Solence, a digital health startup, has raised €1.6 million in seed funding to provide women with better tools to manage Polycystic Ovary Syndrome (PCOS). The round attracted backing from Impact Shakers Ventures, bpifrance, and prominent angel investors such as Céline Lazorthes (Leetchi, Mangopay), Berthe Latreille (formerly JP Morgan), and Stephane Mardel (Systemanova VC). The capital will fuel team expansion, deepen product development, and strengthen clinical and distribution partnerships.
A widespread condition with poor support
PCOS is one of the most common hormonal conditions among women, affecting up to 20% globally. Yet despite its prevalence, around 85% of women do not receive adequate care. Symptoms range from irregular periods, infertility, and weight gain to excess hair growth, severe stomach pain, and mental health issues. The burden is not just personal, as many sufferers report difficulty managing their work-life balance and maintaining a quality of life.
Obesity and insulin resistance are central factors in PCOS, increasing the risk for chronic diseases, pregnancy complications, and psychological challenges. While medical guidelines recommend lifestyle and behavioural changes as a first-line treatment, care today is primarily centred around medication. Affordable and evidence-based support is alarmingly rare, particularly in Europe, where some women spend more than €3,500 out of pocket.
In this gap, misinformation thrives, with online influencers peddling dubious PCOS cures to vulnerable audiences. In fact, only about 12% of women are satisfied with the lifestyle advice they receive from healthcare providers, leading many to seek answers online and exposing them to potentially harmful or unproven guidance.
From personal struggles to a public mission
Solence was born out of former corporate lawyer Clara Stephenson’s decade-long journey navigating PCOS without a diagnosis. A thriving career at Ernst & Young masked her worsening symptoms, such as irregular cycles, hormonal imbalances, and fertility issues. It wasn’t until she faced difficulty conceiving that she finally received a diagnosis. The revelation was double-edged: she had a chronic, incurable condition, and it might prevent her from having children.
Rather than accept the limited care options available, Clara began documenting her experiences during the COVID-19 lockdown. She launched a French-language blog, Les Natives, which quickly resonated with readers. With over 135,000 visits and a dedicated community of 8,000 readers, it was clear that many other women were in the same position: overlooked, frustrated, and seeking alternatives. From this momentum, the idea for Solence emerged as a digital-first platform to empower women with personalised PCOS care rooted in science and lifestyle interventions.
Clara’s approach is further strengthened by her formal training in nutrition, micronutrients, and women’s health, ensuring that Solence’s programs are grounded in scientific evidence.
Solence: Beyond the pill
Founded in 2022 by Clara Stephenson and medtech executive Mael Mertad, Solence takes a holistic and scalable approach to PCOS management. Their digital platform is tailored to the diverse ways in which the condition manifests across individuals, combining clinical research with practical behaviour change techniques.
At its core is a 12-week app-based program designed to ease symptoms and improve quality of life through sustainable lifestyle adjustments. Drawing on peer-reviewed studies and behavioural science, the program includes interactive lessons and habit-building tools that focus on diet, movement, sleep, and stress management. The app also features monthly assessments that help users identify symptom triggers, track progress, and access actionable resources.
Solence leverages AI-driven digital therapeutics and data analytics to deliver personalized recommendations, aiming to improve both hormonal and metabolic health for women with PCOS. The program incorporates cognitive behavioural techniques and motivational tools, aligning with international guidelines for the care of PCOS.
Solence isn’t positioning itself as an alternative to medical care, but rather as a complement and enhancement to it. The platform uses insights from anonymised user data to help reshape how PCOS is understood and treated across healthcare systems. In doing so, it aims to shift the narrative from reactive treatment to proactive, personalised care.
What’s ahead
With fresh funding in hand, Solence plans to double down on product development, hiring, and scaling its digital therapeutics offering. The goal is to reach more women and ensure that evidence-based, lifestyle-led care becomes a viable, trusted option alongside traditional treatments. Strategic partnerships with clinicians and healthcare organisations are also on the horizon, helping to integrate Solence’s tools more deeply into the broader health ecosystem.
The company’s vision extends beyond PCOS, with plans to address other chronic hormonal conditions and support women’s healthspan—the years lived in good health. Solence’s strategy is in line with the latest research, which highlights the impact of holistic, behavioural, and lifestyle interventions on reproductive, metabolic, and psychological outcomes in women’s health.