Ovy empowers
women
to take
Mit Ovy deinen
Zyklus
control
of theirund
menstrual
cycle.
verfolgen
verstehen
1
B R AND S TO RY
The menstrual cycle –
a closed book to most females.
Ovy combines an app and a wireless fertility thermometer, helping women to track and understand
their menstrual cycle. Ovy‘s algorithm calculates the female cycle based on the basal body temperature
and other indicators like cervical mucus, premenstrual syndrome and mood swings.
A lack of knowledge about the female cycle
One out of ten women experiences unplanned pregnancy at least once in her lifetime, often due to uncertainty about her fertility and cycle (Bayer & GfK, 2012). Furthermore,
six out of ten women are not familiar with
the starting and ending point of their cycle
(Statista, 2014). When asked, 90 per cent of
women were unaware of the fact that sperm
cells can survive for up to five days in the human body. The lack of knowledge, women‘s
age and physical conditions also prevent
women from getting pregnant, even if they
want to have a baby. Hormonal prevention in
the form of birth control pills, spirals and co.
is often used for many years or even decades,
making fertility tracking superfluous. Thus,
hormonal contraceptives can make women
lose track of their fertility, simply because
their cycle is regulated in any case.
The pill – the supposed cure
Today, more than half of all women in Germany avoid pregnancy by taking hormonal
contraceptives, with the proportion among
women aged under 30 being as high as 70
per cent. Human behaviour changed for
good when the first contraceptive pill was
brought to market in the 1950s. The promising claims in the industry are tempting: a
safe method of for birth control, good tolerance, clear skin, full breasts and no menstrual symptoms. Starting as early as in their
teenage years, women consume the anti-baby pill with no questions asked. The fact that
hormones are only available by prescription
and are treated as medication does not concern them. Hardly any women critically examine the risks and health consequences of
their daily hormone dosage.
Ovy optimizes a proven method
The risks of hormonal contraceptives have
long been ignored. Although constant
headaches, mood swings and an increased
risk of thrombosis or embolisms are side
effects, which cannot be neglected, limited
attempts were made to raise awareness. It
was only when women started suing wellknown pharma companies because of the
side effects of the pill that the topic was
brought into the limelight. The result: for
the first time, the concept of ‘hormonal birth
control’ is subject to critical consideration.
Having put their trust in pills for years, women now desire natural contraception methods. The oldest and best-known method
is called NFP (Natural Family Planning). It
is not only used by couples wanting to get
pregnant, but also as an alternative, hormone-free method of contraception. For NFP to
be successful, women have to learn to track
their cycle and collect data on a daily basis.
Indicators like basal body temperature (resting temperature), cervical mucus (vaginal
discharge), mood, energy level or digestion
help predict women‘s fertile days. However,
existing methods remain unappealing due to
lacks in convenience, usability, and accuracy.
Ovy makes cycle tracking easy
Ovy aims to solve the problems of existing
methods by connecting a basal thermometer and app to help women reach optimum
fertile health. The Hamburg-based start-up
developed algorithm that helps monitor the
female cycle. Based on the daily basal body
temperature, a woman‘s cycle curve can be
calculated. The temperature is taken by Ovy‘s
digital basal thermometer on a daily basis, at
a predefined time in the morning. Ovy auto-
matically synchronizes the data with the app
in real time via Bluetooth. No paper and pen
needed. Over the course of time, Ovy learns
more about the user by acquiring additional
information, such as period symptoms, cervical mucus or mood, added manually. The
data points enrich the algorithm and make
calculations of the cycle more accurate. Based on all this data, Ovy can determine the
ovulation and fertile days of the user. Ovy is
being tested in three variations: for in-ear
measurement, oral measurement or vaginal
measurement, depending on user preference. Ovy requires women to take a certain
amount of responsibility for morning measurement and a regular rhythm. If used correctly, Ovy is the perfect fertility companion for
women who want to track and understand
their cycle.
2
G OA L & T E A M
VISION
Ovy empowers women
to take control of their
reproductive health.
MISSION
Ovy‘s goal is to actively participate in the
discussion revolving around the topics of
reproductive health and fertility tracking via
smartphone. To this end, Ovy developed
a fertility thermometer and app that help
women to track their cycle
via smartphone.
Lina Wüller
Eva Wüller
CEO & FOUNDER
COO & FOUNDER
With Ovy, Lina managed to combine a fertility
cycle app and basal thermometer in order to
reveal the mystery of the female menstrual
cycle. She herself suffered from hormonal side
effects until she decided to use natural birth
control. Lina started tracking her own cycle with
different apps and thermometers, finding many
weak spots in existing technologies. Still, going
back on the pill was not an option, so Lina founded Ovy. Lina is also the founder of Rebel at Heart
specialising in PR and design for tech start-ups.
