🌏 What are Femtech Founders in Southeast Asia thinking about in December 2024?

Over the past week, we have had check-in calls with several FemTech Association Asia members in Indonesia, the Philippines and Singapore about considerations for their femtech startups as we move into 2025. 

Here is what is on their minds:

FemTech Connect Asia Conference (June 2024)

1️⃣ Re-engaging with Family Planning

Femtech founders observe that the region continues to prioritise family planning ahead of other categories of women's health. This reflects the demand from consumers and an opportunity to innovate infertility, contraception and reproductive health in response to the priorities of regional governments and industry ecosystem.

💡Menstrual care products are the top femtech category women in Southeast Asiaare familiar with. Reproductive Health Coaching Services have a SEA consumer usage rate of 8%; Fertility tracking apps and Hormone Contraception Apps 7% respectively, according to research by FemTech Association and Milieu Insight.

2️⃣ Service-Solutions Creating Branded Products

Service-based startups are considering how they can incorporate tangible, scalable products to support brand-building, create additional revenue streams, add new customer touchpoints, and extend the customer journey. 

3️⃣ Solving the Customer Drop-off 

While many consumers in Asia turn to femtech solutions because of affordability and convenience, there is a critical point once higher spend is required - e.g. diagnostic tests and specialised screenings, long-term treatments and regular monitoring. Founders are focusing on how to shift the consumer mindset to preventative care, encouraging investing in health now for lower expense in the future.

💡Among current femtech users in SEA, ease of use/convenience (64%) and cost (47%) are the determining factors for using femtech products and services.

4️⃣ B2B as the Customer Path Forward 

Scaling B2C remains a challenge in femtech in Asia given high marketing and customer acquisition costs. Startups are pivoting to B2B models, forging partnerships with healthcare providers, insurers, and employers to bring their solutions to larger audiences. The challenge with B2B? Longer lead times, so it is critical to ensure B2B product-market fit and value.

Watch this space for updates on the femtech industry in Asia throughout 2025!