Emm

In a major step forward for femtech innovation, UK-based startup Emm has raised $9 million in seed funding to bring its “smart” menstrual cup to market. The idea originated during the COVID lockdown, when founder Jenny Button realized that while wearables like the Oura Ring and Whoop band offered deep wellness insights, nothing provided meaningful data about menstrual and reproductive health. Turning a Simple Cup Into a Smart Health Tool After thousands of prototypes and years of testing, Emm revealed what Button describes as the world’s first smart menstrual cup. It functions like a traditional menstrual cup but is built from medical-grade silicone embedded with ultra-thin sensor technology. These sensors track cycle data and patterns that are often impossible to capture through conventional health tools. Button believes the device could significantly improve the way reproductive conditions are detected and treated. Menstrual blood, she notes, is an untapped health resource, capable of providing insights beyond what circulatory blood tests can offer. A New Path for Diagnosing Reproductive Health Issues One of Emm’s biggest potential impacts is in diagnosing conditions such as endometriosis, which affects one in ten women and can take 7 to 10 years to identify. Button says this delay stems from a lack of reliable, objective menstrual health data — something Emm aims to solve. Beyond endometriosis, she highlights that one in three women will face serious reproductive health challenges during their lifetime. Emm’s technology could help speed up diagnoses and empower users with clearer information about their bodies. Privacy-First Technology With Strong Backing All data collected through the Emm app is encrypted, anonymized or pseudonymized, and protected by two-factor authentication. Only essential team members can access it, ensuring user privacy remains a core priority. Emm’s $9M seed round was led by Lunar Ventures, with participation from Alumni Ventures (an early Oura backer), The Labcorp Venture Fund, and BlueLion Global. The product is slated to launch in the UK next year, and the waitlist has already exceeded 30,000 sign-ups. Button expects a U.S. rollout by early 2027. Building the Future of Women’s Health Button says menstrual health is only the beginning. Emm plans to expand into diagnostics, digital tools, and potentially therapeutics. Her mission is clear: give people the data they need to take control of their health and advocate for themselves.