Hormona: Overview & Mission
Hormona is a London-based femtech healthtech startup focused on transforming women’s hormonal health through AI-powered at-home hormone testing, tracking and insights. It offers users tools to understand and monitor their hormone levels, menstrual cycles and symptoms via a connected app and test kits, addressing a longstanding lack of effective, accessible solutions in this space. (Startups.co.uk)
Founders:
- Karolina Löfqvist – Co-Founder & CEO
- Jasmine Tagesson – Co-Founder & COO
Founded: 2020
Website: hormona.io (Startups.co.uk)
Hormona’s tech combines AI image processing, at-home lateral flow hormone tests and app-driven health insights to provide richer, continuous hormone data than traditional one-off clinical tests. (Startups.co.uk)
2026 UK Startups 100 Index Inclusion
Hormona was included in the 2026 Startups 100 Index — the UK’s longest-running, most respected ranking of promising early-stage startups — and was additionally recognised as the Exceptional Founder Award winner for its purpose-driven leadership and impactful mission. (Startups.co.uk)
This accolade highlights startups that show strong innovation, societal impact, founder leadership and growth potential in the UK ecosystem. (PR Newswire)
Case Studies: Hormona’s Rise
Case Study 1 — Painpoint to Product: Personal Story Inspires a Femtech Solution
Problem:
Millions of women experience hormonal imbalances (e.g., perimenopause, irregular cycles, thyroid issues) but face years-long delays getting proper diagnoses — often dismissed by GPs or misdiagnosed altogether. (Startups.co.uk)
Founder’s Journey:
Hormona’s CEO, Karolina Löfqvist, faced these barriers personally — enduring years of symptoms, dismissals and delayed care. Her experience motivated the founders to create a solution that gives women more accurate, accessible, and continuous hormone data than standard clinical tests. (Startups.co.uk)
Outcome:
This personal mission has helped Hormona connect with users on a deep level and fuel its purpose-driven brand narrative — a key reason the founder won the Exceptional Founder Award. (Startups.co.uk)
Case Study 2 — Product Innovation & Market Adoption
At-Home Hormone Testing:
Hormona’s kits allow women to test hormone levels (e.g., estrogen, progesterone, FSH) at home via a simple urine sample and smartphone image analysis. Results are delivered rapidly and inexpensively relative to traditional lab tests. (Sifted)
App-Driven Insights:
Using the Hormona app, users can:
- Track hormones over time
- Log symptoms and lifestyle data
- Receive personalised insights, nutritional guidance and cycle forecasts
- Engage with an active community and content library (Startups.co.uk)
Reach & Engagement:
Hormona’s digital presence and app ecosystem help it extend impact globally, with widespread press coverage and community engagement that supports early adoption. (Startups.co.uk)
Case Study 3 — Funding & Strategic Grants
£5.5m+ Seed Funding:
Hormona raised around £5.5 million in seed rounds led by investors including Voima Ventures and SuperNode Global VC, enabling product launch, market expansion, tech development and team growth. (Startups.co.uk)
Innovate UK Grant:
In 2025, Hormona received a £100k grant from Innovate UK to support AI-driven clinical decision support tools for faster perimenopause diagnosis — a significant step toward clinical integration and broader health system impact. (Tech.eu)
Significance:
These funds help improve hormone diagnostics, deepen clinical relevance, and potentially integrate Hormona’s tools into mainstream healthcare (including NHS pilot programs). (Silicon Canals)
Expert & Industry Comments
On Exceptional Founder Leadership
In announcing the Exceptional Founder Award, Startups.co.uk emphasised that Hormona’s leadership has turned personal health struggles into meaningful innovation, driving industry change and empowering users to better understand their bodies. (Startups.co.uk)
On Market Positioning & Awareness
Hormona’s inclusion in the Startups 100 Index reflects not just product promise, but brand visibility and market traction — from mainstream media coverage to high-profile partnerships (e.g., collaborations in wellness, fitness, and corporate health programs). (Startups.co.uk)
On Clinical & Healthcare Potential
Medical and healthtech analysts see Hormona’s AI-enabled testing and tracking tools as vital for addressing gaps in women’s health diagnostics, which historically have been under-funded and under-resourced. (Femtech Hub)
Why Hormona’s Inclusion Matters
Making the 2026 Startups 100 list is significant because:
1. Market Validation
The index is highly selective — recognising startups with strong growth potential, disruptive solutions and real-world impact. (PR Newswire)
2. Visibility & Credibility
Inclusion increases exposure to investors, healthcare partners, employers and strategic collaborators. (PR Newswire)
3. Sector Leadership
Hormona’s presence highlights femtech’s rising role in UK healthtech and draws attention to previously overlooked challenges in women’s health care. (Startups.co.uk)
Summary — Hormona’s Rise to the 2026 Startups 100
- Founders Karolina Löfqvist and Jasmine Tagesson transformed a personal healthcare challenge into a data-driven female health platform. (Startups.co.uk)
- Hormona’s AI-powered at-home hormone tests and app give women accessible, continuous hormone data — a sector first for many users. (Startups.co.uk)
- The company has raised significant funding, partnered with clinical programs, and secured Innovate UK backing. (Tech.eu)
- Recognition on the 2026 Startups 100 Index, including an Exceptional Founder Award, cements its position as one of the UK’s most promising and impactful early-stage startups. (Startups.co.uk)
Here’s a detailed set of case studies and comments showing why Hormona secured a place in the 2026 UK Startups 100 list — including its progress, achievements, user/community impact and expert perspectives.
