Jude: female-founded startup raises $4.24m from female and impact investors

The UK-based bladder health startup will expand its offering and launch in the US.

Jana Hlistova

Sep 10, 2023

Welcome to our #202 weekly newsletter.

“For women taking control of their financial future”

-Jana Hlistova

From The Purse

In this week’s newsletter, we focus on UK-based bladder health startup founded by Peony Li which has raised $4.24m from female and impact investors.

Peony founded this startup based on her personal experience of chronic bladder infections from a young age-which were frequently ignored by the healthcare system.

We know that women’s health suffers from chronic underfunding and a lack of research.

And here again we see a female founder addressing an underserved but very large market and raising funding from female and impact focused investors.

***

And you can review the news in brief so you stay on top of global financial, economic and investing trends.

I hope you enjoy this week’s newsletter.

Until next week,

Jana

Jude: female founded startup raises $4.24m from female and impact investors

The UK-based bladder health startup will expand its offering and launch in the US.

Jude, a London startup focused on bladder health has raised $4.24m in seed funding to support US expansion plans. And to further develop the company’s range of services aimed at promoting healthy aging and enhanced bladder health.

The startup was founded in 2022 by Peony Li, the former Head of Investments at Founders Factory and Head of Operations at Daye.

Peony founded this startup based on her personal experience of chronic bladder infections from a young age-which were frequently ignored by the healthcare system.

The problem

2.3 billion people are affected by bladder-related issues. And the bladder health market surpasses that of diabetes, as well as the combined market of menopause, erectile malfunction and endometriosis.

And according to Peony:

"We know women’s health suffers from chronic underfunding and a lack of research, there’s little medication and not enough training for healthcare professionals in bladder health specifically. We want to make the entire journey - from symptom to solution - better for people with poor bladder health…”

Based on data, we know that 80%+ of health VCs have never invested in women’s health.

The solution and expansion

Jude has set out to improve the entire clinical pathway where there are limited solutions available for patients.

Jude will launch in the US at the beginning of 2024, through direct-to-consumer (retail). And the startup will expand its offering to launch symptom tracking, prescriptions and advance research into the underserved area of nutrition and urinary health.

The startup has served 16,000 patients to date. And introduced innovative products, including a new natural treatment for lower urinary tract issues that reduces incontinence, being prescribed by doctors to patients across Europe.

Jude’s focus is on offering a holistic approach to treatment, through personalised consultations and delivered directly to the patient’s home, via a digital subscription.

Female and impact investors

The seed round was led by Eka VC and Joyance, with June Angelides at Samos VC and Dr. Fiona Pathiraja of Crista Galli Ventures continuing their support. Angel syndicate, Sie Ventures has also invested in the startup.

Eka VC describe themselves as working“with founders building category-defining technology companies that positively shape the world, making it more sustainable, healthy and inclusive”.

And Joyance “is investing in the emerging science of happiness: Joyance Partners, (along with sister fund Social Starts), is the first venture fund focused on individual health experience, not process”.

Jude has also received a grant from Innovate UK, and existing backers include Access VC, Reckitt’s innovation fund, Echo Pharmacy founder Stephen Bourke, and David Rowan, founder at Voyagers and founding editor-in-chief of Wired UK.

What next? (Re) listen to The Purse Podcast:

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