A first-of-its-kind competition is putting Portugal on the global femtech map, and it could change how women’s health gets researched, funded, and built.
The Funding Gap That Sparked a Competition
Women’s health has been left behind for decades. Innovation in women’s health has long been underfunded, under-researched, and underprioritized, with significant gaps reflected in a lack of technological advancements specifically designed for women and the absence of women in clinical trials.1
The numbers back this up. In 2024, global femtech investment reached $2.2 billion, representing 8.5% of total digital health funding. However, this marks a decline from a peak of 14.7% in 2020, signalling a need for renewed investor focus despite growing demand.2
Even more striking is where the money goes. Endometriosis and menopause remain starkly underrepresented, reinforcing the pattern of underinvestment in midlife women’s health.3 That is precisely the gap this new competition is trying to close.
AI femtech competition Portugal women’s health innovation 2026
What Is the EmbryoNet-AI Competition?
Portugal is now home to a first-of-its-kind AI femtech competition, launched this spring by EmbryoNet-AI, a scientific platform, in partnership with FemTech Real Money Talks Media. The initiative aims to accelerate real-world breakthroughs by turning early-stage clinical questions into working AI solutions.
The open call is live now, with all submissions due by 28 April 2026 at midnight CET.
The competition is open to both Portuguese and international teams. Eligibility covers a wide range of innovators:
- Startups and research labs working at the intersection of AI and women’s health
- Teams with a strong hypothesis and access to imaging or time-series data
- Early-stage startups without a product or MVP
- Teams working in drug discovery, diagnostic support, or clinical research
According to Elena Lipilina, co-founder and CMO of EmbryoNet-AI, the motivation is deeply personal and systemic. “With this competition, we want to change that and bring light to talented teams that are moving this field forward.”
The Health Areas in the Spotlight
This competition does not chase low-hanging fruit. It goes directly after some of the most complex and underserved corners of women’s health.
Specifically, the contest targets projects using AI to address:
- Gynaecological cancers
- Endometriosis
- Fertility research
- Medical image pre-labelling from mammography, pelvic MRI, ultrasound, or pathology slides
- Biomarker discovery and treatment stratification in clinical trials
The timing could not be more relevant. Technologies like AI-enabled imaging are being used to identify abnormalities in mammograms and ultrasounds, drastically reducing diagnostic delays, which have been a persistent issue in conditions such as endometriosis, where a diagnosis can historically take up to seven years.4
Artificial intelligence is transforming the femtech sector from passive monitoring to predictive, proactive care.5 This competition wants to harness exactly that shift.
How the Program Works
Organisers will select up to 10 shortlisted teams based on five core criteria:
| Criteria | What It Means |
|---|---|
| Impact Potential | Real, measurable difference in women’s health outcomes |
| Data Readiness | Teams must have access to relevant clinical or imaging data |
| Feasibility | Project must be achievable within the program window |
| Business Case | Clear path to real-world application |
| Ethics and Sustainability | Responsible AI practices are non-negotiable |
Shortlisted teams enter a Mentor Sprint in early May 2026, working closely with experts across technology, marketing, and clinical domains.
The program ends with a Live Pitch Day in May 2026, where finalists present to investors and experts in women’s health, AI, and biotech.
The winning team enters an 8 to 10-week build phase, running from May to July 2026. During this time, EmbryoNet-AI will deliver a fully developed, services-first pilot at no cost, saving the winner between €65,000 and €100,000, the typical cost of building an MVP.
Why Portugal Is the Right Place for This
Portugal is not just a geographic backdrop. It is quietly becoming one of Europe’s most serious players in femtech infrastructure. FemTech Portugal is a non-profit association dedicated to accelerating innovation in women’s health, with a mission to build a strong and inclusive ecosystem that empowers innovation, supports collaboration, and amplifies the voices shaping the future of femtech.6
Portugal has made significant strides in women’s health, including the introduction of a menstrual health policy in 2025, which allows individuals with conditions such as endometriosis or adenomyosis to take up to three days of fully paid menstrual leave per month.6
Europe as a whole is also accelerating. Women’s health is firmly on the EU political agenda, with the updated EU Gender Equality Strategy expected and the European Parliament set to publish two own initiative reports on the gender health gap.7
Global leaders are already gathering in Cascais, Portugal, to explore ethical AI innovations in IVF, from advanced embryo selection to robotics in fertility care.8 The EmbryoNet-AI competition fits directly into this growing momentum.
A Bigger Market That Cannot Be Ignored
The stakes here go well beyond one competition. The femtech market is currently expected to reach US$130.8 billion by 2034.5 Yet femtech faces a sobering truth: there remains a profound mismatch between the solutions currently available and the complex healthcare needs of women, with high-value areas attracting investment while equally urgent segments like chronic pain, autoimmune disorders, and menopause remain underfunded.2
Venture funding has bounced back to 2021 levels, yet fewer than 5 per cent of digital health exits since 2015 were in women’s health, representing an open goal for first movers.9
That is the exact window this competition is designed to open.
Three forces are set to define the future of femtech in 2026: AI-powered diagnostics, clinical-grade wearables, and unified data platforms that connect consumer tools and clinical care.5 The EmbryoNet-AI competition puts all three within reach for the teams willing to step up.
For early-stage femtech founders, research labs, and clinical innovators, this is one of the most direct paths from idea to funded, built product available anywhere in Europe right now. The deadline is April 28, 2026. The window is open. The question is who will walk through it.
Women’s health has waited long enough. Europe is finally starting to build what it should have built years ago, and Portugal is leading the charge. Drop your thoughts in the comments below and let us know whether you think AI is the key to finally fixing the women’s health funding crisis.
