Hacking Menopause

The challenge

AARP Innovation Labs is looking for the world's best developers who are passionate about finding ways to enhance the quality of life for women before, during, and after menopause. AARP iLabs seeks a science-based approach to wellness and assistive technology, including AI, electronics, software, industrial design, and psychology to enable prime time women to live their best lives.

In this challenge, we're calling our worldwide community of engineers, designers and creative thinkers to solve perimenopause and menopause symptoms, as levels of estrogen and progesterone fluctuate in the female body, causing common symptoms like:

• Hot flashes
• Mood swings
• Sleep problems
• Bone loss
• Problems concentrating

Here is a link to over 35 symptoms of menopause. If you are a developer with a product solution that can tackle any of these symptoms, we want to know how you'd create a non-invasive physical solution that combats the symptoms of menopause, giving women a sense of control?

Let’s hack menopause so it's no longer a pause!

Femtech is one of the fastest-growing markets in healthcare. Projected to hit $50B by 2025, most of the development to date has been focused on the fertility years- yet nearly 1 in 3 women are currently in a phase of menopause. By 2025 there will be over 1 billion menopausal women worldwide, with 85% of them experiencing symptoms.

Society is evolving and tackling topics that were once considered taboo (think erectile dysfunction, incontinence, anxiety, and others). One of the last taboo topics that remain, is menopause. Women have historically had to “suffer in silence” when it came to their health concerns around menopause, the symptoms of which can last from 4 to 20 years or more. And, not only will nearly every woman in the world experience menopause at some point, but the people in their lives may also be impacted as they navigate this important phase. We believe that this topic has lived in the shadows for way too long! That’s why AARP Innovation Labs is turning to you to help us dive in headfirst to create new products and solutions.

Hot flashes are the most known and visible symptom of menopause, but there are over 35 other symptoms that women might experience! And while hormone replacement therapy is an effective means to control the symptoms, roughly 94% of women opt not to take them. Instead, they seek out supplements and non-pharmaceutical solutions- or no solution at all. Millions of women are pushing through the symptoms, often not telling their family, friends, boss, or co-workers in order to hide it.

More truths about menopause:

• 6,000 women enter menopause every day
• Over 38 million women in the U.S. are currently experiencing menopause
• 3 in 4 women say their menopause affects their quality of life
• 1 in 5 workers is currently experiencing menopause, and many miss work due to interrupted sleep, hot flashes, and other symptoms of menopause.

We dare you to join us in creating meaningful solutions that positively impact the experience of menopause and give women control, comfort, and wellness.

How will you create a non-invasive physical solution that tackles the symptoms of menopause giving women a sense of control? (NOTE: non-invasive means that we do not want hormone replacement or vitamin/nutritional supplements).

Here a few examples to get your mind thinking:

• Smart clothing that senses temperature changes and auto-adjusts
• Cooling sheets for night sweats
• Wearables with sensors and utilizing wave technology
• Anxiety reducers or confidence builders
• VR or AR technology that focuses on the mental symptoms
• Motivational tools like trackers to help people achieve goals when they are not feeling energetic
• Voice-activated AI
• Electric shock devices
• Hydration assistance
• Bluetooth enabled feminine protection
• Relaxation techniques for energy and balance
• Uncovering risk levels based on ethnicity and race
• Warming gloves or socks that auto-detect temperature
• Sleep aids

The best thing about the contest? No Hardware or Software Requirements! Be whoever you want to be, create whatever you want to. We can’t wait to see your concept and solution (product, device, functional accessory, app, etc).

Prizes

Best Two-Symptom Solution

This prize will be awarded to the best project that solves two or more symptoms concurrently.

1 winner

$5,000

In addition to your cash prize, you'll win:
- A chance to work with AARP Innovation Labs to validate, test and potentially further build your product
- The opportunity to attend a health conference with AARP Innovation Labs to showcase your winning entry

Best One-Symptom Solution

This prize will be awarded to the best project that solves at least 1 of the 35 symptoms.

1 winner

$4,000

In addition to your cash prize, you'll win:
- A chance to work with AARP Innovation Labs to validate, test and potentially further build your product
- The opportunity to attend a health conference with AARP Innovation Labs to showcase your winning entry

Best Retail Directed, One-Symptom Solution

This prize will be awarded to the best project that solves for 1 or more symptoms that can retail to the consumer for under $50.

1 winner

$4,000

In addition to your cash prize, you'll win:
- A chance to work with AARP Innovation Labs to validate, test and potentially further build your product
- The opportunity to attend a health conference with AARP Innovation Labs to showcase your winning entry

Runner Up

10 winners

VISA e-Gift Card

-

$300 value

Judges