30 how little regard technology seems to have for women and girls? Almost every medical device, pharmaceutical, and even consumer product is attuned primarily to the physiology and psychology of the human male. This may not be news to you, but it's an enduring issue that hasn't yet been adequately addressed. And it's not just medicine. You've probably noticed how an average-sized woman in an average-sized car wears a seatbelt? It's as if the designer didn't know that more than half of human adults have...breasts. How about the apps on your phone? Many of them are geared to the singly focused male attention span and male sensibilities. Don't believe us? Look at the list of women's favorites, which departs significantly from men's. And no, they're not all menstrual period trackers, though three of them are. Israeli entrepreneurs are stepping up and focusing on the gender gap in technology and across all industries, and making use of intellectual property protections to safeguard their inventions. More and more inventors and entrepreneurs are pouring time and energy into the sector called FemTech, a name coined by an American entrepreneur just seven years ago. Publicly disclosed FemTech deals hit the $2.5 billion mark in value worldwide in 2021, spread over some 300 transactions, according to a McKinsey survey. With some half the world's population identified as female, one need not be a prophet to see the profits coming--and Israeli tech is seriously in on the FemTech mix. "The Israeli economy is leading the way on FemTech, among many other sectors," says Lilach Luzzatto Shukrun, one of the current generation of The Luzzatto Group, and the head of the Engineering and Medical Devices division in the Luzzatto patent law firm. "Women's needs have often been ignored by the tech world, and, over the last few years, the Israel entrepreneurs I work with are starting to change that." Woman-Specific Medical Tech on the Way An example? "Endometriosis," Luzzatto says, "which falls under the definition of a 'transparent disease'; 10 percent of all women suffer from it, but little effort is invested in studying the condition and researching solutions. I wonder what would happen if 10 percent of all men suffered from a similar condition. At last, our Israeli FemTech community is beginning to study it in depth and even attack it." The medical profession may still lead the way, with a recognition that, for example, cardiac problems and physical pain plays out differently in women
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