News / medtech
Bristol startup raises £6.8m to launch world’s first smart menstrual cup
The Bristol-founded startup Emm has raised over £6.8m ($9m) in an oversubscribed seed round to bring the world’s first smart menstrual cup to market.
The investment — led by Lunar Ventures with backing from the Labcorp Venture Fund, Tiny VC, BlueLion Global, Alumni Ventures and several high-profile angels — will support a 2026 UK launch and accelerate Emm’s broader clinical development plans.
More than a traditional menstrual cup, Emm’s smart device is designed to transform how menstrual and reproductive health conditions are tracked, diagnosed and understood.
Using advanced sensors, it measures menstrual flow volume and cycle patterns to give users personalised health insights and support more informed conversations with healthcare professionals.
Emm has raised over £6.8m ($9m) to bring the world’s first smart menstrual cup to market
Developed over five years, the product combines medical-grade materials with ultra-thin sensor technology and a connected app.
Emm says the innovation represents a leap forward for femtech — a sector that continues to receive disproportionately low investment — and aims to “rewrite standards” for how menstruation is “studied, understood and treated”.
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Founder and chief executive Jenny Button said the funding will help tackle decades of under-investment in menstrual health.
“Menstruation is known as the fifth vital sign, but has historically been overlooked by the wearable sector, leaving millions without the data they need to understand and advocate for their own bodies,” she said.
“We envision a future where menstrual health is measured and understood as comprehensively as cardiovascular or metabolic health.”
Button, a University of Bristol alumni, launched Emm in 2020. Earlier in her career she co-founded The Music Room, which brought sample sales from major fashion events in London.
Jenny Button, a University of Bristol alumni, launched Emm in 2020
The company’s board includes leaders from MIT, BIO, Cambridge and Unilever, and is chaired by biotech veteran Dr Grace E. Colón.
Emm is due to launch in the UK in early 2026, with other markets to follow.
All photos: Emm
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