Women’s Health focused venture builder Daya Ventures AB (Daya) has recently announced the closing of its pre-seed investment round, led by Nextblue, an international VC fund known for supporting startups in Europe and Japan. Additional investors in this round include Vera Invest, Peter Strömberg (ex-Avanza), and key members of the Daya team. The terms of the deal were not disclosed.
Daya emerged from the Women in Tech movement in Sweden, initially starting as an accelerator. While the accelerator still exists and continues to onboard startups on a rolling basis, the team found it increasingly difficult to find the evidence-based, high-potential startups they wanted to support. This realization led to the creation of the Daya Venture Builder, a step further in their commitment to fostering women’s health innovation.
The venture builder now creates startups together with entrepreneurs who come to them with a promising, but yet to be validated idea and also builds its own solutions based on market research and insights. Their goal is to build five startups per year, spanning various fields such as biotech, digital health, and medtech. Daya’s unique approach to women’s health encompasses all facets of women’s lives. This is why they’ve launched the vertical “contextual Femtech” alongside the traditionally acknowledged physiological Femtech. Contextual Femtech means technical solutions to problems that risk women’s health and wellbeing in the context of the world today, without being directly related to the physiological body. Examples of this are solutions that adress issues like domestic violence, sexual violence and equal opportunities in the workplace.
Their projects to date include Otii, an automated breastfeeding monitor; Essa, a tool for perineal massage; Neblina, a unified data platform; Daya Cos, toxin-free skincare products; Vilma, a mental health companion app; and Juno, a non-invasive wearable for detecting preeclampsia.
Vincent Tan, Partner at Nextblue, stated: “We invested in Daya because they are pioneering femtech innovation in the Nordics, addressing the long-overlooked needs of women’s health. Daya’s interdisciplinary approach, combining technology, design, and healthcare, promises to create impactful solutions for female health and wellbeing. Their vision aligns with our commitment to support ventures that drive inclusive healthcare and empower women globally.”
Peter Strömberg added: “For me, investing in Daya is a commitment to leveling the healthcare playing field. By supporting femtech innovation, Daya represents a crucial stride towards ensuring every innovation not only advances in technology but uplifts the health and wellbeing of women globally.”
Malin Frithiofsson, CEO of Daya Ventures, shared in a release: “We are thrilled to have the support of such esteemed investors. This funding will allow us to expand our portfolio by taking several new ideas from concept to incorporation in our Innovation Lab, accelerating our mission to transform women’s health.”
In an interview with Femtech Insider, Frithiofsson elaborated on the vision and driving force behind Daya: “Our journey began with a passion for addressing the overlooked needs in women’s health. We saw a gap in the market for startups that were truly evidence-based and focused on impactful innovations. By establishing the venture builder, we can cultivate these ideas from the ground up, ensuring they are well-supported and have a clear path to market. Our mission is to foster a diverse range of solutions that not only address immediate health concerns but also consider broader contextual factors affecting women’s wellbeing.”
