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WoW weekly newsletter - lack of innovation in the bra industry; cannabis and artificial intelligence; 3D printing is reshaping the future of health tech & more
Your go-to place for latest news and updates from the world of emerging technologies and diversity in tech.
Hello there!
Thank you for reading this newsletter and for tuning in this Easter Monday!
Although this year’s Easter is so much more different for most of us that any other before, if you are healthy, have a job and roof over your head, then there’s not much to complain about, right? For those of us who have small children, things have been a bit more challenging, and ‘this current situation is almost prophetically designed to showcase the farce of our societal approach to separating work and family lives’, says Chloe I. Cooney in her excellent article ‘The Parents Are Not All Right’.
Everyone is grieving and struggling right now. When I’m not pulling my hair out, I’m trying to be grateful that I am with my family, they are healthy and safe, and I am not enduring this period in total isolation. But this pandemic is highlighting all that is wrong with our systems set up to support families. To be honest, I’m not sure what the solution is. But unless we step back and redefine where the burden of responsibility lies in providing care for our most vulnerable and reprioritise what work matters, we are going to emerge from this pandemic with some of our most powerful forces — parents and young people — not up for the task of rebuilding a better future.
On a more positive note, a new story book has been released to help children and young people understand and come to terms with Covid-19. The book has been produced by a collaboration of more than 50 organisations working in the humanitarian sector, including the World Health Organization, the United Nations Children’s Fund, the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees, the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies and Save the Children, is aimed at 6-11 year olds and explains how children can protect themselves and how to manage difficult emotions. Download the book here!
Happy reading! :)
For our upcoming WoW members monthly gathering meetup on May 6, we will be joined by Daria Tsvenger, founder of The Dream Sprint who will host a workshop "Brainpower Breathwork: Reduce Anxiety & Increase Focus" for all the attendees to enjoy!
During this workshop, you'll learn about why we feel scared and anxious during these times of uncertainty. We’ll practice bulletproof tools that help us reframe our mind and move it to the productivity zone. We’ll experience a powerful force of breath. As a result, you'll feel increased peace and joy. Your ability to concentrate will heighten and you'll feel more productive working from home (I know it's not so easy to be quarantined). During this workshop, we'll not only practice, but also learn about why it works, what parts of the brain are activated when we breathe using a certain pattern.
Everyone is welcome to join us! Book your ticket here!
Upcoming WoW virtual events
WEBINAR - What’s Next For HealthTech?, 23 April 6:30pm GMT / 2:30pm EDT / 11:30am PDT
How to get a grant for your business 20 May / 6:30pm GMT / 2:30pm EDT / 11:30am PDT
We are currently working on more virtual WoW events and webinars, please reach out if you’d like to speak or partner with us. Get in touch!
WoW membership
As part of their annual membership (£100/year), our premium members get:
free access to all our paid monthly webinars
opportunity to advertise their company in our newsletter
access to our Slack channel for WoW members
+ more!
If you’re interested in women’s health and all things FemTech, then you definitely don’t want to miss first ever global virtual FemTech conference we are planning for June 25!
For the first time ever we will bring together some of the most innovative FemTech companies from Europe and USA together for an all-day of panel discussions, keynote sessions and fireside chats.
If you’re interested in supporting this virtual conference and joining us as a speaker, knowledge / community partner or sponsor, then get in touch!
WoW community news, updates and resources
Your boobs are about to be disrupted — here’s why; find out more why the relative lack of innovation in the bra industry and high demand (it’s set to reach $30.4 billion by the end of 2025) have made it ripe for disruption in this interview with our founder and CEO Marija Butkovic by Andrea Hak, TheNextWeb.
FemTech's role during a health crisis, virtual event by FemTech Collective Sydney, April 16 6:00 PM – 7:30 PM AEST.
Startups Magazine Webinar: Taking your Business Virtual, April 16 2:00 PM – 3:00 PM BST
Investors Unplugged with Deepali Nangia (Angel Investor), virtual pitching event by Blooming Founders, April 15.
Tech Will Save Us have created a homeschooling e-book - a selection of fun, creative projects and activity ideas to help you make the best of your spring holidays at home!