Overview: Hormona’s Inclusion in the 2026 Startups 100
Hormona — a London-based femtech healthtech startup — was named one of the UK’s most promising new businesses in the 2026 Startups 100 Index, the UK’s longest-running and highly respected list of early-stage startups. It also won the Exceptional Founder Award for its inspiring mission and founder leadership. (Startups.co.uk)
The index highlights companies with strong innovation, growth potential and real impact across industries — and Hormona’s inclusion reflects both its product traction and broader cultural relevance. (PR Newswire)
Case Study 1 — Origin Story and Mission-Driven Innovation
Background & Problem:
Hormona was co-founded by Karolina Löfqvist and Jasmine Tagesson in 2020 following Löfqvist’s personal struggle with hormonal imbalance and dismissive healthcare experiences. Rather than merely treating symptoms as “stress,” she realised millions of women were underserved by traditional approaches that rely on single blood draws. (Startups.co.uk)
Solution:
Hormona developed a fully quantitative at-home hormone test that uses lateral flows and smartphone image analysis, combined with an app that logs cyclical hormone data alongside symptoms. This offers a more continuous, personalised view of hormonal health compared with conventional one-off clinical tests. (Startups.co.uk)
Why It Matters:
Hormone testing and education historically lag behind other health tech categories. Hormona’s model directly addresses this gap by empowering users with data and actionable insights, supporting earlier recognition and management of imbalances. (Tech.eu)
Case Study 2 — Product Launch, Funding and Growth
Product Roll-out:
In the last year, Hormona launched its Hormona Wellness Tests — marking its first commercial entry into at-home hormone measurement and tracking. (Startups.co.uk)
Funding Momentum:
Hormona has raised significant capital to grow its product development and market footprint. According to multiple funding reports, the company secured roughly €7.8 million in seed funding led by Voima Ventures and SuperNode Global VC — bringing total funding to over €10 million. This investment fuels both product refinement and global scaling. (startuprise.co.uk)
Market Engagement:
The Hormona app is already used in many countries, growing rapidly month-over-month, and the brand leverages strategic partnerships — such as collaborations in employee wellness and with fitness brands like New Balance — to expand awareness and reach. (Startups.co.uk)
Case Study 3 — Clinical Reach & Healthcare Integration
Government-Backed Innovation:
Hormona secured a £99,972 Innovate UK grant to develop AI-powered clinical decision support tools aimed at shortening perimenopause diagnostic delays and integrating its technology into NHS workflows. This project is designed to deliver objective hormone insights clinicians can use in typical GP appointments. (Femtech Hub)
Clinical Impact Potential:
With current NHS environments strained by long diagnosis timelines and gaps in menopausal training, Hormona’s tools — if adopted by healthcare providers — could significantly improve diagnosis speed and accuracy for millions of women. (Femtech Hub)
Comments from Experts and Founders
Editorial & Ecosystem Commentary
- Startups.co.uk highlighted Hormona’s inclusion in the Startups 100 Index not only for its innovation but also for its emotional resonance and mission to transform women’s healthcare, particularly for hormonal conditions that are often dismissed or overlooked. (Startups.co.uk)
- The company was also nominated for the Startups 100 Marketing Award for its effective brand growth and visibility, including strategic PR and partnerships that have broadened public awareness. (Startups.co.uk)
Founder Perspectives
- Karolina Löfqvist (Co-Founder & CEO) has spoken publicly about how her own misdiagnosis led to the company’s mission. Her journey reflects the urgency behind Hormona’s work — turning personal frustration into a solution that affects millions globally. (Startups.co.uk)
Community & User Insights
Global Adoption:
Hormona’s app has been downloaded into 190+ countries and continues to grow rapidly, with strong user retention — including continued engagement months after initial download, showing product stickiness and real user value. (bebeez.eu)
Data & Education:
Beyond tests, the platform educates users on hormonal cycles, symptom patterns and lifestyle factors, helping build hormonal literacy — a topic often under-discussed even among healthcare professionals. (Tech.eu)
Why Hormona’s Inclusion Is Significant
| Aspect | Why It’s Notable |
|---|---|
| Founders’ Mission | Personal health experience driving meaningful innovation and community trust. (Startups.co.uk) |
| Product Innovation | First-of-its-kind quantitative home hormone tests + app insights. (Startups.co.uk) |
| Funding & Growth | Strong seed funding and strategic partnerships for scale. (bebeez.eu) |
| Clinical Integration Potential | Innovate UK grant to build clinician tools for NHS. (Femtech Hub) |
| Market & Community Reach | Global app adoption and educational engagement. (bebeez.eu) |
Summary
Hormona’s place in the 2026 Startups 100 list underscores its rise as a purpose-driven healthtech startup that combines personal mission, clinical innovation, fundraising strength and community traction. Its recognition — including the Exceptional Founder Award — reflects both its impact on women’s health and its potential to become a major player in femtech both in the UK and globally. (Startups.co.uk)