Evvy is known for its groundbreaking at-home vaginal microbiome testing kits and shaking up the female health care industry. The innovative vaginal health company was recently recognized by a highly competitive panel of Fast Company editors and reporters from nearly 3,000 entries as a finalist in the Wellness category and an honorable mention in the Health and On the Rise categories. The On the Rise category includes companies 4 years old or younger.
Entries were received from around the globe ranging from education and food to technology, health, politics, and social justice. The World-Changing Ideas Awards showcase is in its sixth year and highlights 39 winners, 350 finalists, and more than 600 honorable mentions. The awards turn a spotlight on companies encouraging social innovation and addressing public health issues and social inequality.
Founded by Stanford alums Priyanka Jain and Laine Bruzek, Evvy is on a mission to radically reinvent how we understand and treat the female body, starting with the vaginal microbiome. The duo is working to educate the world on the vaginal microbiome and its importance. Jain and Bruzek hope this knowledge can lead to better treatment and care for common vaginal health conditions. Additionally, they’re hoping to close the gender health gap through increased inclusion of women in medical research since women are, on average, diagnosed four years later than men for identical diseases.
Evvy Increases Access to Vaginal Health Data
Evvy’s test, the first at-home test to use metagenomic sequencing, is currently available as a single test or as a membership with four tests annually, with one shipped every three months. It’s only available to those age 18 or older. According to Jain, the test is a simple swab of the vagina. The test is then sent to Evvy’s Clinical Laboratory Improvement Amendments (CLIA) certified lab for evaluation. The test breaks down all the bacteria and fungi in the sample, which can create a personalized snapshot into what’s happening down there. Results are typically sent within two to three weeks in a comprehensive report, which test takers can bring to their health care provider to share the findings.
“We’re so honored to have our Vaginal Health Test included in three different categories for Fast Company‘s World-Changing Ideas Awards within our first year of business,” Evvy co-founder and CEO Jain says in a press release. “At Evvy, we’re building a world where female health is finally understood; where conditions are detected early and treated precisely; and where talking about vaginal health is as normal as talking about skin care. We’re grateful to Fast Company for believing in that future.”
Evvy posted on its Instagram page, @Evvy, how delighted it is to have made the list in three categories.
“We couldn’t be more proud to see our work equally honored alongside so many other innovative companies in areas like climate change, health and wellness, technology, and more,” the social media post states.
Fast Company’s interim Editor-in-Chief David Lidsky says his publication “relishes its role in amplifying important, innovative work to address big challenges.”
Evvy Is Turning Vagina Monologue Into a Dialogue
Evvy’s co-founder Bruzek says the brand is dedicated to helping clients gain more knowledge about vaginal health and see their vaginas in a way they haven’t before.
“So, a lot of times we say that you can think of an Evvy test as a tool to help you figure out what’s up down there. But when you test is based on what you want to learn,” Bruzek explains. “A lot of our members test over time because they want to see if particular treatments are working.”
Bruzek adds Evvy aims to empower women and those with vaginas to ask more questions. The business’s website offers a variety of resources, from a blog with vaginal health care content to a forum to ask questions. Bruzek says the brand’s goal with the blog is to teach people what a vaginal microbiome is, why it’s important, and why it should be tested. She hopes to one day have vaginal health discussions be a normal part of the daily narrative.
“As women find treatments that work for them, as soon as they get education that really helped them, they immediately start telling everyone else,” Bruzek says. “And I think that’s such a beautiful way to pay it back to the community and make sure that all boats rise when it comes to understanding vaginal health.”
These aren’t the only accolades Evvy has picked up: The vaginal health company was featured by Ebony magazine in March for its work toward destigmatizing vaginal health. Ebony also interviewed Evvy adviser OB-GYN Oluwatosin Goje. Goje believes the future of health care involves “empowering women and people with vaginas, especially Black women,” to be better advocates for themselves.
