April came in full force
Panels where not everyone agreed. An advocacy team finally assembled and ready to move. A Democracy Lab on the way. And a game night with tiramisu most would be jealous of.
Women’s health is not a niche interest. It is a systemic failure - and that is exactly what we keep saying out loud. This month, we said it from the stage, in meeting rooms, and around a table filled with food from our community.
Here is what happened in April.
A panel where not everyone agreed
On April 23rd, our CEO and Co-founder Sara Al-Dafaee joined Femella GROW 2026 - HERtech for an evening of debate on some of the most pressing questions in women’s health.
Why it continues to be overlooked. What it costs us as a society to leave that gap open. And how technology can serve as a driver of change.
The perspectives in the room were split - and that is exactly what made the debate stronger. Because progress does not come from everyone nodding along. It comes from friction, from different angles, and from being challenged on what we think we know.
Some of the conversation touched on demographic questions around birth rates - a topic that often dominates discussions in women’s health. But Sara kept her focus on the systemic barriers. The healthcare system was never designed with women as the default. And the innovation ecosystem remains fragmented and difficult to scale.
A particular highlight was having Malene Lindholmer Nepper, a medical doctor, in the panel. Her grounded, clinical perspective made the debate even sharper.
If we want progress in women’s health, we need people who disagree in the same room. And that is exactly what GROW delivered.
An advocacy team ready to move
Our Advocacy & Policy team is stepping into its next phase. As part of that, we have sharpened how we describe our advocacy pillar - making it more concrete by bringing advocacy and policy to the forefront - and recruited six project leads and three contributors to strengthen the core team.
On April 8th, we gathered for our very first Advocacy Strategy Workshop - an important milestone for the team and for the hub as a whole. We walked out with something concrete: a prioritized portfolio of initiatives for 2026. Some are quick wins we can move on now. Others are long-term “big bets” - the kind of structural shifts that take time, but are long overdue.
The team is now moving into the next phase - turning strategy into action, with rollout beginning in the coming weeks.
These are the people helping shape what comes next:
Marta Mairales, Olivia Høst, Warka Alhassani, Vanessa Carpenter, Izabell Thunstorm, Arunima Raghav, Anamika Choudhury, Carlotta Brecht, Sigrid Rosell.
More to come soon.
A Democracy Lab for young women
Do you want to help shape the future of women’s health?
That is the starting point for our upcoming Democracy Lab for Young Women, hosted by Nordic Women’s Health Hub and funded by Tuborgfondet.
On Wednesday, 27 May, we are bringing together women aged 16-30 for an interactive workshop focused on one of the most important drivers of the future of women’s health: health literacy. The ability to find, understand, and use health information - and to turn that knowledge into informed decisions.
The workshop will take place at Angella Invest’s central office in Copenhagen. Together, we will explore real-life challenges in a safe and supportive space - and turn insights into action. Because more voices need to be part of shaping the future of women’s health.
Why join?
Your voice matters
No prior experience needed. Learn how democratic processes work, share your perspectives, and collaborate with others to influence the future of women’s health.
Start strong, stay informed
Build your health knowledge early, engage in open conversations, and co-create ideas that support better decisions for you and your generation.
Real talk, real impact
Work with real-life case studies on topics like sexual and reproductive health, hormones, and gender-specific conditions - connecting knowledge with lived experiences.
Let’s move from talking about the system to actively reshaping it.
👉 Curious to take part? Sign up here
Please note: Due to limited capacity, participants will be selected and placed on a waiting list. You will receive an email confirming your participation if selected.
Heading to HIMSS26 Europe & Global Forum 2026
From 19 to 21 May, our CEO Sara Al-Dafaee and project coordinator Rossella Di Venere will be at HIMSS26 Europe, where we are proud partners.
It is one of the most important gatherings for health leaders, innovators, and digital health advocates from across the globe - and this year’s programme includes sessions on women’s health and data innovation. That has our full attention.
If you are attending HIMSS26 in Copenhagen, we would love to meet you. We will be there for the first two days - reach out at contact@nordicwomenshealth.com and let’s set something up.
Not registered yet? Use code EU26TEN for 10% off.
Not attending HIMSS? We will also be in Lund.
Our CEO, Sara Al-Dafaee, will take the stage at Global Forum 2026 in Lund on Thursday 21 May from 12:00 to 12:40 - joining a conversation on women’s health as the next investment frontier.
A game night with the community
April was about more than debates and hard work. We took the time to gather for a fun game evening with Cards Against Humanity, great conversations, and dishes representing the many cultures in our community - including our project coordinator Rossella’s now iconic tiramisu.
Safe to say, we left both full and recharged - and ready to keep pushing women’s health front and center, where it belongs.
Investor of the Month: Malin Frithiofsson
What if women’s health has never been a niche - but a blind spot?
This month, we are highlighting Malin Frithiofsson, founder and CEO of Daya Ventures - an investor who challenges not only how we talk about women’s health, but how we fund it. She invests earlier than most. Often before there is a pitch deck. Sometimes before there is even a company.
In our interview, she shares why women’s health has been misunderstood from the start, what she actually looks for in a founder, and the one question she thinks every early-stage company should be asking themselves this week.
👉 Read the full interview here.
Startup of the Month: Cirqle Biomedical
The last real breakthrough in contraception happened more than 60 years ago. Since then, hormonal methods have remained the default - even as more and more women look for alternatives. In Denmark alone, pill usage among women aged 18-24 has dropped by nearly 50 percent over the past decade. But stepping away from hormones has rarely meant stepping into something better.
Cirqle Biomedical, founded by Frederik Petursson Madsen, is rethinking contraception from the ground up - not by adding something new to the body, but by working with what is already there.
👉 Read the full interview here.
