The advertising double standard holding back femtech startups — with Maria Velissaris and Colette Courtion

Note: We are publishing this week's episode early so our listeners can enjoy it over the holiday break in the United States. Also note there is no episode of Top Stories this week. Happy Holidays!

In today's episode of HIMSSCast, guest host Laura Lovett, managing editor of MobiHealthNews, checks in with Maria Velissaris, founding partner at SteelSky Ventures and Colette Courtion, founder and CEO of Joylux about some of the challenges facing the burgeoning women's health and reproductive health, or femtech, industry. In particular, they chat about advertising double standards, funding shortfalls, and where the space is headed next.

Talking points:

• The under-funding of women’s health tech companies
• The advertising double standard in sexual and reproductive health
• The downstream effects of inconsistently applied “taboos”
• Changing advertising policies through education
• How women’s health is not a niche opportunity
• Why women VCs aren’t enough to close the funding gap in femtech
• The need for a focus on culturally competent care

More about this episode:

Femtech players call out Facebook for rejecting women's health ads

Femtech's potential to capture data about women's health beyond reproduction

Femtech's sexual health revolution

Femtech market has potential but struggles to score investor dollars

'Femtech and women’s health issues have become more mainstream. We must do more though'

VC Maria Velissaris looks to change male-dominated digital health world with femtech investments

Femtech market has unmet segments despite industry growth, report says

Online sexual, cosmetic health company Hims lands $100M in funding