Actress Emma Watson has made a previously undisclosed investment in the women’s health company Hertility, bringing the company’s total funding to over $14 million, according to an interview with TechCrunch on Monday.
Watson, known for her advocacy for environmental causes and women-led initiatives, serves as a UN Women Goodwill Ambassador and helped launch the HeForShe campaign promoting gender equality. Dr. Helen O’Neill, CEO and co-founder of Hertility, explained that Watson was introduced to the company by an investor who believed her commitment to women’s rights made her a natural fit as an investor.
“Hertility was founded by women and focuses on women’s health, an area that has historically been underfunded and overlooked,” O’Neill told TechCrunch. “By investing in a female-founded company aiming to revolutionize women’s healthcare, Watson is empowering women in both business and health.”
Hertility was co-founded by O’Neill, an ovarian biologist, along with Dr. Natalie Getreu and corporate lawyer Deirdre O’Neill, with the goal of innovating research tools for women’s reproductive health. The company offers personalized services like diagnostic testing, egg freezing, and telemedicine to support women through their reproductive journeys. Based in the U.K., Hertility seeks to address the country’s significant gaps in women’s healthcare.
“Over 600,000 women in the U.K. are waiting for a gynecology appointment,” O’Neill noted, highlighting the long wait times and urging the need for more accessible healthcare. A recent Deloitte study found that women with jobs in the U.K. face $15 billion more in healthcare costs than men, particularly in reproductive health, a disparity referred to as a potential “pink tax.”
The study showed women are spending 250% more than men on reproductive health, emphasizing the need for greater accessibility and affordability. The push for women’s healthcare reform is growing in both the U.K. and the U.S. In the U.K., companies like Fertifa, Apricity, and Vira Health are also working in this space, and a report by Silicon Valley Bank showed a 314% increase in venture funding for women’s health companies since 2018.
The British National Health Service (NHS) has also advocated for innovation in women’s health, stating that every pound invested in obstetrics and gynecology could generate £319 million for the economy. O’Neill, who has a background in reproductive and molecular genetics and holds a PhD in stem cell biology from University College London, said she never intended to become a founder but saw a connection between scientific research and entrepreneurship.
“Becoming a founder allowed my research to reach those in need faster,” she explained. Hertility, launched in 2019, has attracted investors like Local Globe and the Sequoia Scout Fund. The company’s most recent funding round raised $7.5 million through community-led efforts, with over 1,000 individual investors.
Looking ahead, Hertility plans to expand further, partnering with beauty brands like Cult Beauty and providing educational sessions to companies such as Channel 4 and Edelman. “The goal is to empower women by getting them to talk about their hormones and fertility and meet them where they are, to drive global behavioral change,” O’Neill said.
