WoW Woman in FemTech I Orla Baumgarter, CMO at SteadySense
Orla Baumgarter is CMO at SteadySense – the home of femSense.
Orla is originally from Ireland but has been living in Austria for the last 25 years. Orla helped lay the foundations for the development of the femSense brand and is largely responsible for the positioning of the brand, European-wide campaign strategies, and the upcoming launch of femSense as a hormone-free method of birth control. As a mother of 3 children who struggled to get pregnant, Orla immediately recognized the importance of femSense for women planning a pregnancy and insisted she was the right woman to bring this innovative product to the market.
femSense is an ovulation tracker based on the well-known temperature method trusted by generations of women to plan or prevent a pregnancy. While the temperature method has been scientifically proven to work – the tiny rise in basal body temperature at ovulation is directly caused by ovulation and is confirmation that ovulation has occurred – it has, up until now been very time-consuming and difficult to do correctly. The technology in the femSense patch has brought the temperature method into the 21st century and made it much easier to use. femSense does all the temperature measuring, charting, and analyzing for you. The sensor patch is worn only during the fertile period during which time it measures the user’s body temperature continuously, 24/7, until it has detected the tiny rise in temperature which confirms that ovulation has taken place. The system is made up of the sensor patch and a free period tracker app that informs you when to apply the patch, when ovulation has been measured and confirmed, and when to remove the patch – it really is that easy. Currently, femSense can be used to help women get pregnant or as a fertility awareness tool. In the very near future, it will also be available as a method of hormone-free birth control.
Orla, tell us a bit about your background and your projects so far.
I was fortunate to start my career surrounded by women. I began in what was at the time a mostly female business, as a flight attendant for an international airline. I learned so much in those 5 years about working with people, about customer service, and most importantly about problem-solving and thinking on your feet – if you have a problem at 30,000 feet you have to find a solution by yourself – and quickly. I moved into marketing when I returned to work after having my children and finally found my way to FemTech 5 years ago.
How did you get into this industry? Has it been an easy industry to get into or have you had many challenges?
femSense brought me into the FemTech industry and although we face similar investment and target marketing struggles to other FemTech companies it is amazing to be in an industry where I feel we can make a difference. I feel like I am part of a growing community or even a movement, and that together we are making significant changes in women’s health, fertility awareness, and body independence.
The first time I heard about femSense I knew I had to be the woman to bring this game-changing product to the market. It had a profound emotional and personal effect on me. I could relate to our target market at that time - women having difficulty getting pregnant - I had been on that emotional roller coaster myself and recognised immediately that for those women femSense could make a difference. I also saw the huge long-term potential for fertility awareness and eventually hormone-free birth control. Here was a product that could give women knowledge about their fertility, an understanding of their own menstrual cycles, hormone balance, and health issues which would, in turn, give them the confidence to make decisions about their own bodies.
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 has taken us 4 long years to get this far. femSense is now performing well in Europe and we are excited about entering the US market and making American femSense friends. One of the biggest challenges we face is the attitude to the menstrual cycle and fertility. Unfortunately, periods and trying to conceive are often still taboo subjects. Up until very recently commercials for sanitary products couldn’t mention periods or vaginas and were being advertised with blue blood! Yes, younger women are thankfully much more open about their cycles and demanding that periods are talked about but women still seldom talk to their friends about trying to get pregnant. It is such a shame because if we did, we could be much more supportive of each other and our expectations. Knowing that up to one in four pregnancies end in miscarriage may help ease the pain of a woman who thinks she is suffering alone.
What are your biggest achievements to date?
Although we have won prizes and recognition over the last few years my favorite achievements are the over 15,000 femSense babies that we helped create. femSense was originally launched as an ovulation tracker to help women get pregnant, and back then the first thing I did every morning when I arrived at the office was to check the board to see if there were any new femSense babies on the way - we celebrated every one of them. I also think the independent confirmation by a Swiss statistical institute that our algorithm is 99.73% accurate in predicting a woman’s fertile window is worth a mention.
What are the projects you are currently working on?
We are constantly updating and improving our system, but our current project really is exciting. We are in the process of having femSense certified as a method of birth control. Hormone-free, science-based, reliable contraception. femSense is a tool that can empower women to make decisions based on knowledge about their own bodies. Knowledge is power and femSense can give women that power.
Is the #WomenInTech movement important to you and if yes, why?
The #WomenInTech movement is not only important to me personally, but it is also crucial for young women. Communication is one of our strengths so working together we are bound to be stronger. Educating, equipping, and empowering women and girls to succeed in tech industries is a smart investment in the future.
What will be the key trends in your industry in the next five years and where do you see them heading?
I am delighted to say that I can’t reply to that question with any definite answer. Women’s health is in focus at last, big industry has recognized our spending power and is beginning to invest in products specifically designed for women. Menopause and perimenopause are subjects that can finally be addressed. PCOS, endometriosis, breast health, a medicine designed for women, and making treatment available for women globally are topics that are finding investment. Innovation in the FemTech area is awe-inspiring. There is nothing holding us back. The most up-to-date technology is being applied in groundbreaking new methods of diagnosis, treatment, and empowerment. Watch this space for trailblazing women in tech…
What is the most important piece of advice you could give to anyone who wants to start a career in this industry?
Probably that it’s never too late to start and you don’t have to be a “techie” to flourish in this industry. It is an exciting and innovative industry. Fast-paced and dynamic. If you love a challenge and are open to learning something new you will find a niche in this industry that is just right for you.
Who are three inspirational women in your respective industry you admire?
Working in my industry you have to admire the woman who first coined the phrase FemTech – Ida Tin, the Danish entrepreneur who founded Clue.
One of the joys of working in FemTech is the amazing women you meet along the way. I met Brittany Barreto, Ph.D., FemTech Focus Founder & Podcast Host, at a Women’s Health event in Boston recently and her commitment and drive are inspiring.
I attend many FemTech and Digital Health events each year and am always blown away by the talent, the brains, the entrepreneurship, the drive, and the sheer determination of so many female founders on the start-up scene. I can assure you that the future is bright for Women’s Health. I admire every one of those incredible women. At femSense, we encourage partnerships with other FemTech brands in the belief that together we are stronger.
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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.