Women struggling to secure answers for suspected endometriosis and PMOS could be given stronger evidence of their symptoms through wearable technology shaped by its founder’s own lived experience. WombWise, founded by Edinburgh Napier University graduate Emily Youngs, has been crowned winner of the Create Change Challenge at the Converge Awards.
Her innovative digital health platform which uses everyday wearable devices to identify physiological patterns associated with chronic pain impressed the judges who found the solution grounded in sound market research and planning.
The system is being developed to tackle the long delays many women face in securing a diagnosis of conditions like endometriosis and polyendocrine metabolic ovarian syndrome (PMOS). Endometriosis is a chronic condition where tissue similar to the lining of the uterus grows elsewhere in the body and affects around one in 10 women of reproductive age, according to the Endometriosis Foundation.
Youngs’ lived experience sits at the heart of the venture. It was designed to tackle the frustration many women feel when living with persistent, potentially debilitating symptoms, yet lacking objective evidence to show clinicians what’s happening beyond the confines of a single appointment. Charity Endometriosis UK recently confirmed the average waiting time for a diagnosis has increased to 9 years and 4 months.
Emily Youngs, founder of WombWise, said: “We use wearable devices that are already on the market, such as Oura Rings and Apple Watches, and look for pain markers rather than ovulation.
“We’re not tracking women just for fertility or pregnancy but for chronic pain conditions like endometriosis and PMOS. We take women from their very first symptoms through to a potential diagnosis and lifelong management and care. Our mission is very simple. We want to give women proof that their pain is real.”
WombWise combines physiological signals with reported symptoms to identify patterns linked to endometriosis and PMOS, building a clearer picture of how pain and other symptoms change over time.
By tracking those changes across weeks and months, the platform could give women stronger evidence to take into consultations with GPs and other healthcare professionals, rather than relying solely on symptoms recalled during a single appointment.
The venture secured the Create Change title after progressing through Converge’s programme that supports university founders to translate research, expertise and first-hand insight into sustainable businesses capable of delivering meaningful social impact.
Adam Kosterka, executive director of Converge, said: “WombWise is a powerful example of what can happen when lived experience, technology and entrepreneurial ambition combine to address a problem which has persisted for far too long.
“For 15 years, Converge has helped talented people turn innovative ideas into sustainable businesses capable of making a meaningful impact. Ventures such as WombWise demonstrate why that matters, combining a clear understanding of a real-world challenge with the potential to improve lives on a much wider scale.”
Women’s health innovation was also recognised in the KickStart Challenge, won by Ovana Fit, a sports technology and femtech venture founded by Cara Robson who is a Product Design Engineering graduate of the University of Glasgow and Glasgow School of Art.
Ovana Fit is developing a first-of-its-kind wearable period pain relief device engineered specifically for female athletes, that can be worn comfortably during training and competition.
The venture emerged from Robson’s final-year master’s project, which won the GU68 Engineering Trust Hugh O’Neill Medal, and is focused on removing period pain as a barrier to exercise, participation and high-level athletic performance.
Cara Robson, founder of Ovana Fit, said: “We are developing period pain relief solutions designed specifically for female athletes to wear while they train and compete.
“Our mission is to eliminate period pain as a barrier to sport and allow all women to continue playing the sport they love, no matter what time of the month it is.”
Together, WombWise and Ovana Fit highlight the growing role of university-led innovation in tackling areas of women’s health which have historically been underserved by mainstream technology and product development.
Formed in 2011, Converge has become a driving force for university-led innovation, supporting more than 1000 academic entrepreneurs who have gone on to establish over 500 companies.
Businesses taking part in the Converge programme have a three-year survival rate of 86%, significantly above the national average. This reflects both the strength of innovation emerging from universities and the quality, support and rigour of the programme.
Building on that milestone, Converge is preparing to launch Converge 2.0 in 2027, an evolved offering which will broaden its support and introduce more tailored, sector-specific pathways for ventures at an advanced stage of development.
The Converge Awards will remain at the heart of the programme as it enters its next chapter, continuing to provide a national platform for university founders seeking to turn innovative ideas into ambitious and sustainable businesses.