Eva studied business administration (MSc) at
the EBS in Oestrich-Winkel and the US. Once,
she started working for a cosmetics company,
she was constantly in touch with women’s issues. Driven by the desire for a more dynamic environment, Eva searched for new challenges in
the start-up sector and worked with Lina at
Rebel at Heart for several start-up companies.
Finally, she became entrepreneur in residence
for an urban gardening e-commerce start-up.
Eva is responsible for business development at
Ovy, encouraged to sensitize women for natural
family planning.
3
HOW IT WORKS
2 Every woman is different.
Ovy measures the basal body
temperature (either in the ear,
mouth or vagina).
1 Ovy is your daily fertility companion.
3 In comparison to other products, Ovy
Every morning at the same time,
synchronizes with the Ovy app via Blue-
you can use Ovy‘s wireless fertility
tooth to transmit measurement data.
thermometer to measure changes in
Ovy tracks the menstrual cycle,
your temperature.
showing fertile days and ovulation.
We developed Ovy so that women can track and understand their cycle with an
all-natural and convenient method. We help women to develop a better feeling for
their fertility and gain awareness for their body.
Ovy’s thermometer takes women’s basal body temperature every morning at the
same time and is automatically synchronized with the app. Ovy helps women keep
track of their fertile and infertile days - anywhere, any time via smartphone.
4
OV Y M O D EL S
Every woman has different needs. During beta testing
Ovy comes in three shapes, for in-ear, oral or vaginal measurement.
In-ear
measurement
Ear
Bluetooth
USB
Thermometer
Oral
measurement
Mouth
Bluetooth
USB
Thermometer
Vaginal
measurement
Vagina
Bluetooth
USB
Thermometer
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T H E OV Y A P P
The Ovy app keeps track of a woman‘s cycle at any time of day or night. It determines
your fertile days based on your basal body temperature. Further indicators such as your
period, sick days, cervical mucus or mood can be added manually to the app and make the
algorithmic calculation more accurate. Past cycles and data are saved for upcoming
doctor‘s appointments and can be retrieved at any time.
6
S TAT S
€5.3 bn is the volume of
With
investment deals in the sector of
the numer of registered health
100 k, registrierten Apps € 200 bn is the
forecasted market volume for the
Europe is the largest market for
digital health worldwide in 2015.
apps for iOS and Android has more
digital health sector in 2020, with
mobile health applications, with a
than doubled during the last two
a growth rate of 21.4%.
growth rate of 61.6% per year.
DGM Report, 2015
At
€ 7 bn in revenue,
years.
Digitalisation in the health market
Statista,2015
Deloitte, 2015
Arthur D. Little, 2016
50% of all Germans desire
29% of all Germans have at
The
3 most important factors
€ 100 m is the hightes
technical solutions to administer
least one health app installed on
increasing the likelihood of success
investment in reproductive health
and transmit health data at any
their smartphone and are active
for a health app are:
apps, raised by Meet You, DAYIMA and
time and anywhere.
users.
• Accuracy of prediction
Glow all together.
• Ease-of-use & design
• Data security
Digital health apps
Philips, 2015
Bertelsmann Stiftung, 2015
Deloitte, 2015
TechCrunch, 2016
30 years is the average
45% of all women in Germany 86 % of single German
1 in 10 couples in Germany are
age of women giving birth to a
state that they want their first
women without children indicate
childless even though they would
child for the first time.
child between the age of 30 and 35.
that they wish for one or more
like a baby.
children in the future.
Fertility & pregnancy
Statistisches Bundesamt, 2014
The Pearl Index of temperature
Statista, 2015
Die Zeit, 2015
60 k ‘morning-after pills’ are
4 out of 10 women in Germany
ranges from
in Germany suffer from thrombosis
sold every month. After reclassifi-
say that they are uncertain about
0.8 to 3
caused by the pill of the third or
cation to non-prescription status,
their fertile days and the length of
fourth generation every year.
the ‘morning-after pills’ showed an
their cycle.
measurement for contraception
More than
12/10 k women
ELTERN, 2013
(reporting the effectiveness of a
increse in sales.
birth control method).
Contraception
Pro Familia, 2013
Techniker Krankenkasse, 2015
Spiegel, 2016
Neon Magazin, 2015
7
FAQ
Exemplary cycle curve
for 28 days
How does Ovy work?
