Both women and LGBT entrepreneurs face a notoriously steep climb in seeking funding. How has your experience been?Seeking funding for a trans-focused healthcare company has not been without its challenges. But we told our story to anybody who would listen and told it from the heart. We found some great mission-driven funds along the way who are looking to support diverse founders and bold ideas that impact marginalized communities. Funds that understand you can do well by doing good.
I come from a background in grant funding through non-profit community health centers and free clinics. I always thought that was the only way to reach underserved communities, but after spending 10 years constantly trying to cut through red tape and seeing many patients fall through the cracks, especially trans folks, it became clear a new model of care and funding, unburdened by the legacy healthcare system, was necessary to truly meet patients where they are.
We stand firm in being 100% devoted to the trans community and to giving our community the resources and care it deserves after being, at best, an afterthought for so long, even in LGBTQ+ settings. It is great to see more companies like Euphoria and Folx getting venture investment to support the trans community, as well.
But for trans people, the costs go far beyond the price of clinic visits, prescriptions, and labs. Access to reliable, secure transportation is a barrier to many. With long wait lists in most brick and mortar settings, delaying care can be detrimental to mental health with depression and suicide rates upwards of 10 times that of the US population. Even just leaving our homes can be a significant safety threat to many trans people.