KUALA LUMPUR, MALAYSIA — 1337 Ventures proudly announced the winners of its inaugural Alpha Startups™ INNO4HER Demo Day, held on Friday, 3 May 2025, at WORQ KL Sentral. A defining moment for FemTech in the region, the event marked the successful conclusion of Malaysia’s first dedicated FemTech accelerator, spotlighting bold, innovative solutions addressing women’s health and wellness challenges across Asia.
The Alpha Startups™ INNO4HER Accelerator was developed to empower early-stage startups building scalable, women-focused innovations. 10 teams were selected for an intensive 8-week programme. Throughout the accelerator, participants received expert mentorship and guidance from industry leaders including DocOnCall, BabyDash, Datuk Dr Mahes (O&G and Fertility Specialist), and Christina Teo, Founder of She1K. Six finalists advanced to Demo Day, where they pitched refined solutions shaped by validation support and strategic input to accelerate their path to growth.
As an emerging vertical, FemTech — or female technology — is reshaping healthcare by addressing women’s unique needs, from menstrual and reproductive health to menopause care and maternal support.
Following the programme and competitive pitches, the Top Two Alpha Startups™ INNO4HER winners — Dear Kyra and Magnolia Collective — were selected for their innovation, scalability, and impact.
Dear Kyra — Founded by David Ong and Loh Hui Lin, Dear Kyra is Malaysia’s fastest and most discreet telehealth platform for birth control and STI testing, built and operated by a licensed pharmacist.
“We built Dear Kyra to give women greater control, convenience, and confidentiality in managing their reproductive health. Winning the Alpha Startups™ INNO4HER program affirms that we’re solving a real and pressing need — and this is just the beginning. As we gear up to launch our Equity Crowdfunding (ECF) campaign on Leet Capital, the demo day and ongoing support from 1337 Ventures have been instrumental in connecting us with potential angel investors. We’re excited to invite more investors to join us in reshaping the future of women’s healthcare in Malaysia,” said David Ong, Co-Founder of Dear Kyra.
Magnolia Collective (Singapore) — Co-founded by Theresa Lovelin and Kelly Yamamoto, Magnolia Collective is a nurse-led digital care platform that leverages AI and wearable technology to guide women through the menopause transition with empathy and precision.
“Menopause has long been underserved and misunderstood — Magnolia exists to change that. Being part of Alpha Startups™ INNO4HER has been a transformative journey, and this recognition fuels our mission to make menopause care more accessible, empathetic, and data-driven. We’re incredibly grateful for the mentorship and strategic guidance from Eng Ruo Ni and the 1337 Ventures team throughout the accelerator,” shared Theresa Lovelin and Kelly Yamamoto, Founders of Magnolia Collective.
Crowd Favourite Pitch of the Day went to Blissmi (Hong Kong), co-founded by Natasha King and Inès Gafsi, for their personalized wellness platform that uses biometrics and AI to support the health and performance of working women.
“Alpha Startups™ INNO4HER is more than a platform, it is a strategic initiative to catalyse innovation in some of the most underserved and overlooked areas of women’s health,” said Bikesh Lakhmichand, Founding Partner at 1337 Ventures. “By backing FemTech founders, we are not only investing in promising startups, but actively contributing to the development of a more inclusive, data-driven, and resilient healthcare ecosystem across Asia and beyond. We invite pharmaceutical companies, healthcare providers, and corporations with a vested interest in advancing women’s health to explore opportunities to collaborate with us in shaping future cohorts.”
The event featured a distinguished panel of judges, including Ruslena Ramli, Director of Digital Finance & Islamic Digital Economy at MDEC; Freda Liu, Producer/Presenter of The Shift Asia; and Joanne Ho, Founder of Menopause Asia.
Finalists Baseline, PLans, and SihatCare also delivered standout pitches, offering innovative solutions in maternal care, digital diagnostics, and holistic wellness.
The Alpha Startups™ INNO4HER programme was made possible with the generous support of WORQ, Disruptive Doctors, FemTech Asia, and Future Fem Health, who played vital roles in nurturing and amplifying the FemTech ecosystem across the region.
As FemTech continues to gain momentum globally, Alpha Startups™ INNO4HER reaffirms 1337 Ventures’ commitment to backing high-potential startups solving real-world problems — beginning with women’s health — and advancing innovation in key areas such as HealthTech, FinTech, and DeepTech.
Early-stage founders and aspiring entrepreneurs looking to bring their ideas to life can also access the Alpha Startups™ Online programme — a comprehensive, free course designed to guide you from concept to scaling. Enroll today at https://1337.ventures/asda.
Plus, Alpha Startups™ Pre-Accelerator (Cohort 64) Agnostic Batch is back for the July 2025 intake! Apply now at https://1337.ventures/alpha-startups-pre-accelerator.
Shannon Chow, the Head of Marketing at 1337 Ventures. With 10-years of experience in marketing and advertising, Shannon is a specialist in integrated marketing, no-code/low-code tools, UI/UX, and branding. She mentors entrepreneurs in pitching & marketing. She’s passionate about self-development and women’s empowerment, Shannon strives to simplify the knowledge of starting a startup and ignite the spirit of entrepreneurship among youths.
