Birth Control App Natural Cycles Lands $55M as Tech Brands Eye Women’s Health

The FDA-cleared app is changing the game for women’s health, using an algorithm and temperature data to help women predict their fertility with greater accuracy

Natural Cycles, a women’s health company behind the first DTC birth control app, has just closed a €50.8 million ($55 million) Series C funding round intended for new product development, commercial acceleration and healthcare reimbursement automation.

The funding signals a growing market for women-centered health tech products. Oura , known for its smart rings, is the first wearable product to integrate with Natural Cycles .

Lauxera Capital Partners led the financing round, which included participation from Point72 Private Investments and a revolving debt facility from J.P. Morgan.

“We’ve experienced profitable growth over the last few years as women actively seek more birth control options, and we’re excited to welcome the next phase of Natural Cycles journey together with Lauxera Capital Partners and Point72 Private Investments,” said Natural Cycles co-founder Dr. Raoul Scherwitzl. “We look forward to leveraging their expertise to fulfill Natural Cycles’ mission of making hormone-free birth control more accessible and combining technology and science to fill the gaps in underserved areas of women’s health.”

At its core, Natural Cycles allows users to predict their fertile days, allowing them to plan for pregnancy or contraception. While other apps assume a cycle is 28 days long, Natural Cycles uses an algorithm and temperature data collected by its NC° Thermometer or by pairing an Oura Ring or compatible Apple Watch with its app.

The company says its app is supported by clinical evidence and is 93% effective with typical use and 98% effective with perfect use (defined as never having unprotected intercourse on certain days.)

Scherwitzl co-founded Natural Cycles along with his wife, Dr. Elina Berglund Scherwitzl, who serves as the brand’s CEO, in 2013. Since then, the contraceptive app has been used by over three million users and is the only digital form of birth control on the market cleared by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and regulators in Canada, Europe, Australia, Singapore and South Korea.

FemTech Revolution

The bustling FemTech market is making strides in several categories, including mental health, fertility, post-partum , menopause and sexual wellbeing.

According to a Q1 2024 report from Deloitte, FemTech deal flow has surged considerably, presenting a health and wellness overlap. Notably, approximately one in four FemTech expansion-stage deals in 2023 were in the wellness category.

Even Dr. Jennifer Ashton, known for her role as ABC’s chief medical correspondent and “GMA3” co-host, has started a new female-focused venture — Ajenda , a science-backed weekly newsletter for women. Ashton said last month that brick-and-mortar centers are part of her vision and are in the works for New York City and Los Angeles.

Lifesum, a health eating and wellness platform, recently put a spotlight on women’s hormonal health and its impact on the workplace in its latest U.S. Wellbeing Workplace Trends report, offering suggestions on how employers can support female employees.

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