The broader women’s health landscape is also shifting. Growing societal awareness, increased investment and a surge in women-led innovation are reshaping areas ranging from diagnostics to materials science and digital platforms. Australia’s progress toward eliminating cervical cancer by 2035, driven by the success of the HPV vaccination program and improvements in screening accessibility, is a reminder of how impactful coordinated innovation can be. This momentum is now reflected in FemTech, where founders are tackling unmet needs with technologies that draw on chemistry, biology, engineering and data.
Many of these products blur traditional boundaries. A single innovation can combine functional materials, therapeutic design and digital components, all of which bring different considerations when it comes to protecting know-how. Despite this, IP is often addressed late in the process, sometimes after prototypes have been disclosed or published. By that stage, valuable options may already be lost.
A thoughtful IP strategy, developed early, can support investment readiness, create room to grow, and protect the distinctiveness of a product in a competitive market. At POF, we work with FemTech clients developing technologies across women’s health. Our technical strengths mean that we understand the interdisciplinary nature of the sector and the commercial realities founders face.
Our message to FemTech innovators is simple and consistent. Think early and think broadly about IP. It is far easier to build protection into a development pathway than to retrofit it later.
This article marks the beginning of our FemTech IP Series, where we will share insights and practical guidance to help founders protect and scale the ideas shaping the future of women’s health.
