NYU Tech and the City · startup consultant · Jan to May 2025
Femtech growth strategy
Finding a femtech company's highest-value growth segment through primary research, competitive analysis and a sequenced go-to-market, through NYU Stern's program with a leading New York VC firm.
- users at the client
- 12M+
- of user base, projected reach of the opportunity
- 30%
- athlete interviews across 7 sports
- 9
The context
The client, a femtech category pioneer with 12M+ users, had brand equity and scientific credibility but was losing ground to a better-funded competitor as core period tracking commoditized. The question: which segment should it double down on to grow and monetize without compromising privacy, science and inclusivity?
User research
I interviewed nine female athletes, six collegiate and three professional, across seven sports to test whether athletes were an underserved, high-intent segment.
- Only 11% used a period tracking app: large whitespace in a highly motivated group.
- 67% had experienced cycle loss from intense training but had never linked it to performance.
- 55% were comfortable discussing cycles with coaches, but only 33% would share raw data.
- None had been told by a coach to track their cycle as a performance input.
The insight that shaped everything: the demand gap was educational, not behavioral, and athletes wanted advocacy tools, not surveillance tools.
The strategy: demand, value, trust, in that order
1. Generate demand first
Own the education narrative through athletic department workshops, performance-focused partnerships and sports science collaborations.
2. Deliver actionable value
A premium tier with cycle-synced training load, nutrition and recovery guidance.
3. Lead with trust
Athlete-controlled, opt-in data sharing. The athlete, not the team, decides what is shared.
The outcome
The GTM strategy identified an expansion opportunity projected to reach 30% of the existing user base, and the competitive positioning framework was adopted into the product roadmap, informing the revenue expansion decision.
My point of view
The tension was between a moment that felt right and a product investment that was premature. Women's sports viewership was surging, but the underlying science was still thin and willingness to pay was unproven. I recommended a capital-light path: build demand and trust through partnerships first, so the company owns the category when the science catches up instead of over-investing ahead of proven demand.