WoW Woman in FemTech I Chantelle Bell, co-founder of Syrona Health
Chantelle Bell is the co-founder of Syrona Health.
Chantelle has a background in Genetics. She started to fuse her interests in Healthcare and Technology during her Master’s in Bioscience Enterprise at Cambridge where she realized the applicability of Technology to improve patients’ lives whether it be for diagnosis, treatment or long-term care.
She went on to work in Philips working in Digital Healthcare and Consulting before starting Syrona Health, a health-tech company based in London UK which aims to support people going through Chronic Conditions such as Endometriosis with symptom tracking, insights, community and a curated shop with service and products.
Syrona is an employee benefits solution for 45% of the workforce that go through chronic gynaecological health conditions such as Endometriosis. They do this through their virtual clinic which provides diagnostic, telemedicine and self-management tools. Syrona Health is currently available in the UK, Ireland and the USA but we will be expanding to new countries this year. It can also be accessed as a sole user through the app store.
Chantelle, how did you get into this industry? Has it been an easy industry to get into or have you had many challenges?
My co-founder (Anya Roy) and I got into the industry from our own difficulties with navigating the healthcare system with our own chronic gynaecological health conditions. Syrona is a research-driven app and there has been a distinct lack of research within the field of gynaecological health, especially within Endometriosis. We aim to change this by partnering with researchers to help bring validated research to patients faster. To create a product with true value takes time and that is the main challenge.
How long did it take you to be where you are now? What was the biggest obstacle? What are the challenges of being in the industry you are in?
It’s taken about 2.5 years to be where we’re at now but this is just the beginning. In the early stages demonstrating that this was an issue worth investing in and there is a market for a product for people with chronic gynaecological health conditions was a challenge (despite it affecting 45% of people). I feel like there is hesitation due to the unfortunate lack of unicorns within the women’s healthcare space but that is fundamentally due to the initial lack of funding within women’s healthcare.
What are your biggest achievements to date?
My biggest achievement is creating SORA and to work alongside our users who build and iterate the product to ensure we’re making something that people really need and want to use. Being backed by Y Combinator was great for our team to help us grow the product and brand.
What are the projects you are currently working on?
We work closely with research partners for two main reasons. To validate the benefits of the app and to help translate new research to end-users. Research is usually very slow moving from publication to commercialization and digital health has really changed that dynamic.
Is the #WomenInTech movement important to you and if yes, why?
Absolutely! The visibility of women in tech is very much needed to show the next generation that they’re not alone and it is possible. When looking at the stats on the types of companies women in tech are likely to build, it’s usually something geared toward solving real-world problems like healthcare and accessibility and that’s exciting. We can really change the world.
What will be the key trends in your industry in the next five years and where do you see them heading?
I believe that there will be a non-invasive test for Endometriosis created and a better diagnosis.
I believe digital health will be fully integrated into treatment plans and even prescribed as a treatment option for certain chronic conditions.
What is the most important piece of advice you could give to anyone who wants to start a career in this industry?
If you have an idea, go out there, speak to users, build the simplest version and launch and iterate with your core users.
Who are three inspirational women in your respective industry you admire?
Amanda Spann – An amazing woman in tech who is a game developer in Microsoft’s Xbox Advanced Technology Group but she also helps individuals and institutions design, build and launch new tech products (Super cool)!
Kamilah Taylor – An app Developer and ex-senior software engineer at LinkedIn, She now assists start-ups to develop apps and she also contributed to the book “Women in Tech”.
Charlene Hunter – CEO of Coding Black Females a nonprofit organization whose primary aim is to provide opportunities for Black female developers to develop themselves and gain access to jobs.
Find out more about Syrona Health on their website.
Follow Syrona Health on LinkedIn, Twitter, and Instagram.
Connect with Chantelle on LinkedIn.
This interview was conducted by Marija Butkovic, Digital Marketing and PR strategist, founder, and CEO of Women of Wearables. She regularly writes and speaks on topics of wearable tech, fashion tech, IoT, entrepreneurship, and diversity. Follow Marija on Twitter @MarijaButkovic and read her stories for Forbes here.