Recap: FemTech Futures
Did you know that the return on investment in products and services for women is up to 70% higher than that for a homogeneous audience? And yet only 1% of R&D budgets go to projects specifically targeting women. That's just one of the many insights shared at FemTech Futures on June 10, in collaboration with Kristel Vanderlinden, The Cronos Group and Technopolis.
10/06/2025 MECHELEN
With this event, we officially launched our mission: to inspire and support more entrepreneurs to get started with innovative FemTech solutions. We brought together CEOs, decision makers, investors, researchers and other interested parties for an evening of insights, ambition and action.
An evening of insights and inspiration
The evening was kicked off by Kristel Vanderlinden, trendwatcher and author of De Evalutie, who shook up the room with data and visions of the future. She delivered a powerful message about why women represent the greatest untapped potential of this century.
This was followed by a panel discussion with:
Jurgen Ingels, entrepreneur and investor
Sarah Lebeer, researcher and inspirer of Isala, the first large-scale study of the vaginal microbiome
Marjan Verhaegen, CCO of Technopolis
And, of course, Kristel Vanderlinden herself
The panel discussion was led by Rein Meirte, founder of Clusity.
What we discussed
The panel revealed some striking insights:
Investors need to look at things differently. The current system was built by and for men. As a result, women entrepreneurs are often missed or misjudged, especially if they are more risk-averse, less confident or combine more care responsibilities.
FemTech still encounters stigma. Sarah Lebeer talked about how difficult it was to find funding for Isala because women's health projects are quickly labeled "too niche."
Image formation is crucial. Marjan Verhaegen outlined how Technopolis is actively working to create a more inclusive image of STEM and women's issues towards young people.
Future Vision. Kristel outlined the current reality, the barriers that remain, and the enormous potential of the "Evalution" that lies ahead.
What comes next. The FemTech Hackathon
We don't just leave it at talk. We believe in action. That's why we are proud to announce the FemTech Hackathon, taking place November 28 in Brussels.
Together with 100 participants, we are building concrete business ideas for FemTech products and services in the sectors:
Sports
Retail
Health
Banking and insurance
Teams will pitch their ideas in front of experts and investors. The best concepts will receive access to coaching, financial support and a concrete path to further develop the idea.
Help build the future
We are looking for:
Sponsors and media partners
Judges and mentors
People with ideas or just containers of energy to build something worthwhile (you can sign up on the waitlist!)
💡 Want to participate or learn more?
Visit femtech-hackathon.com and find out how you can contribute to a more inclusive future.
📸 Don't forget to check out below and enjoy the inspiring atmosphere after!
(Click on the photo to see it large. Then right-click and 'save' to download it. All photos may be shared on social media - but don't forget to tag on @Clusity!)
Photo by Angela de Jong Photography
