WoW Woman in HealthTech | Madison Campbell, CEO of Leda Health

Interview by MarijaButkovic

Madison Campbell is a trailblazer and sexual assault advocate. After going to college to study epidemiology in space populations, Madison has become a well-seasoned entrepreneur. Prior to Leda Health, she led a company called "Iyanu", which was a software development ship based in Lagos, Nigeria. Today, she is working hard to promote autonomy and self-actualization of sexual assault survivors through Leda Health by developing and providing resources to help them overcome their difficult trauma. 

Madison, what is the idea behind Leda Health and how did you come up with it?

Leda Health is a company seeking to cause a major change in the landscape of sexual health, particularly where sexual assault is concerned. We are focused on improving the systems of sexual assault prevention, care, and justice to serve survivors and their communities. Our flagship product is a self-use evidence collection kit that includes patent-pending tamper-proof hardware and an accompanying mobile application to maintain a chain of custody.

When I was in college, I was sexually assaulted in my dorm room. The trauma was almost unbearable – I did not want to leave my room, I did not want to speak with anyone, and I most definitely did not want to be touched by another person. I chose not to report my assault. This is where most survivors, around 77% of them, end up. They are not comfortable using the hospital process or going to law enforcement for various reasons. For some, especially in minority communities, there is a blatant and understandable lack of trust for law enforcement. For others, reporting could mean speaking out against someone they have always known. Whatever the case, it is clear that existing options are not working for survivors like me. I wanted to provide survivors another option. From here, my CTO (Chief Technology Officer) Liesel Vaidya, and I came up with the idea for the kit. 

When did it all start and do you have other members in your team?

The company was founded in April of 2019, at the height of the #MeToo Movement. Liesel and I were profoundly inspired by the women coming forward to speak their truths about their experiences with sexual assault in Hollywood. This was high profile news at the time, and it was the driving force for the research and development of our product.

Since then, we have grown from a team of 2 to a team of over 70+ individuals dedicated to transforming the landscape of sexual health where it concerns sexual assault survivors. 

How long did it take you to be where you are now?

It's been a long and winding road, but in hindsight, everything happened pretty quickly! I've always had an entrepreneurial spirit. I used to negotiate my allowance with my father and use alternative modes of problem-solving in school (much to the dismay of my teachers and mentors). Leda Health, our product, and what we stand for only elevated the need for this spirit because we are undertaking a project that intends to save lives. It is much more consequential than my allowance or my math homework. Although there have been bumps along the road, I'm willing to keep pushing for as long as it takes to ensure that survivors get the care and justice they rightfully deserve. 

What was the biggest obstacle?

I feel like the biggest obstacle for Liesel and me in building this company was the sheer amount of backlash we faced at the very beginning. Before even launching a product, we were slammed in a media blitz and accosted from all angles. Persevering through this while also incorporating the feedback we were receiving was rough. It felt like it was Liesel and I against the whole world, and there were many chances for us to become paralyzed by it all. Ultimately, though, I think we have become much stronger for it. We grew thick skin early on in our journey. We learned to take criticisms as growth opportunities, and I genuinely believe that we are creating better products and providing better services because of it all. 

What are your biggest achievements to date?

My first venture, Iyanu, was one of the most rewarding experiences I have had in my entire life and is my greatest achievement before Leda Health. I met and worked with some amazing people, including Leda Health’s future CTO Liesel. At Iyanu, we were able to connect professionals with companies who valued their work while also remaining socially responsible and ensuring that these professionals were provided with benefits packages and paid leave. This is groundbreaking because it illustrates a cross-section between global outsourcing and worker’s rights - something that I believe should be considered when every company is built. Many companies champion worker’s rights but actively find ways to skirt this responsibility - for example, creating a 39-hour workweek rather than a 40-hour workweek to avoid full-time employee designation and circumvent providing full benefits to employees.

I have always been interested in creating social change through the private sector, and I am proud to say that I am continuing to do so through Leda Health – though with quite a different approach than was taken with Iyanu.

What are the challenges of being an entrepreneur in the niche you are in? How about being a female founder/entrepreneur?

