On this episode of Busine$$ of the V, Dr. Dweck and Rachel welcome a pioneer in the FemTech space. As the Founder & Director of Ultra Violet Futures, Anna Butterworth is bringing future forecasting into new realms of health innovation. Whether you’re a startup geared toward women’s needs or looking to grow a business already in that space, she is all about elevating brands and showcasing innovative products. And lest you think this work is siloed, Anna explains how FemTech is spanning sectors including sex, health, travel and technology.

With education as a focal point, FemTech is creating community and fostering communication among health care practitioners and women who want to be proactive in managing their wellness. Anna shares her take on industry trends and how AI and telemedicine are democratizing access to quality health care. Anna’s agency is right at the heart of a convergence of energy and opportunity in the development and promotion of women-centric products and services.

HOT FLASH: The telemedicine market is expected to reach 186.5 billion by 2026. Another fun fact? Telemedicine saves patients more than 100 minutes of time compared to in-person visits.

Don’t miss this chance to learn the latest news about Ultra Violet Futures and what’s on the horizon going forward in this burgeoning market!

Download a free copy of Ultra Violet Futures’ take on a market that is hot, hot, hot: The Future of Cycle Care.

To check out the buzz about Elvie, visit their website here.

Topic Covered in the Anna Butterworth Interview

• Introduction to Anna and a bit about how she moved into the FemTech space.
• Creating a Public Conversation: Why incontinence was a big communications challenge for Anna, who previously was in charge of promoting awareness around Elvie, a pelvic floor trainer.
• Creating a Language: How Anna has parlayed her experience with Elvie into a larger mission to expand the conversation about women and FemTech.
• The building blocks for innovators: education, brand building, getting people onboard and converting awareness into sales.
• Ultra Violet Futures: The agency is expanding to include a forecasting arm in addition to startup business advisory.
• Leveraging early adopters is key to spreading the marketing word and building community.
• Anna explains how she manages squeamishness when promoting products like menstrual underwear.
• Ultra Violet makes it a priority to work closely with the medical community to ensure accuracy and validity.
• Marketing campaigns are frequently built around spokespeople from the medical community or high-profile individuals such as athletes.
• How Anna’s agency is tracking innovation and forecasting trends in the FemTech space, including investment opportunities.
• Trends on Anna’s radar:
  • Lots of crossover between FemTech and other industries, such as fashion, health and beauty.
  • Artificial Intelligence (AI) as a means for sharing solutions to help marginalized communities.
• Telemedicine is creating spaces for people to get help anywhere at any time – democratizing access to quality health care.
• If you’re a leader and innovator with “a cool product” that you want to launch or grow, Ultra Violet Futures can provide research, analysis and a go-to-market.

Quotes from the Anna Butterworth Interview:

(01:45) – “So many of the newer startup companies that are very focused on women’s health and wellness are providing education, and that’s huge.” (Dr. Dweck)

(08:54) – “It’s very difficult to introduce products that support women’s health and well-being. We have to do a lot of the education.”

(09:15) – “You have to do a lot of education first before you can even get to selling a product.”

(15:18) – “ You wouldn’t feel comfortable working with a brand making a ton of claims they don’t have backing for … We work with products that are substantiated and backed by evidence.”

(20:53) – “Telehealth is really the future because we can reach people anywhere at any time and that really helps to level the playing field of who’s able to access really good health care.”

(22:52) – “We see FemTech as supporting every single type of industry.”

About Anna Butterworth:

Anna Butterworth is a FemTech pioneer. She has been at the epicenter of the industry for over six years – before the term was even coined. Starting her career in PR she quickly found her calling in wider creative campaign strategy and moved through cause-led organizations that support marginalized communities and promote their voices. 

FURTHER RESOURCES:

Website: www.ultraviolet.agency

Email: anna@ultraviolet.agency

Ultra Violet @Instagram

Anna @LinkedIn

Anna @Twitter