News / Tech
Female reproductive health inclusion firm receives a major investment boost
A Bristol-based tech company that aims to create inclusive workplaces by focusing on female reproductive health has received a major funding boost.
HeyFlow will receive an investment package worth £235,000 from Aer Venture Studios as the founding investment client of the Corsham-based tech investor.
Although a young startup in Bristol’s tech scene, HeyFlow has already made its mark with its innovative education and training tools. The co-founders of the tech startup believe that the fresh investment will enable the company to connect with more enterprise clients by advancing their tech platform.
The majority-female startup with the founding ethos of “create meaningful change for women at work globally” pointed out the importance of the fresh wave of investment.
“At a time where only a small percentage of investment goes to female-founded companies, Aer Venture Studios’ belief in HeyFlow sends a clear message that innovative, women-led start-ups are worthy of investment,” said co-founder Sophie Creese – photo: HeyFlow
The co-founder Sophie Creese said: “We’re honoured to secure Aer Venture Studios’ investment and trust in HeyFlow’s vision. Its backing is a testament to our early success and powerful validation of our mission to champion reproductive health inclusion and close workplace gender gaps.
“At a time where only a small percentage of investment goes to female-founded companies, Aer Venture Studios’ belief in HeyFlow sends a clear message that innovative, women-led start-ups are worthy of investment. Their support strengthens our ability to scale globally, and together, we’re set to shake up the future of work.”
HeyFlow was co-founded in Bristol in 2023 by three former colleagues at Adlib Recruitment: Sophie Creese, Nick Dean and Sabrina Walls. HeyFlow boasts of several high-profile clients in their books including Hitachi Vantara, BIMA and Digitas, providing insight into their female employee experiences, management’s ability to support at all levels, informing leadership gender inclusion strategies and empowering them to create change.
“Our mission is to help organisations realise their vision for digital experiences that have a positive impact on people and the planet,” said Geoff Wells, director, Aer Venture Studios – photo-Carnsight Communications
The firm is seeking further £250,000 in pre-seed investment to allow it to take the employee experience and diagnostics platform to market. A future roadmap introduces Artificial Intelligence (AI) to provide on-demand learning solutions and deliver against mandated gender pay and ESG reporting at a global level.
The advent of HeyFlow comes at a time when the government figures present a stark picture on gender disparity at workplace. This disparity often manifests in loss of income and stalled career progression. The figures reveal that 31 per cent of women experience severe reproductive health symptoms every year where 85 per cent of women face at least four reproductive health conditions and mothers see a 60 per cent drop in earnings following their first child, compared to fathers.
The founding trio of HeyFlow received a further boost to their team with the joining of Kate Thompson, an applied behavioural scientist and co-founder of businessfourzero, as a non-executive director.
Geoff Wells, director, Aer Venture Studios, said: “Our mission is to help organisations realise their vision for digital experiences that have a positive impact on people and the planet. Our ambition and values are perfectly aligned with HeyFlow’s, making it the ideal collaboration and partnership.
“We are excited at the opportunity to bring the full force of our creative and technical talent in Aer Studios to realise HeyFlow’s vision and accelerate its impact.”
The former colleagues at AIDLB Recruitment, Nick Dean, Sophie Creese and Sabrina Walls co-founded the tech startup HeyFlow in 2023 – photo: Carnsight Communications
Aer Venture Studios’ directors Geoff Wells and Tom Harber will play active roles in the future of HeyFlow, with Wells taking a seat on the board. With prior engagements at organisations such as the BBC, Breast Cancer Now, Diabetes UK and Women’s Aid, Wells and Harber promise to bring years of valuable experience to the young startup.
Main photo: Carnsight Communications
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