Endometriosis Awareness Month: 5 Startups Making A Difference

As Endometriosis Awareness Month comes to an end, it’s important to keep discussing a condition that affects approximately 1 in 10 women worldwide.

Endometriosis is more than just a medical condition, it’s a diagnosis that can have an impact on a woman’s life, fertility and wellbeing. Yet, even though such a huge chunk of the global population suffers with it, it still remains largely misunderstood.

What Is Endometriosis?

Endometriosis is a condition where tissue, similar to the lining inside the uterus, known as the endometrium, begins to grow outside the uterus. The condition can be present from puberty to menopause, significantly impacting a person’s wellbeing.

Endometriosis can cause pain, heavy periods, and in more severe cases, infertility. Endometriosis is particularly hard to diagnose as it often requires invasive procedures, which can delay many women from getting treatment.

Moreover, symptoms like pain and heavy periods can manifest in different ways, making it hard to know when a woman is experiencing endometriosis and when it’s simply severe period pains.

Why is Endometriosis Such a Huge Issue?

Endometriosis can affect many area of a woman’s life, from physical symptoms to mental wellbeing. Additionally, as it can take up to 7 – 10 years to get a correct diagnosis, many women might be dealing with years of pain with no relief.

The lack of awareness around the condition only makes it worse, showing the need for more research, quicker diagnosis and more ways to help manage symptoms.

However, the startup world is beginning to come to the rescue, with new innovative startups popping up all the time to help diagnose and manage this condition. Here, we look at 5 companies in the endometriosis space, helping endometriosis sufferers live a happier, more pain-free life.

5 Endometriosis Startups

Ziwig

Ziwig is helping more people be diagnosed with Endometriosis through its new saliva test. By using AI to analyse microRNA levels, the company is helping more people be diagnosed faster, without the need for invasive tests.

The company’s Endotest allows users to receive results in just a few days, reducing long-wait times for diagnosis. Moreover, with a 95% success rate around diagnosis, the company is giving people a quicker, smarter and more effective route to diagnosis.

Frendo

Frendo is a community of endometriosis sufferers, providing peer-to-peer support and screening for those struggling with the symptoms of endometriosis.

Initially started as a social network and symptom tracker, the startup has grown to be a resource guide for those looking for treatment and symptom management.

Through their holisic approach to support, Frendo is helping millions of people worldwide get the emotional and physical support they need when suffering with endometriosis.

DotLab

DotLab introduces DotEndo™, a non-invasive blood test that allows for diagnosing endometriosis.

By measuring biomarkers, DotEndo is able to identify endometriosis quickly and accurately at any stage.

The test helps provide a more simple and less invasive route to diagnosis, requiring just a blood draw to generate results. By allowing endometriosis sufferers to take matters into their own hands when it comes to their diagnosis, DotLab can help more people access the help they need, sooner.

Hera Biotech

Hera Biotech is another startup helping with diagnosis through its MetriDx™ test, a non-surgical, tissue-based test for endometriosis.

The MetriDx™ test not only eliminates the need for invasive procedures, it also reduces the time it takes to be diagnosed, helping people access treatment faster.

Unfabled

Unfabled is a startup helping women with their menstrual and hormonal health. Through a variety of innovative products such as CBD tampons, Unfabled offers sustainable, non-toxic products for menstrual care, sexual wellness, fertility, post-partum care, menopause, PCOS, and endometriosis.

The startup has evolved in recent years to be a holistic platform around women’s wellbeing, aiming to give them the support and products they need for a more pain-free life.