Ovy combines a cycle app and a basal thermometer to track
the menstrual cycle. In order to calculate women’s fertility,
the basal body temperature is measured every morning
either in the ear, mouth or vagina. In a few seconds, the
data is automatically transmitted to the app via Bluetooth.
Moreover, users can add several other data points to the app
manually, such as cervical mucus, premenstrual syndrome,
period, energy level, state of mood, digestion or sick days.
All data is integrated into the algorithm. The more information provided by the user, the more accurately the fertility is
tracked.
What is the female cycle?
Every female cycle begins with the first day of the menstruation and ends with the first day of a reoccurring bleeding.
During the period, the endometrium is dismantled and is
emitted over the course of several days through the vagina
in the form of approximately 150 ml of blood. There is no
‘universal‘ cycle, because every woman is physically different.
ovum been released, body temperature rises between 0.4
A cycle lasts for 25 to 30 days on average. Fertile and unfertile
and 0.6°C. The ovum is then fertile for 12 to 24 hours.
phases of the cycle can be differentiated based on certain
physical signals (basal temperature, cervical mucus, level
What is the basal body temperature?
of energy, mood, digestion). The cycle has to be monitored
The basal body temperature is also known as the waking
carefully. During her lifetime, a woman experiences about
temperature. The basal body temperature, measured in the
500 cycles.
morning right before getting up, offers the best data for
calculating a woman‘s ovulation.
What is the cycle curve?
The cycle curve is a temperature curve of a woman during a
How is Ovy different to any other basal thermometer or
cycle. It is used in the context of NFP (natural family planning)
cycle app?
and in conventional methods done by hand. By recording all
Ovy combines hardware and software. The temperature is an
data from daily temperature measurement, a cycle curve can
important indicator for determination of the cycle curve. Ovy
be drawn connecting all points. The basal temperature me-
optimises the proven method of temperature measurement
thod of contraception derives from this method. Based on the
by integrating the results as accurately and conveniently as
curve, assumptions about ovulation and fertile or unfertile
possible into the algorithm, using a Bluetooth thermometer.
days can be made. The ovulation usually happens one or two
Ovy has therefore not only developed a cycle app, but also an
days before the sudden rise of the temperature curve. Right
innovative fertility thermometer.
before the ovulation, the temperature drops slightly. After the
8
FAQ
OV Y H ELP S W O M EN :
to develop a new sense of body awareness.
to understand and track their menstrual cycle.
Why does Ovy come in three shapes?
Where and when can I buy Ovy?
Each woman is different and has individual needs for
Ovy is still in its beta phase. As soon as this phase is
measuring her temperature in the morning. Ovy will be
completed, the product and the app will be finalized and
tested in three versions: for in-ear, oral and vaginal
will be available for purchase in Ovy‘s own Web shop.
measurement. For hygienic reasons, the devices for
Sales launch is planned for autumn of 2016.
mouth and vagina are used with protective foil, renewed on a daily basis. All three devices are connected to
Who founded Ovy?
the app via Bluetooth. The devices are charged via USB
Ovy was founded by the sisters Lina and Eva Wüller in
connector, which is included in the scope of delivery.
February of 2016 in Hamburg. Currently, Ovy‘s team
consists of five people, covering marketing, IT and pro-
Does the Ovy app work without hardware?
duct development. A medical advisory board supports
The cycle curve can only be calculated with the correct
Ovy‘s operational team.
basal body thermometer. However, women can use
the app‘s calendar by adding period, cervical mucus,
What does Ovy mean?
energy level, mood, digestion, sickness or sex manually
Ovy is derived from the English word ‘ovulation‘.
to the app. Nevertheless, a temperature measurement
at a set point in the morning with Ovy would make the
to avoid hormonal contraception.
and couples to make reliable predictions for
natural family planning based on data.
I S N OT S U I TA B LE F O R W O M EN :
who are looking for safe protection.
who should not get pregnant due to health risks.
who cannot guarantee a daily measurement at the same
time because of life circumstances.
whose cycle are highly irregular, e.g. due to stress or
chronic illness.
calculation more accurate.
What data does the algorithm use?
Based on the basal body temperature, the cycle curve
and ovum release are calculated. In addition to that data,
more factors such as period, cervical mucus (discharge),
energy level, mood, digestion, sickness or sex can be
added manually to the app. This data is then also used by
the algorithm to make the calculation more accurate.
Is my data safe?
All data Ovy receives via the app is encrypted when
transmitted. Data is only used for cycle calculations.
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LE T ‘ S TA LK
Ovy GmbH
Herrengraben 30
20459 Hamburg
www.ovyapp.com
[email protected]
+49 40 46773133
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