Morgan Stanley’s Inclusive Ventures Lab (MSIVL), an accelerator dedicated to fostering technology and tech-enabled startups, recently welcomed its 10th cohort, which includes three UK-based women’s health startups: Juniver, Ovum, and HANX. These companies are working to address critical gaps in women’s healthcare, ranging from disordered eating and fertility to sexual and intimate wellness.
The Inclusive Ventures Lab was created to promote financial inclusion and offer early-stage capital to emerging tech startups. The five-month accelerator provides each selected company with a $250,000 investment, tailored mentorship, and access to Morgan Stanley’s broader network of partners. Since its inception in 2017, MSIVL has supported 117 companies, and this year’s cohort is the largest yet, with 25 startups from across the globe. With participants representing industries as diverse as fintech, healthcare, and sustainability, the program aims to help innovative businesses scale while addressing significant challenges in their respective fields.
This year, three UK-based startups are making waves:
Juniver
Juniver is tackling the largely underserved area of disordered eating with a science-based recovery program. Rooted in neuroscience, the platform helps users manage food-related urges and offers practical tools to curb cravings. Juniver offers personalized support through its app, which delivers micro-interventions at the moment users experience an urge. With a 92% success rate in its pilot program, Juniver is already showing promise in helping individuals change their relationship with food and regain control of their lives. The app is particularly focused on creating a safe and supportive community for people struggling with disordered eating, and it is designed to complement other forms of treatment such as therapy or medication.
According to Juniver, two-thirds of women report disordered eating at some point in their lives, yet less than 1% of global mental health research funding goes toward eating disorders. By addressing this gap, Juniver aims to empower users with evidence-based tools and a supportive community.
Ovum
Ovum is on a mission to set a new standard in reproductive wellness. Created by women and designed by doctors, Ovum offers a range of fertility-focused products backed by over 550 clinical studies. From preconception supplements to early detection pregnancy tests, Ovum aims to simplify the conception journey for women, providing rigorously tested, science-backed solutions.
The company was founded in response to the realization that many women find the process of trying to conceive overwhelming, and that the market often lacks trustworthy, science-driven options. Ovum reinvests 20% of its profits into independent research and fertility awareness campaigns, ensuring that women have access to accurate information and effective products.
HANX
Founded by Farah Kabir and Dr. Sarah Welsh, HANX focuses on sexual and intimate wellness, offering gynae-backed products that challenge societal taboos around women’s health. From condoms to vaginal health products, HANX aims to replace outdated, ineffective products with ones designed by women and for women. The brand’s mission extends beyond product innovation to combat societal stigmas around topics such as menopause, periods, and vaginismus.
HANX is also working to address the widespread knowledge gap about women’s bodies, cutting through misinformation with doctor-approved resources and expert guidance. The founders’ shared vision is to holistically connect the key milestones of women’s health, supporting women from their first sexual experiences through pregnancy and into menopause.
The Impact of MSIVL’s Program
For the three startups, participation in Morgan Stanley’s Inclusive Ventures Lab offers access to essential resources, capital, and networks that will allow them to scale their solutions to global markets.
Selma Bueno, Global Head of the Morgan Stanley Inclusive Ventures Group, emphasized the importance of the program in today’s challenging venture capital environment: “We are proud to welcome our largest cohort of groundbreaking startups to the Inclusive Ventures Lab and are eager to support them as they scale their innovations and work to build a better world.”
With the mentorship and backing from MSIVL, Juniver, Ovum, and HANX are well-positioned to make significant strides in improving health outcomes, each addressing critical, yet often underserved, aspects of women’s health. Whether tackling disordered eating, fertility challenges, or intimate wellness, these startups are set to make a lasting impact on women’s lives.
