This Dallas-Based Sexual Wellness App for Women Just Secured Serious Seed Funding

A couple of years ago, Ob/Gyn Dr. Lyndsey Harper left her private practice in Dallas to tackle a practically universal issue for women: decreased sex drive. She had educated herself on how to effectively communicate and provide resources for her patients experiencing it, but she wanted to reach as many women as possible. So she turned to technology.

In February of 2019, Rosy launched as the first evidence-based tech platform to guide women through their sexual health and wellness. The approach is holistic: the platform includes educational videos led by Dr. Harper, erotic short stories written to appeal to women, and self-help videos featuring Dr. Laurie Mintz (a therapist and author of Becoming Cliterate).

As helpful as the app may be for women looking for a private way to better understand their sexual wellness, Rosy could also be a game changer for physicians, many of whom aren’t taught how to communicate with their female patients about a common problem both genders face. “I didn’t realize the inequity. I was like, ‘Who is treating women’s sexual health?’ Nobody. That’s the answer: Nobody is,” Dr. Harper says. “I just felt like, if I don’t do this, I’m not sure who is going to.”

Clearly, people are starting to believe in Dr. Harper’s vision. Just yesterday, Rosy announced $1 million in a round of seed funding. Angel and venture capitalist investors include Alex Snodgrass of The Defined Dish, James Beshara, founder of Tilt (which sold to Airbnb), Ob/Gyn Dr. Erin Newman, and Laura Baldwin, the managing director at Golden Seeds. The app now has thousands of users and more than 2,500 healthcare providers and physicians referring Rosy to their patients.

“I had no idea this issue was so prevalent,” Beshara said in a release. “Women don’t even have close to the same number of resources as men, and investing in companies like Rosy is essential for closing that healthcare gap.”

 

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Wondering how other women are affected by low sexual desire? Curious how sex therapy has helped other relationships? Have hundreds of other questions that you’ve never felt comfortable asking anyone else? 🤷‍♀️ Rosy community is now LIVE! Right inside the Rosy app, join thousands of women on their journey to sexual wellness. 👭 Your questions, advice, shared experiences, and support will cultivate the first-of-its-kind supportive place for women to be heard. Join the conversation – link in bio! . . . . . #womensupportingwomen #womenscommunity #communitymatters #communityforwomen #onlinecommunity #sexualhealth #sexualwellness #wellnesscommunity #healthcommunity #menopause #newmoms #momsofinstagram #bettersex #orgasms #sexadvice #humansexuality #motherhoodunplugged #honestlymothering #mommyhood #momproblems #momofboth #womenshealth #mentalhealthmatters #womenempowerment #womensupportingwomen #womenempoweringwomen #girlspower #respect #respectwomen #healthjourney

A post shared by Rosy | Women’s Sexual Wellness (@meet_rosy) on Jan 16, 2020 at 9:00am PST

When I spoke to Dr. Harper last fall, she had been in the process of looking for investors, an unfamiliar situation for a board-certified doctor with no startup experience. “There are always more nos than yeses when you’re fundraising, but every new person, especially every new male I’ve spoken to, seems to understand how it might make a difference in their lives,” Dr. Harper said. “Maybe they’ve had a struggle, or their partner is struggling, and they just haven’t had the language to discuss it. And even if it’s a no, I’ve started another conversation.”