The business of menopause

The end of female fertility is still not fully understood. Emsee, a specialist healthcare platform, guides women through the confusion of menopause symptoms and treatments. 

Female leaders might draw inspiration from Drew Barrymore, who removed her jacket at a TV talk show in April and candidly acknowledged a perimenopausal hot flush. 

Her revelation reflects a broader trend, with high-profile women like Michelle Obama speaking openly about menopause, a stage often marked by confusion and cultural shame. 

However, despite celebrity endorsements, the topic remains shrouded in stigma. “Not many women want to talk about it. Some cultures in Asia don’t even have a word for menopause,” says Adeline Chu, Managing Director at Emsee, an Australian healthcare platform helping women navigate menopause. It is seen as just another stage of life, says Chu. “So little is taught or written about menopause in medicine. But is that good enough?” 

Next frontier for healthcare 

Chu took up the top post at Emsee last year after leadership roles in Australia and Singapore. A long-time start-up mentor with Western Sydney University and CSIRO, she’s helped mentor 500+ startups and run businesses in health tech, nano tech and education. Her appointment at Emsee coincides with her own struggle to find answers about her changing health, and her desire to create something better. 

Menopause marks the end of fertility, defined as 12 months without a period, usually between the ages of 45 and 55. But the transition phase, called perimenopause, can last years, marked by unpredictable hormone fluctuations and wide-ranging symptoms. From hot flushes and brain fog to hair loss, insomnia and depression, the effects vary greatly between women. “You won’t know how the symptoms will affect you,” says Chu. “And your experience will likely differ from your family’s or friends’.” 

In her 40s, Chu began experiencing sudden food intolerances, unexplained body aches, and memory lapses. “I was running workshops and forgetting words. It was diabolical,” she recalls. “It made me realise how disruptive menopause can be to women’s careers – often at a time when they’re in their professional prime.” 

After a year and several GPs, she finally saw a menopause specialist. “Once I got on the right treatment plan, everything resolved,” she says. “Many women don’t even realise they’re going through perimenopause – or where to turn for help.” 

Emsee seeks to fill this gap. Today, the company supports nearly 5,000 women across Australia through a comprehensive solution that blends clinical and allied care, including hormone therapies, supplements, and diet and lifestyle guidance, with well-being offerings. To scale its impact, Emsee is digitising its service model and rolling out menopause microcredential programs to upskill GPs – the long-term ambition: to empower one billion women to live a healthy ever after. 

Chu is most encouraged that Emsee’s board shares this mission with deep expertise across business, government and medicine – including Jaala Pulford, former Victorian Minister; Doris Young, Professor Emeritus, Faculty of Medicine, Dentistry and Health Sciences, University of Melbourne since 2019; and Chair Geoff Marshall – a medtech veteran, former PwC partner and founding MD of medical device company Nanosonics. 

“We need to educate men, younger women and society about the medical impacts, lifestyle challenges, and the widespread underdiagnosis of menopause,” says Marshall. “Fifty per cent of the workforce are women. Greater awareness and action isn’t just the right thing to do – it’s good for business.” 

“Women deserve menopause care that improves their long-term quality of life,” adds Chu. “That requires an innovative, holistic, and ecosystem approach.” 

For more information visit emsee.co