Empowering Menopausal Women

In the dynamic world of healthcare innovation, one start-up stands out for its dedication to improving the lives of menopausal women. RU Medical, co-founded by Nitya Dintakurti is on a mission to revolutionize menopausal care. This committed team spans two nations, the UK and India, and is highly diverse in terms of culture and experience, thanks to Nitya Dintakurti's academic background in biomedical engineering from King's College London and her co-founder's decade-plus expertise in women's health.

But what led them to this path, and what drives their success? The story of RU Medical is not just about innovation, it's a tale of compassion and personal experience.

‍A Personal Journey to Innovation

When Nitya was researching various health conditions, seeking unmet clinical needs, menopause was not initially at the forefront of their mind. Menopause, a natural transition in a woman's life, is often considered as a phase that women go through. However, as she delved deeper into the subject, they realized that menopause could be debilitating for a large percentage of women. The revelation came not only through research but through personal experience as well.

During that time, Nitya Dintakurti's mother underwent surgical menopause, allowing her to experience the significant overnight shift that this transition brought to her life. Menopause had a tremendous impact on everything from psychological symptoms like brain fog to physiological ones like hot flashes. Seeing this, Nitya Dintakurti was inspired to solve the issues of menopause care and improve the lives of millions of women worldwide.

RU Medical's Solution: Empowering Women‍

The mission of RU Medical is simple and compelling: "unpause menopause" and enable women to live fulfilling lives during this crucial stage. RU Medical is committed to developing revolutionary solutions that will change menopause treatment around the world. Their goal is to be a one-stop destination for everything related to menopause. 

RU Medical's flagship product, Coolzen, is a game-changer in menopausal care. Coolzen is a patent-pending smart wearable device designed to alleviate the discomfort of hot flashes, a common and often distressing symptom of menopause. Early testers have reported a remarkable 80% reduction in both the intensity and duration of hot flashes. This means that Coolzen is significantly reducing the duration of a hot flash episode, from an average of 3-5 minutes to just 15-30 seconds.

Coolzen is not just a device, it's a solution that provides rapid relief for women experiencing hot flashes. It's a discreet, hands-free smart wearable that automatically detects the onset of a hot flash and offers instant relief through thermo-neuromodulation. The best part? There's no need for user intervention; it's easy to use and extremely convenient.

RU Medical's platform Unpause is equally impressive. It allows women to track all their menopausal symptoms and treatments, enhancing their overall experience. The platform also features a one-page downloadable menopause checklist that women can use as an aid in their conversations with healthcare professionals. 

What Sets RU Medical Apart?

RU Medical's focus is primarily on the UK and European markets, catering to menopausal women aged between 45 and 60 who are actively experiencing hot flashes. Over the years, the menopause market has evolved significantly. There is a growing recognition of menopause as a significant transition in a woman's life, and the demand for products and services to support women during this transition has been steadily increasing.

RU Medical takes a unique approach to menopausal care. Coolzen is designed to be discreet, aesthetic, and compact. When a hot flash occurs, there's no time to fumble through a bag to pick up a device, turn it on, and wait for cooling. Hot flashes happen in a "flash." Coolzen is designed to be wearable and is uniquely positioned on a thermoregulatory hotspot in the human body. This strategic placement enables quicker detection and instant relief from the effects of a hot flash.

But perhaps what truly sets RU Medical apart is their deep understanding of women's needs. After conducting extensive surveys and speaking to over 2000 women, RU Medical realized that women don't just want another app to track their symptoms. They want tangible results, practical solutions, and personalized relief. Coolzen provides precisely that, acknowledging that menopause is a unique experience for every woman. There's no one-size-fits-all solution, and RU Medical embraces this fact.

Overcoming challenges

The journey of every start-up comes with its unique set of challenges, and RU Medical is no exception. One of the biggest hurdles they faced was fundraising, especially as Nitya was a young founder, fresh out of university. Pushbacks and 'no' from potential investors were disheartening. However, they quickly adapted their approach and began looking for the right investors who believed in their mission. This shift in perspective changed how they interacted with investors and eventually led to a successful pre-seed round.

Backed by King's College London and founded in December 2021, RU Medical has achieved remarkable milestones:

• ISO 13485 certification.
• Partnerships with two of the largest NHS trusts for pilot trials.
• Publication of their research in the British Menopause Society's journal.
• Collaborative product development and validation with over 2800 menopausal women and 175 GPs in the UK.
• CE and UKCA certified device.
• An 80% reduction in intensity and duration of a hot flash episode.
• Launch of the Unpause Beta on App Store and Play Store.

Tech4Eva: Making a difference

Tech4Eva, a program dedicated to supporting start-ups in the women's health and Femtech space, has played a pivotal role in RU Medical's journey. Nitya Dintakurti, Co-Founder, Ru Medical say: 

The workshops and mentors of Tech4Eva have been invaluable in bringing critical advice in jumping hurdles the start-up world presents. The coaches have been instrumental in connecting us with the right people to help our business grow.

The Femtech industry is at a very nascent stage, making innovative products or services easy to adopt. I would advise anyone who wants to get into this space to jump at this opportunity to create real change and leverage the current attention brought to this topic.

Looking ahead

Like the wave of menstruation awareness, a decade ago, menopause has recently gained significant attention in the media. This surge in interest has led to more women openly discussing their menopausal journey, including celebrities. This trend has destigmatized the topic and exposed women to alternate solutions available in the market. 

As RU Medical continues to make strides in the menopausal care industry, they have ambitious goals for the future. They hope to be commercially available in the UK and Europe by the end of their program and aim to be at the forefront of creating solutions for menopausal women. 

Since last year, RU Medical has made significant progress, completing product development and testing, achieving CE and UKCA certification, and launching the Unpause Beta on major app stores.

In conclusion, RU Medical's innovative solutions and dedication to improving menopausal care are making a real impact on women's lives. This start-up is not just addressing a healthcare need, its providing hope, relief, and empowerment to women worldwide as they navigate the challenges of menopause.

More info:

Website: https://www.rumedical.co.uk/

Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/company/rumedical/

Instagram: www.instagram.com/unpause.menopause/