Ohio. Parkview Health’s mission is to improve the health and promote the well-being of the communities it serves. With over 14,000 employees, Parkview is the largest employer in the region.
Parkview Health includes 10 hospitals and an extensive network of primary care and specialist physicians. Parkview has been designated by the Magnet® Health System for Superior Nursing Care.
About Chicago Medical School
With a history dating back to 1927, the Medical College of Chicago is one of the country’s leading academic medical institutions. UChicago Medicine comprises the University of Chicago Medical Center, which provides a wide range of primary and specialty care for adults and children through more than 40 laboratories and centers. Ingalls Memorial, a community-based hospital and outpatient facility; A network of outpatient clinics and doctor’s offices throughout Chicagoland and northwestern Indiana. Pritzker College of Medicine is one of the nation’s top medical schools. The Department of Biological Sciences at the University of Chicago is home to his 12 Nobel Laureates in Physiology or Medicine.