As a woman contending with the issue of sexual assault from the moment I wake up to the moment I go to bed, I have to say that it definitely weighs on me. I know firsthand the pain and trauma that comes with sexual assault. I have heard and constantly act as a mouthpiece for stories where individuals could not bring themselves to report. Sexual assault is a topic of conversation for me every single day, and it is a challenge because I am repeatedly confronting my own trauma while looking to heal the trauma of others. But I live to see the work that I'm doing paying off. I love to hear survivors tell me that there is value in our product and in the services we are offering. If I have to retell the story of my own sexual assault over and over again for the rest of my life to give other survivors what they deserve, then so be it.

As for being a female founder and entrepreneur, it is a challenge to navigate such a male-dominated arena. There is a need to prove myself in every meeting I attend and with every statement I make. It is as though my worth as a CEO must be earned, while for male CEOs it is given. I have also had to deal with sexist remarks or otherwise ignorant comments that would not have even come to mind for anyone if I was a man pitching the idea. As a female founder, there is no benefit of the doubt. There is also the expectation of creating something that is not disruptive. I have been told on various occasions that perhaps I should look into developing wellness programs or other, safer ventures. I believe that ideas that change the world are never safe. There is always risk involved, and I am willing to take the risk. It is not about whether I am being underestimated or not  – rather, it is about what I bring to the table. 

What are the projects you are currently working on?

At Leda Health, we are working on developing more resources for survivors. One of the most important areas that we are currently focused on is community. It is vital that survivors have a space to discuss their experiences and derive support. While we are already offering virtual support groups for sexual assault survivors, we are looking into other ways to bring survivors together in a healing environment. This is extremely exciting work, and I am super grateful for the team working on making it happen!

Is the #WomenInTech movement important to you and if yes, why?

The #WomenInTech movement is extremely important  – not just for myself, but for all women in technology and other STEM fields. As a business, technology is a male-dominated industry. It is always a surprise for whatever reason when a woman steps onto the scene and has ideas to make technology better. I know firsthand how valuable women can be to the technology industry. Leda Health's CTO, Liesel, is one of the best software engineers I have ever met. She is measured, determined, hardworking, and more innovative than anyone I know. Without her specific touch, our products and services would have lackluster designs and would not be built to their utmost quality. Liesel is one of many women fundamentally changing the technology industry. We owe it to these women to create a space where their ideas can thrive. We also owe it to these women to acknowledge and appreciate their unique ideas and skillsets.  At Leda Health, we look to specifically uplift women in technology and provide opportunities for them, as well as other underrepresented groups in tech and in business. 

What is the most important piece of advice you can give to all female founders and female entrepreneurs out there?

To all female founders and female entrepreneurs: do not let anyone dissuade you from pursuing your particular vision. This does not mean to disregard criticism or to be unwilling to shift gears a bit. Liesel and I have been told time and time again that our idea could never work, and we have been barraged with backhanded questions and comments with the goal of deconstructing our vision. Fast-forward to today, and we are this much closer to fulfilling our vision. The key is to focus, to view all obstacles as opportunities to grow. Rather than allowing others to convince you that what you have in mind is not worth actualizing, work to convince yourself that you always had the right idea. 

Also, do not apologize for taking up space. Refuse to view yourself as inconvenient. You are not taking anything from anyone else by advocating for yourself and your vision unabashedly. You are only giving to yourself what women before you have been deprived of for so long. The people who care for you will always be there to support you when needed. 

What will be the key trends in the health tech and fem tech industry in the next 5 years and where do you see it heading?

I think holistic healthcare is definitely making waves in the next 5 years and even beyond. We are finally realizing as a collective that problems being solved are far too nuanced to have a single, isolated solution. Considering all of the factors and causes of a problem, and addressing each of these with care and prowess, is what will ultimately create meaningful change. I think that this has the potential to shift how we view solutions in any sphere – far past health tech and fem tech. The goal should be to address as many problems as possible with as few, simple solutions as possible. This goes for any industry we could possibly think of. I see holistic viewpoints as being agents for better product and service development as a whole, but especially for health tech and fem tech, seeing as our bodies and our experiences from these standpoints are so individualized.

Who are your 3 inspirational women in health tech and fem tech?

The first has to be Liesel Vaidya, CTO of Leda Health. I also deeply admire Reshma Saujani, founder and CEO of Girls Who Code, and Niniane Wang, vice president of engineering at Niantic. 

Find out more about Leda Health here.

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If you wish to connect with Madison, you can do so via 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.