More than $1 million in prize funding is available for tech entrepreneurs with solutions to MIT Solve’s 2020 Global Challenges: Sustainable Food Systems, Learning for Girls & Women, Good Jobs & Inclusive Entrepreneurship, Maternal & Newborn Health, and Health Security & Pandemics. Watch this video to learn more. If you have a solution, apply at solve.mit.edu/challenges by June 18.
Applications open now for the Women Startup Challenge, be one of 10 women-led startups chosen to pitch a panel of top investors at Google on September 22, 2020. $75,000 to be awarded. Applications will be accepted on a rolling basis until May 31, 2020 at 11:59 pm PT.
Ready to Hack Menopause? Participate in the AARP Innovation Labs Hackster Challenge for a chance to win $16,000 in cash prizes. Apply by May 12.
OPTions Initiative is looking for new approaches to increasing early access to existing abortion products and services in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs) and for next generation methods of pregnancy termination. Apply by April 14, 2020 at 3:00 PM (EST) for $250,000 grants.
Get $1,500 off tuition for one of General Assembly’s full-time courses (Software Engineering Immersive, Software Engineering Immersive Remote, or Data Science Immersive). T&Cs apply.
For Rebecca Minkoff, the coronavirus pandemic is a chance for her namesake business to accelerate pre-existing plans. Find out more about future of fashion and retail in the latest Glossy’s podcast.
From OB/GYN to Entrepreneur: Rosy Founder Brings Sexual Wellness to the Forefront / NTXINNO
Covid-19 news and updates
Use the Calm to Prepare for the Storm: How to Test Your Business Processes During the Lockdown / by Dan Wheatley, via Crunchbase
Coronavirus Resource Hub - legal and business insights on the COVID-19 pandemic / Cooley
Startups, Pivots, Culture, and Timing (Oh Shit!) / a16z Podcast
5 Ways to Pivot Your Business During a Pandemic / by Kelly Bertog, The Startup
5 Ways to Stimulate Cash Flow in a Downturn / by Eddie Yoon and Christopher Lochhead, HBR
Emergency funds for freelancers affected by coronavirus / by Anna Codrea-Rado, TPF
Amidst a record $3.1B funding in Q1 2020, digital health braces for COVID-19 impact / Rock Health
Is there a better market to invest in than healthcare? / by Jeff Greenstein, MedCity News
Venture Capital During a Pandemic / FOMO Sapiens podcast
Seeing record numbers of patients, will telehealth companies keep them after the pandemic ends? / by Elise Reuter, MedCity News
Women's Health During COVID-19 with Maven Clinic / HLTH podcast
The Gender Question - The Novel Outbreak / The China Current with James Chau (podcast)
Coronavirus may prove game changer for virtual sports / The Business Times
Coronavirus: Google launches new tool to help public health officials plan social distancing measures / by Irene Tham, The Straits Times
Could wearables like Apple Watch, Fitbit fitness trackers help detect coronavirus? / by Mike Feibus, USA Today
Could Pandemic Accelerate The Path To Sustainable Fashion? / by Viktoria Kanar, Impakter
Other industry news and updates
Five CEOs on their evolution in the femtech space / by Rae Witte, TechCrunch
Tyto Care raises $50 million to grow its telehealth examination and diagnostic platform / by Paul Sawers, Venture Beat
SilverCloud Health’s digital mental health platform gets $16 million Series B funding round led by MemorialCare Innovation Fund / by Christine Hall, Crunchbase News
The best business VR headset 2020: top virtual reality for enterprise use / by Matt Hanson, TechRadar
In-Plane Electroluminescent Technology Could Improve LEDs for Displays and Wearables / Photonics
New 'wearable tech' can improve a child's motor skills / Deakin University
Calvin Klein and 16 other brands ban fur because ‘the future of fashion is vegan’ / Vegnum
A smart toilet capable of detecting early warning signs of cancer and other serious diseases has been developed by scientists in the US / by Anthony Cuthbertson, Independent
Self-supervised learning is the future of AI / by Ben Dickson, The Next Web
Cannabis & Artificial Intelligence: The Arrival of Robopot? / by Bill Weinberg, Cannabis Now
Webinar by J&J Labs - Science 1st: How 3D Printing is Reshaping the Future of Health Tech, April 14
For Female Founders & Allies
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Curated in London by Marija Butkovic, founder and CEO of Women of Wearables, digital marketing and business consultant, blogger, writer and diversity advocate.