THE FEMALE-FOUNDED AI START UP DISRUPTING THE GLOBAL HEALTH SYSTEM
- Charlotte Bolt
- Aug 12
- 2 min read
An Australian-first women’s health AI platform, Ovum, has officially launched, aiming to transform how women monitor and advocate for their health — and tackle what its founder calls a culture of dismissal within the medical system.
Powered by its proprietary AI engine, the Ovum Brain, the app enables women to log symptoms and lifestyle changes, receive personalised health insights, track their wellbeing over time, and generate summaries to share with doctors.
Founder and CEO Dr Ariella Heffernan-Marks said too many women face long delays to diagnosis for severe conditions.
“It takes an average of six to eight years for women to be diagnosed with endometriosis. This happens because too often the medical system dismisses women,” she said.
According to the company, more than half of Australian women live with a chronic health condition, and many wait years to be diagnosed.
Ovum was co-created with venture partner and investor Nakatomi, who helped design, build, and launch the product. Earlier this year, the start-up closed a $1.7 million funding round backed by Nakatomi, Giant Leap, Antler, Alice Anderson Fund and Wollemi Capital Group.
Dr Heffernan-Marks said the app’s development - nearly four years in the making - has been informed by data and experiences shared by real women.
“We have tested the app in the beta stage and have held two clinical trials at The Royal Hospital for Women and St George Hospital to understand the experiences of healthcare for women and how AI can increase preventative health behaviours,” she said.
’I’m so proud to deliver an Australian first that genuinely supports women to navigate their health.”
One of the first users is Joyce Jaio, who was told by a doctor she could not be pregnant, only to discover later she was halfway through her pregnancy.
“I had been to the doctor for symptoms. One of the symptoms was a kick in my stomach. I had done pregnancy tests, and they came back negative.
"They dismissed this particular symptom and didn’t order a blood test. They told me I had postpartum depression. That was when I realised the medical system was broken,” she said.
Ovum also draws from female-centric medical literature to identify health patterns and provide timely reminders for preventative action.
Perimenopause advocate and Ovum ambassador Grace Lam said the app would have been invaluable when she was struggling through the condition without adequate GP support.
"I thought doctors knew everything, but my GP didn’t know much about perimenopause. Because I wasn’t sleeping at that point for three months, she gave me sleeping pills,” Ms Lam said.
“I didn’t want to rely on the sleeping pills. That’s when I went down the rabbit hole of perimenopause symptoms online ... I learnt more about perimenopause online than from my doctor.”
Now available for a free trial on the App Store, Ovum has set its sights on addressing gender health inequity across Australia.
“This is just the beginning. Our mission is to ensure every woman has access to the personalised insights she needs to make confident decisions about her health, no matter her age, location, or background,” Dr Heffernan-Marks said.
