WoW Woman in FemTech I Roswitha Verwer, founder, CEO & CBO of YON E Global
Roswitha Verwer is a pioneering force in the femtech and digital health sectors, known for her groundbreaking work as the founder of YON E Global.
Her innovative approach to women's healthcare is highlighted by the official filing of the first patent application for the YON E Device, marking a significant milestone in the industry. Under her leadership, YON E Global has emerged as a pinnacle of innovation, as evidenced by her and CSO Ricquelle Jeffrey's Top 10 winning pitch at the MedFemTech conference in Paris.
Among her notable achievements, Roswitha has been featured in Forbes Magazine, a recognition that speaks volumes of her influence and impact in the industry. This feature is just one of many accolades, including being named one of the “Top 20 Women to Watch in 2023” by The NYC Journal, highlighting her as a key figure in the global tech community.
Central to Roswitha's success are her global team and partners, who together launched Europe's newest femcare webshop. This serves as a strategic platform for introducing YON E Global's medical device to the market featuring global femcare brands, many of which are available for the first time in Europe. Based in Budapest and Amsterdam, her passion for merging technology, healthcare, and elegance drives her continual pursuit of creating accessible and empowering solutions for women around the world.
YON E Global is developing a pioneering medical device poised to revolutionize women's health, backed by their Dutch design and pending global patent.
Their expertise extends over 75 years in healthcare and med-tech, merging innovation with female intuition. This initiative not only showcases their commitment to women's health but also emphasizes their global footprint.
Tell us a bit about your background and your projects so far.
With over a decade of experience in the startup scene, I have had the opportunity to scale startups both in the US and Europe. Originally from the Netherlands, my journey has taken me from living in New York to now calling Budapest my home. Throughout both my professional and personal life, marketing and branding have played pivotal roles, providing me with invaluable insights. These insights have been particularly beneficial as I navigate the femtech industry. My leadership experience spans a diverse range of sectors, including finance, marketing, real estate, and arts, where I have led companies and teams towards achieving their visions and goals.
How did you get into this industry? Has it been an easy industry to get into or have you had many challenges?
Entering this industry stemmed from a personal journey marked by overcoming a childhood overshadowed by mental and physical abuse. As the founder and CEO of YON E Global, my past has profoundly influenced my mission to revolutionize women's healthcare, but this path has not been without its challenges.
My experiences growing up in safe houses and facing years of abuse gave me a firsthand understanding of the significant gaps in women's healthcare, especially in discussions often left in the shadows. This understanding started my determination to create YON E Global, a patent-pending femtech device aimed at empowering women by providing them with critical insights into their vaginal health. Furthermore, I took a bold step in launching Europe's newest femcare webshop that will serve as a launchpad for our medical device—a platform that not only highlights global brands but also establishes a safe haven for women, by women.
The journey into the femtech industry has been far from easy, with numerous hurdles along the way. Navigating the startup landscape as a woman presents a unique set of challenges, intensified by the endeavor to break into the femtech sector, particularly in an area as stigmatized as vaginal health. Despite the progress and breakthroughs in gender equality, women in business, especially those spearheading startups, continue to face significant barriers. One of the most notable hurdles is securing funding. The stark gender disparity in venture capital funding is well-documented, with female-founded startups receiving a fraction of the investments that flow to male-led companies. This funding gap widens further when the focus shifts to femtech, an industry aiming to innovate women's health technology.
The challenge is compounded when the mission revolves around vaginal health—a topic that, despite its importance, remains shrouded in taboo and discomfort. Many investors hesitate to back ventures in this domain, not due to a lack of potential or need, but because of societal stigmas and a fundamental misunderstanding of women's health issues. This reluctance hampers innovation and leaves crucial health concerns inadequately addressed.
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?
Reaching the point where I am now with YON E has been a lifelong journey, deeply intertwined with my own experiences of trauma and healing. It took me the better part of my life to heal and cope with these experiences. The turning point came during the COVID lockdown when, alongside my previous job, I dedicated myself fully to conceptualizing the initial ideas for what would become our pioneering device. Immersed in literature studies and early device concepts, I laid the groundwork for YON E, which came to life in 2022 and officially kick-started in 2023.
The core of my leadership at YON E is my personal journey of healing and empowerment. This journey has been instrumental in shaping my ability to connect with others on an empathetic level, building a foundation of trust and understanding. Sharing my story has been therapeutic, a significant aspect of my healing process, and it has also reached and inspired others on their paths to self-discovery and healing.
The greatest obstacle in this journey was overcoming the silence and stigma surrounding my personal traumas and the broader issue of women's health, particularly vaginal health. Breaking through these barriers to openly discuss and address these topics has been both a challenge and a mission. The femtech industry, while innovative and crucial, faces its own set of challenges, including securing funding, battling societal taboos, and the constant need for education and advocacy. Despite these hurdles, the opportunity to make a meaningful impact on women's health drives us forward, guiding YON E Global in its mission to empower women through technology.
What are your biggest achievements to date?
In under a year, YON E Global made remarkable strides in FemTech and digital health. We started strong with our first patent application for the YON E Device in January this year, marking our distinct place in the industry. Our pitch at MedFemTech in Paris landed us in the Top 10 highlighting our innovation and mission. Recognition followed soon after by Forbes France in their 2023 Autumn issue, and The NYC Journal named me as one of the “Top 20 Women Disruptors to Watch.” Interviews with FizzyMag and a live session on Live Radio Tilos Spotify recording in Hungary helped us share our mission widely. Furthermore, our revenue-generating webshop launched, setting the stage for our medical device.
