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Episode Summary
Why does it still take women an average of five years to get diagnosed with a chronic health condition — and up to 12 years for endometriosis? In this episode of The New Script, Makenzie Thomas and Frances Goh sit down with Dr. Ariella Heffernan-Marks, medical doctor, award-winning researcher, and founder of Ovum, to explore how technology and data are rewriting women’s healthcare.
Ariella shares the lightbulb moment that inspired Ovum — a “blue book” for women’s health — and how she’s building the first holistic AI health assistant designed to empower women across every stage of life. She explains how Ovum integrates longitudinal health data, generates doctor-friendly summaries, and creates the largest dataset yet to address decades of bias in medical research and AI.
Beyond the tech, Ariella reflects on her journey from medical student to startup CEO, what she learned raising $1.7M in pre-seed funding, and why setting boundaries as a founder is just as important as breaking them.
You’ll also hear surprising insights from her early research, why women are more open to AI in healthcare than expected, and how Ovum is redefining women’s health from “pink and siloed” to holistic, integrated, and equitable.
Time Stamps
01:14 – Why women are fearful of the healthcare system
02:05 – Introducing Dr. Ariella Heffernan-Marks, founder of Ovum
03:34 – The lightbulb moment: creating a “blue book” for women’s health
06:23 – What Ovum does and how it works in practice
09:28 – Making doctors listen: generating usable health reports
12:39 – Surprising insights from Ovum’s research & trials
15:31 – Why women welcome AI in healthcare
16:16 – The power of an integrated lifespan approach
18:47 – Building a longitudinal women’s health dataset
20:55 – Data privacy, transparency & research partnerships
22:00 – Fundraising $1.7M pre-seed as a female founder
26:44 – From clinician to founder: navigating the transition
31:45 – Lessons, failures, and the pivot to AI
34:31 – Best advice received & believing in yourself
35:21 – Prioritising energy, boundaries & health as a founder
39:18 – Ovum’s impact on the healthcare system & workforce
42:19 – What’s next for Ovum in the next 12 months
43:55 – If Ariella could rewrite the script on women’s health…
Resources
🌐 Ovum: https://www.askovum.com/
👩⚕️ Dr. Ariella Heffernan-Marks: https://www.linkedin.com/in/dr-ariella-heffernan-marks-935401120/
Acknowledgment of Country
We acknowledge the Traditional Owners of the land on which we record and pay our respects to their Elders, past and present. We recognise their continuing connection to land, waters, and culture.
Disclaimer
The New Script is a podcast created for educational and awareness-raising purposes only. The conversations you’ll hear are not intended to be medical advice.
Please consult a qualified healthcare professional for any personal medical concerns or decisions.
✨ Connect with Frances and Makenzie
Frances LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/frances-goh/
Makenzie's LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/makenziethomas/
The Day One Network
The New Script is part of Day One, the podcast network dedicated to founders, operators & investors. https://dayone.fm/newsletter
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