The Femtech & Women’s Health edition of ‘Discovery Spark’ supports early stage businesses working to close the gender health gap.

Discovery Park has announced Minter Hormone Health as the winner of the Discovery Spark FemTech and Women’s Health Prize, following a competitive pitch process to three expert panels. 

The Women’s Health startup will now receive a prize package worth over £50K, including one year of lab or office space at Discovery Park and a package of support from specialist prize partners. 

Discovery Park is a thriving life science and innovation community, committed to supporting innovative organisations transforming women’s health. This announcement marks the culmination of the seven week Discovery Spark programme, with a cohort of 11 promising companies attending sessions at Discovery Park, in Sandwich. The growth and support programme prepared early stage businesses for success in investment pitches, with learnings on people, teams and brand, presentation and communication, and business metrics and markets. 

Founded by nurse Lexie Minter, Minter Hormone Health is a specialist healthcare provider offering personalised care for women experiencing perimenopause, menopause, PCOS, endometriosis, contraceptive and reproductive health needs. The company provides consultations and hormone health services across the UK via a virtual platform and at in-person clinics in London and Kent. Each patient receives a personalised service tailored to their unique needs and medical history, including bespoke hormone replacement therapies. 

Lexie Minter, founder of Minter Hormone Health, said: “Empowering women is fundamental to what we do and our patients value the exceptional service they receive in our clinics. We aim to roll-out our high level of expert care across the UK via a network of women’s health hubs that will be accessible to all. We must engage with women who are underserved and whose needs are not met by the current healthcare system. We will invest in research and change the future of women’s health for all, not just the few.”  

“The Discovery Spark programme has been hugely rewarding and insightful.  We are thrilled to be recognised with this award and the prize package brings us one step closer to our goal of improving healthcare outcomes, delivering female-centred care based on women’s unique physiology and ensuring equitable treatment for all.”

Dr Renos Savva, Programme Lead and Head of Innovation and Venture Development at Discovery Park, said: “We had an exceptional cohort for our FemTech and Women’s Health programme, reflecting the strength of companies working tirelessly to close the gender health gap. A massive congratulations to Minter Hormone Health, as the competition was fierce, with just four points between the top five. Discovery Spark exists to champion early stage businesses, and I’m immensely proud of the strides made by this group.” 

A third iteration of the Discovery Spark programme is opening for applications in August and starting in October. Interested early stage businesses are encouraged to sign up for notifications. https://discovery-park.co.uk/lp/discovery-spark-register-your-interest/ 

The drill pitch session was held on 4th July and included keynote speeches from Wendy Powell CEO, Mutu, a leading global digital health platform clinically recommended for perinatal pelvic health, and Juliet Gouldman, Head of Strategic and External Engagement at Barclays.

The FemTech and Women’s Health Discovery Spark Drill Pitch Day was contested by 8 (listed alphabetically) of the 11 companies from the programme: BodyOwn, Cooden Cosmetics, Cyril Protect, imphatec Ltd, Minter Hormone Health, Pelvity, S.M. Discovery Group (SMDG), and Young Mums Support Network.

The Discovery Spark programme is run in partnership with Barclays Eagle Labs, NHS Kent and Medway, plus Health Innovation Kent Surrey Sussex. 

Prize partners for the Discovery Spark programme included: 

• One year of office or lab space at Discovery Park 
• Legal support from Abel + Imray
• Business support from Barclays Eagle Labs
• Accountancy support from Kreston Reeves LLP
• Data support from Project Fusion
• Brand Strategy from The Good Stuff
• Talent and Board advice from SRG Talent 

Judges at the Discovery Spark Drill pitches were: 

Discovery Spark Prize Partners:

• Philippa Clark – Senior Client Development Manager at SRG Talent
• Janne Bate – Principal Search Consultant – Artificial Intelligence, Machine Learning and Computational Sciences at SRG Talent
• Ceri Cook – Accounts & Outsourcing Senior Manager at Kreston Reeves
• David Rosevear – Business Services Manager at Kreston Reeves
• Tim Hewson – Of Counsel, Chartered UK and European Patent Attorney, Abel + Imray
• James Easley – Co-Founder of The Good Stuff Group
• Renos Savva – Head of Innovation and Venture Development, Discovery Park 

Health & Regulatory Experts: 

• Jenny Partridge – Innovation Manager, NHS Health Innovation Kent Surrey Sussex
• Wendy Powell – CEO, Mutu
• Nicola Ellis–Webb – Healthcare Services Director, Acacium Group
• Dianne Lee – CEO, DLRC

Investors: 

• Joanna Gould – Ada Ventures
• Naz Bashir – Evolutia Venture Partners

Discovery Park is committed to supporting women in business and innovative organisations transforming women’s health.

Contact us for more information on business support and investment opportunities currently available.