Chantelle Bell, Cofounder of Syrona Health — London, U.K.

“I’ve always been interested in how the body works and how technology can advance disease detection and condition management. This led me to study genetics, where I quickly realized there weren’t many Black women professors in the research areas that I followed. In fact, less than 1% of university professors in the U.K. are Black.

During this time, I had my own challenges navigating the healthcare system. I was determined to make a change and contribute to advancing women’s health, and I knew tech was the way forward.

I went on to earn a Master’s in Bioscience Enterprise at Cambridge University, where I first connected with my cofounder, Anya Roy. A conversation about how female reproductive issues were under-researched, underfunded and misunderstood sparked the idea for our startup, Syrona Health: a virtual gynecological health clinic offering specialized support for people with endometriosis, PCOS, and other chronic conditions in the women’s health space.

There may be a lack of diversity in STEM, but don’t let that discourage you. Surround yourself with people who inspire you and who you can learn from, particularly the current generation of women leading the way.”

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