IN CONVERSATION WITH ELVIE FOUNDER TANIA BOLER

Tania Boler,

Elvie CEO & Founder

Speaks to us about her phenomenal journey from UN researcher to pioneering tech Founder & CEO, having raised the largest amount of capital ever for any Femtech founder yet in the UK market.

Elvie raised their Series C in September 2021, totalling their capital raised since inception at £110m. This places Tania firmly at the helm of a pioneering technology company in a fast growing and emerging market.

What was the initial spark that gave you the idea for Elvie? 

As a sexual health researcher who had previously worked for the UN and global NGOs, I’ve always been passionate about driving change in society, especially around neglected and taboo issues facing women during motherhood. While working at the UN, I began to recognise technology’s potential to disrupt the way we think about health – and even quicken the pace at which change can occur. 

The idea for Elvie Trainer, our first product, came to me when I was pregnant. While experiencing many changes in my body, I was shocked to discover that despite having worked in women's health for 15 years – across various fields and disciplines – there was so much I didn't know, especially when it came to my pelvic floor. 

My husband is French, and when we were together in France, I learned that it is common for French women to attend pelvic floor rehabilitation classes after birth to help re-strengthen their bodies. I couldn't believe that nothing like this existed in other countries, especially since I later found that one in three women will experience pelvic floor problems during their lifetime. And another huge problem? No one was talking about this issue. I was used to working on highly taboo topics and stigmatised issues – like HIV prevention and access to safe abortion – and pelvic floor weakness was another apparent topic that’s “hush-hush” in society. 

At what point did you realise you were really onto something and decide to quit the day job?

As I began to research pelvic floor health, I quickly learned the shocking statistics relating to incontinence and prolapse, impacting half of all women over 50. I started conversations with researchers and physiotherapists to see what we could do to change this. Eventually, I realized that technological innovation was lacking in this area, and most of what was on the market at the time for women was simply ineffective. Giving women real-time biofeedback is the most reliable way to encourage commitment to pelvic floor training, yet this technology was only available in hospitals. It became evident that not only did we need to create a product that addressed this, but we needed to challenge the cultural norms that have forbidden women to talk openly about their bodies. 

I had never planned to start a business or get involved in tech. However, with this apparent gap in women's health, I set out to create a smart Kegel trainer and app that could give users the same real-time biofeedback that seemed so inaccessible – all while making it fun, convenient, and effective. I knew that we were on to something and had the potential to empower women to take control of their health and wellbeing. So, in the autumn of 2015, we launched Elvie Trainer. 

What was the hardest part of the journey for you in the early years? 

Beyond attracting investors, our most significant obstacles came with building our technology. For example, designing one solution that could truly solve breastfeeding problems that women have been enduring for far too long! My business partner, Alexander, encouraged hiring top engineers from the word “go.” As you scale, this is extremely important. You need to surround yourself with people who believe in the mission as much as you do, and are the best at doing the jobs you need. So, we set out to hire world-class female designers who understood women's needs, placed them in the heart of the design process, and created beautiful products that offered women the best solution out there. 

Building a high-growth company is a rollercoaster! What sustained you in the low moments; how did you maintain your tenacity, resilience, and vision?

Financially, one of the most empowering moments early on was when we successfully closed the most significant funding round in femtech history, securing $42M in Series B funding in April 2019. This investment gave the company, and I, added confidence in our mission while paving the way for us to expand our global business and team. 

What else sustained me in the ‘low moments’ have been the conversations we have started that empower women to talk about their health, breaking decades-old taboos in the process. Whether it is helping women talk about their struggles with bladder weakness or giving mothers the flexibility they need to get on with their lives, Elvie’s work isn’t just in technology; it is a woman’s empowerment movement that gets people talking openly. 

What was the one thing you wished you had figured out earlier when it came to pitching your idea to investors? 

When pitching to investors (a majority of whom were men), it was hard work to sell them on the notion that women will talk openly about pelvic floor health. At one point, I was even told that women’s health products were “too niche,” which was certainly hard to fathom. Especially with the potential that these tools have of addressing the needs of 51% of the global population. It took me a few fundraising meetings to realise that I needed to be upfront about women's issues and not skirt around words like "vagina" or other topics with the potential to make investors uncomfortable. Now, when meeting with prospective investors, I like to see their reaction once I say the "V" word. I call this the "vagina test!” It's a fun and easy way to gauge whether we'll be a good fit for one another. 

Being a CEO of a pre-seed, seed, Series A and now Series C funded startup brings very different challenges. What has helped you adapt your leadership style to the different stages of the company?

Leading a company is an incredible adrenaline rush, and it’s definitely not for the faint-hearted. It requires constant adaptability, as well as drive, determination, and resilience. I have always been somebody who delves into the details and likes to understand things fully. But with the challenges presented by funding rounds and the pandemic particularly, I’ve come to recognise that many decisions are based on ambiguity.  Often, there are trade-offs between decisions and not a clear-cut “right or wrong” answer. I have learned to make peace with this.  

One of the key attributes to leading and growing a successful company is staying focused on the right things that drive success. How do you block out the noise and act on the right information?

Don’t be afraid to hire people who are smarter than you! Finding the right people to build out your team is absolutely key to success, blocking out the noise, and acting on the right information. And as you scale, it’s the most important thing. You need to surround yourself with people who believe in the mission as much as you do, and are best at doing the jobs you need. 

What are your wellness hacks to staying balanced while running a fast-growing business?

Elvie’s mission is built around the need to support women, starting with mums. Unlike many other brands, we’ve created an internal culture that reflects these values and creates a work-life balance that suits the individual. I enjoy being a champion for all the mothers and women who are a part of the team. My own wellness hacks, so to speak, are spending as much time as I can with my family and looking after my health and wellbeing. Even if it’s subtle changes to the working day—like a ‘walk and talk’ to stretch the legs and talk through work topics, instead of sitting at a desk or in a meeting room. 

How have you seen the femtech ecosystem change since you founded the company?

The recent boom in femtech has come with these three trends: we’re all talking more openly about our bodies and wellbeing; innovations in sensor technology have meant that real-time body monitoring is now possible; and finally, our perceptions of health and wellness have dramatically changed from one of ‘doctor-patient’ to individuals taking personal control. All this alongside the term ‘femtech’ – which as a category name is extremely useful, as it allows companies and female founders to have more collective power – there’s been a boom in this space. So much so that the projected worth of the femtech market is estimated to hit $50bn by 2025. 

What are the large unaddressed areas within femtech that get you excited?

Watching the shift in mentality surrounding women’s health and wellness – with Elvie being a vital part of this change – has been fascinating. Ultimately, women don’t just deserve better tech, they’re demanding it, and with all the untapped potential in this industry, we want to keep building on this early success and continue to pioneer products that shatter our assumptions of what’s possible. Going forward, there are still very severe gender gaps in mainstream medicine, and it’s essential (and exciting) to explore opportunities to create a paradigm shift in this space. We’re proud of the work we’ve done so far for femtech. But looking ahead, we’ve barely scratched the surface of what’s possible. 

What would your advice be to entrepreneurs starting out?

As a female entrepreneur, carving out space in a male-centric world is never easy, and it can be intimidating to jump into something when you haven’t seen many examples set by other female friends or leaders. However, there is a growing network of extraordinary, like-minded female entrepreneurs out there who are willing to support you and help you to make essential connections. 

I would also say as well as living and breathing your mission, you (sometimes) need to have skin like a rhino alongside. It’s all about not taking anything too personally. It can be hard to hear criticism about something you’re so passionate about and have worked so hard for, but sometimes, this is what you need to hear for positive change.