What is a fermata?
ABOUT FERMATA
Until your taboos
turn into excitement.
fermata is a company that delivers new options for health concerns that have previously been difficult to voice, such as menstruation, fertility and pregnancy, postpartum, menopause, pelvic floor muscles, and sexual wellness.
WHY WE EXIST
From "there's nothing to be done" to a future with choices.
Even when experiencing bodily changes or discomfort, we sometimes endure it, thinking "everyone's the same" or "it's not worth consulting about." For problems that are difficult to articulate, it's often hard to see the choices available, and opportunities to connect with necessary information and care tend to be scarce.
fermata aims for a society where everyone can understand their own body, consult when needed, and make informed choices. We connect domestic and international products, expert knowledge, consumer voices, and medical, administrative, and corporate bodies, supporting the process until new options are safely integrated into daily life.
FOUNDER
Founder - Amina Sugimoto
Not just delivering options, but building the foundation for a society of choice.
Founded fermata in 2019. While introducing femtech options born worldwide to Japan, we have connected consumer voices with entrepreneurs, medical professionals, corporations, and government. Our goal is for new products not to be a fleeting topic but to take root securely in the daily lives of those who need them.
With Ida Tin, who coined the term "Femtech." Read the VOGUE interview →
FROM CONVERSATION TO CHANGE
At the core of all these activities are unvoiced concerns. Through ongoing dialogue, fermata continues its journey towards a society where choices are naturally accessible.
WHAT IS FEMTECH?
What is Femtech?
Femtech is a term combining "Female" and "Technology." It refers to products and services that support health issues specific to women or commonly observed in women, such as menstruation, pregnancy/infertility, postpartum, menopause, gynecological diseases, and sexual wellness.
This includes not only apps and devices but also absorbent underwear, menstrual cups, pelvic floor muscle care products, self-care products, and consultation and education systems. fermata believes that what is important is not "being new technology," but rather shedding light on previously overlooked concerns and increasing options.
OUR ROLE
Beyond selling products, we build the foundation for market growth.
01 Listen to voices
Discovering unspoken concerns
Through dialogue and research with users, we bring to light health issues that have been endured or treated as personal problems.
02 Connect
Connecting global options with Japan
We discover domestic and international brands and design methods to deliver them in a way that suits Japanese life, culture, and systems.
03 Verify
Creating an environment for confident choices
From the perspectives of public health, medicine, and pharmaceutical affairs, we verify quality, safety, advertising expressions, and distribution methods.
04 Expand
Creating opportunities to learn, try, and discuss
We promote social implementation through e-commerce, events, pop-ups, corporate support, and collaboration with experts.
FERMATA IN NUMBERS
fermata's journey in numbers
2019
Founded, 1st Femtech Fes! held
4 items
Contributed to the creation of general medical device generic names
200+
Products and services exhibited at Fes! 2024
20,000+
fermata community members
*Achievements based on official announcements. Event exhibits gathered from 23 countries and 5 regions.
SAFETY & TRUST
Not just "sellable in Japan," but "safe to use continuously."
Even products highly regarded overseas cannot necessarily be sold as-is in Japan. It is essential to go through the necessary procedures one by one, adapting to Japanese laws, labeling rules, culture, and customs.
fermata has obtained licenses for manufacturing and sales of cosmetics, quasi-drugs, and Class II medical devices. Furthermore, through research with medical institutions and dialogues with government and stakeholders, we have worked to create an environment where new femtech products, which could not be classified under existing systems, can be distributed with appropriate explanations and quality control.
Contributed to the creation of four generic names for general medical devices applicable to femtech products, including pelvic floor muscle trainers and home cervical mucus meters. We are building a foundation that balances product potential with user safety.
*Not all products handled are medical devices or quasi-drugs. Please check the classification and usage on each product page.
OUR JOURNEY
The journey of fermata
2019｜Dawn of the Market
In September, the first Femtech Fes! was held in Shibuya, Tokyo. At a time when the term "Femtech" was largely unknown in Japan, we created a place where global options and consumers could connect. On October 23rd, fermata Inc. was established.
2020｜Towards a Secure Delivery System
Obtained permission for Class II medical device manufacturing and sales. Through e-commerce and physical stores, we expanded an environment where people could actually learn about, compare, and choose absorbent underwear, menstrual cups, pelvic floor muscle care products, and more.
2021｜Collaboration with Medical Field
Initiated a clinical research study on the femtech device kegg for fertility support, in collaboration with Hamada Hospital, which is also conducting research with the University of Tokyo Hospital. We advanced initiatives to connect consumer experiences with medical and research insights.
2022–2023｜Advancing Systems and Market
In 2022, the general medical device generic name "pelvic floor muscle training device" was newly established. In 2023, Kegelbell was launched as a general medical device. At Femtech Fes! 2022, over 200 products and services from 6 regions and 33 countries worldwide were exhibited, attracting approximately 2,900 visitors.
2024｜Dialogue becomes a major movement
The 4th Femtech Fes! was held at Roppongi Hills. Over 200 products and services from 23 countries and 5 regions, and 44 overseas corporate representatives gathered, with 5,150 visitors over three days. Ida Tin, the creator of the term "Femtech," also made her first visit to Japan. The event was featured in over 70 media outlets.
2025–｜Rooting options in society
Full-scale launch of the fertility device kegg in Japan. We are responsible for medical device registration and establishing a sales system in Japan, promoting social implementation rooted in regulations and culture. We continue to cultivate femtech from a temporary topic into an everyday option available to everyone.
WHY THIS STORE?
Why does fermata operate an e-commerce store?
When it comes to health and sexual wellness products, there's often anxiety like, "I don't know if it's right for me" or "It's hard to ask how to choose." The fermata store is not just a place to increase the number of products. We aim to be a place where even first-time users can choose at their own pace, through categories searchable by concerns and life situations, clear explanations, expert perspectives, and consultation services.
FEMTECH FES!
Meet, touch, and talk. A place where everyone nurtures the market.
Femtech Fes! is not just an event for exhibiting products. It's a place where consumers, entrepreneurs, medical professionals, researchers, businesses, educational institutions, and government gather to articulate health concerns that have been difficult to discuss, and to consider the next necessary options.
With "knowing" as the first step, the experiences and dialogues at the venue lead to the next steps such as purchases, research, business, and policy-making. Femtech Fes!, which began in 2019 in a small venue in Shibuya, has grown into a place connecting the femtech markets of Japan and the world.
Femtech Fes! 2022 Digest Video
As choices increase, the landscape of life changes.
No longer tolerating discomfort or unease as "normal." Being able to discuss one's body with curiosity, not just embarrassment or anxiety. Everyone finding the information and care they need, and making choices actively. fermata is building such a future together with all of you.