The Business of Change: Women’s Health Week Spotlights “The Vagina Business”
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At Women’s Health Week, we believe progress happens where innovation meets impact. This month, we’re spotlighting The Vagina Business, a bold new book by journalist and researcher Marina Gerner, PhD, that brings together the stories of over 100 innovators transforming women’s health around the world.
From smart bras predicting heart attacks to fertility tech redefining access, Gerner’s work mirrors the mission behind Women’s Health Week: connecting ideas, investment, and partnerships that drive measurable progress for women everywhere.
Women’s Health Week Spotlights The Vagina Business: The Book Redefining Innovation and Investment in Women’s Health
Women’s Health Week (WHW) is proud to spotlight The Vagina Business, a groundbreaking new book by award-winning journalist and researcher Marina Gerner, PhD, that shines a light on the innovators transforming the future of women’s health. The book is available at your local bookstore, or here!
For too long, women’s health has been underrepresented, underfunded, and undervalued. From periods and childbirth to menopause, female pain has too often been normalised - with society offering “welcome to being a woman” instead of better solutions.
In The Vagina Business, Gerner challenges that narrative, introducing over 100 entrepreneurs and innovators across 15 countries who are reshaping women’s health through science, technology, and investment.
Innovation Spotlight
The book highlights real-world breakthroughs across multiple sectors, including:
- A smart bra with EKG technology that can predict heart attacks early.
- An in-home fertility device using saliva to track ovulation.
- Pelvic floor technology that could reduce vaginal tearing during childbirth.
- Healthcare apps designed for LGBTQIA+ users, free from stigma.
- Menopause-focused wearables supporting recovery and daily wellbeing.
Beyond innovation, Gerner explores the business of women’s health - revealing the disparity between the scale of women’s health challenges and the level of investment dedicated to solving them.
Women make more than 80% of healthcare decisions, yet only 4% of medical R&D funding and 2.1% of venture capital currently focus on women’s health and women-founded companies.
A Shared Mission
“Gerner’s work mirrors what drives our mission at Women’s Health Week,” Molly Taylor, Head of Content at Women’s Health Week. “The intersection of innovation, investment, and impact is where progress happens - and The Vagina Business captures that perfectly.”
“Fascinating, infuriating, and exciting… an important book for anyone shaping the future of women’s health,” Sophie Walker, activist and author of Five Rules for Rebellion noted.
“Marina Gerner’s brilliant book should be titled How to Make More Money Than You Ever Dreamed Possible because she is handing all venture capitalists, investors, and corporations that opportunity on a plate.” Said Cindy Gallop, Founder & CEO, MakeLoveNotPorn
Why It Matters
The book’s themes align closely with Women’s Health Week’s global platform, which brings together innovators, investors, corporates, and policymakers to accelerate change.
- Economic potential: Women’s health innovation represents one of the largest untapped markets in healthcare.
- Cross-sector collaboration: The book underscores how commercial and clinical worlds must work together to close the women’s health gap.
- Global lens: With innovators spanning 15 countries, the book captures the shared mission of advancing women’s health equity worldwide.
At Women’s Health Week, we believe that when innovation meets investment, real change happens - and The Vagina Business is proof that the women’s health economy is only just beginning to reach its potential.
