Yesterday in the newsletter, I shared my latest interview with Melinda French Gates—and the news of her fresh $215 million commitment to women’s health.
Today, I’d like to dive further into one slice of that work. The billionaire philanthropist’s $215 million will be split between access to care during women’s reproductive years, mental health, and menopause and midlife—a new category for her and her firm Pivotal. French Gates wrote an op-ed explaining why she’s tackling menopause specifically.
As anyone reading this newsletter likely knows, menopause and women’s midlife health have become a hot category in the startup world. Halle Berry and Naomi Watts have brands. A miles-long list of celebrities back the billion-dollar company Midi. Investors see opportunity in telehealth services, beauty products, and more. So does French Gates; investing is one way Pivotal will engage in this work.
But this is really one of the first times we’re seeing a major figure tackle menopause and women’s midlife health through philanthropic dollars.
For French Gates, the decision goes back to her longtime thesis that for women to access power, they need to be healthy.
