Stockholm femtech startup raises €1.4M to provide digitalized postpartum support

Stockholm-based femtech startup LEIA Health has raised €1.4 million in a pre-seed funding round to support new parents during the postpartum period.

Founded in 2021 by Sandra Wirström and Astrid Gyllenkrok Kristensen, LEIA aims to revitalize postpartum care in the digital age. As mothers themselves, the founders experienced difficulties in the months following birth.

According to LEIA’s annual data, 90 percent of mothers experience physical and mental strains after giving birth, which can be carried over into the following year. Despite the large number of mothers experiencing postpartum issues, many do not receive adequate support from their environment throughout the postnatal period.

Kristensen, LEIA’s current CEO, said there had been barely personalized and evidence-based information available for new mothers. Many mothers are also worried about being perceived as “bad” mothers, preventing them from seeking help.

To help these new mothers, LEIA offers a postpartum tracker that navigates the period after birth. The mobile app regularly invites parents to input information about their physical and mental well-being. Users will receive information based on their inputs and recommendations about the best actions to improve their conditions.

Offers a preventive use

The app can link a mother with a midwife for more personalized care. LEIA app can also identify women at risk of postpartum depression and other post-birth complications with a digital screening mode. A mother that shows early symptoms of postnatal depression can also get a referral to an expert through LEIA.

“The lack of data collected around postpartum issues is a massive barrier for offering preventive measures and personalized support,” Kristensen said.

“With our app we’re building a unique data set that will help shape the future of parental health.”

Astrid Gyllenkrok Kristensen, Co-founder and CEO of LEIA Health

Since its launch last year, LEIA has helped identify twice as many mothers who are at risk of postnatal depression than the average number.

In 2022, LEIA conducted a pilot launch in collaboration with a top Swedish maternity clinic. A following survey showed that 90 percent of mothers felt the LEIA app delivered great value. Around 90 percent of these first users also said they would recommend clinics affiliated with LEIA.

People Ventures led LEIA’s latest capital raising, with participation from investors such as Unconventional Ventures and OctaQuest. This funding round followed LEIA’s previous campaign a year ago when it secured €600,000 from angel investors.