These milestones are proof of our journey's momentum and our commitment to transforming women's healthcare. We're excited for what's next and grateful for the community joining us on this journey.
What are the projects you are currently working on?
Currently, our international team and partners are in an exciting phase of kick-starting the feasibility studies, usability assessments, and prototype development in the Netherlands, in collaboration with Sentron Europe and GBO Innovation Makers. Sentron & GBO are two formidable partners who have supported us from the beginning.
Alongside this, we are completing our second literature study with our in-house medical experts and striving to enhance our webshop by introducing more global brands to the European market for the first time. Our webshop and social media platforms serve as vital channels for creating global brand awareness, generating revenue, and expanding our customer base.
It is incredibly rewarding to see female customers from across Europe, who represent our target audience for the medical device, already engaging with our webshop. Building a medical device poses its unique set of challenges, especially when it comes to market launch and customer adoption. However, our strategic approach is laying the groundwork for trust and recognition early on. This trust is cultivated through our webshop but also via our femcare chats, blog posts, and social media content.
YON E stands at the forefront of the femtech revolution, symbolized by our signature color purple. Our efforts are about innovation, creating a community, and fostering a sense of belonging among our users.
Is the #WomenInTech movement important to you and if yes, why?
The tech industry, historically dominated by men, has seen a paradigm shift, thanks in part to the #WomenInTech movement. This movement is not just about increasing the number of women in tech; it's about redefining the technological landscape to be more inclusive, diverse, and equitable. For me, it is progress that illuminates the path toward a future where everyone, regardless of gender, has equal opportunities to contribute to, and benefit from, technological
advancements.
It is about the unique perspectives, ideas, and innovations that women bring to the table, which are crucial for creating technology that serves a broader spectrum of humanity. It challenges stereotypes, breaks down barriers, and empowers women to pursue careers in STEM fields where they have been underrepresented.
Moreover, the #WomenInTech movement fosters a supportive community where women can share experiences, mentor one another, and advocate for change.
This is vital for inspiring the next generation of women in tech, showing them that they belong in this space, their contributions are valued, and they can lead and innovate with impact.
What will be the key trends in your industry in the next five years and where do you see them heading?
Over the next five years, the femtech industry is set to move beyond the current landscape into an era where biofeedback and neurotechnology become integral to femtech devices. This means not just tracking and managing health metrics but actively enabling women to influence their physiological and psychological states. The potential here is vast, from reducing menstrual pain to alleviating stress, offering a holistic approach to health that bridges the physical and mental divide.
At the same time, genomics is paving the way for unprecedented personalization in healthcare. Imagine having health solutions tailored precisely to your genetic makeup, offering preventative strategies and treatments for conditions like PCOS or endometriosis that are as unique as the individual. This leap towards personalized medicine is about reshaping our entire approach to healthcare, making it more proactive, predictive, and personalized.
Perhaps most revolutionary is the rise of decentralized women's health platforms. Leveraging blockchain technology, these platforms promise a new level of data privacy and security, coupled with access to a global network of healthcare resources and peer support. It is about giving women control over their health data and how it is used, ensuring that their privacy is protected while still benefiting from the collective power of shared knowledge and resources.
What is the most important piece of advice you could give to anyone who wants to start a career in this industry?
Do not get intimidated by those with more experience, and do not let rejection discourage you. As women, our intuition and gut feelings are powerful tools; make sure to incorporate them into your professional journey and trust your instincts. There is a profound reason behind our strong intuition.
It is crucial to surround yourself with a core team that shares your vision from the start and can grow with you. Nobody can scale a startup alone, and finding your support network early on makes scaling much smoother.
One practice I uphold at YON E Global involves embracing spirituality, maintaining positive vibrations, and ensuring our team is in the right mindset to create and collaborate. Society often pressures us with stress, anxiety, and feelings of inadequacy. At YON E, it is vital for us to work from a place of calmness and focus, rather than from a state of fear and stress.
Who are three inspirational women in your respective industry that you admire?
In the realm of femtech and women's health innovation, numerous inspirational figures have made significant contributions. Among them, three women stand out for me with their remarkable work and dedication:
Alia Rahman: Founder of Amplexd Therapeutics is a figure of inspiration in the healthcare and FemTech industry, embodying the innovative spirit and dedication that drives progress in women’s health. Her work with Amplexd Therapeutics, particularly in pioneering non-invasive treatments for cervical dysplasia, places her at the forefront of medical innovation. Her dedication to creating accessible, non-invasive options for women worldwide exemplifies the kind of leadership and vision that transforms industries and lives.
Navneet Kaur: Founder of FemTech India, Navneet Kaur has been instrumental in bringing femtech to the forefront in India, a country where conversations about women's health technology are still emerging. Through FemTech India, she is not only introducing innovative health solutions tailored for women but also breaking cultural barriers and fostering a community where women's health is openly discussed and prioritized. Her efforts are paving the way for a new era of women's health empowerment in India and beyond.
Tania Boler: Founder and CEO of Elvie, a company that develops smart technology for women, including the world's first silent wearable breast pump and a smart pelvic floor exerciser. Tania's passion for women's health issues, particularly around motherhood and postnatal care, has led to significant innovations that offer convenience, empowerment, and dignity to women at different stages of their lives.
These women exemplify the essence of innovation, leadership, and compassionin the femtech industry.
Find out more about YON E Global on their website.
Connect with Roswith on her LinkedIn.
If you want to share your story with us and be featured on our WoW Women blog, get in touch.
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.