TITLE: Prickly Pear Health to Showcase Women’s Brain Health Tech at TechCrunch Disrupt 2025
Prickly Pear Health’s Journey to TechCrunch Disrupt 2025
Iman Clark, CEO of Prickly Pear Health, will showcase her company’s innovative approach to women’s brain health at TechCrunch Disrupt 2025, marking a significant milestone in her entrepreneurial journey that began with a personal epiphany nearly a decade ago.
From Tunisia to Tech Innovation
Clark’s path to founding Prickly Pear Health started when she moved from Tunisia to the United States for graduate school. Her professional experience working with a company that developed gamified experiences for people with neurodegenerative conditions revealed critical gaps in healthcare. “I realized that most people, 75-plus, have two to three chronic conditions, and no matter what we did, it is always going to be hard,” she explained in an interview that originally appeared on IMD Monitor.
The Women’s Health Disparity Discovery
Clark’s research uncovered startling statistics that would shape her company’s mission. She discovered that women represent 70% of the Alzheimer’s population, are twice as likely to be diagnosed with depression and anxiety, and three to four times more likely to experience migraines. “That’s when I realized we are not really solving for women’s biology, and that is costing us lives and dollars,” Clark emphasized.
Prickly Pear Health’s Innovative Solution
The company developed a voice-first, AI-powered companion specifically designed for women aged 30 to 50 navigating hormonal changes that impact brain health. The technology allows users to record daily voice reflections, which Prickly Pear’s AI analyzes to track cognitive changes and patterns.
Comprehensive Health Monitoring
Beyond voice analysis, the platform integrates data from popular health trackers including Apple Health, Oura, and Garmin, pulling in sleep patterns, heart rate activity, and other vital metrics to provide personalized health insights and recommendations.
Addressing Critical Health Gaps
Through focus groups at Arizona State University, Clark identified that women in their late 30s to early 50s frequently report brain fog and mental fatigue, often not connecting these symptoms to hormonal changes until their 60s. “They’re often dismissed or misdiagnosed when symptoms like brain fog, mood shifts, or irregular cycles first appear,” Clark noted, highlighting how traditional healthcare fails to connect these crucial dots.
The Inspiration Behind the Name
The company’s unique name emerged from Clark’s fascination with Arizona’s cacti. “That’s when Prickly Pear came to life because that’s the fruit that grows in the cactus tree, and it was an inspiration of thriving in harsh conditions and joyful resilience,” she shared.
Differentiation in the Market
Clark positions Prickly Pear Health as distinct from existing menopause apps, which she describes as primarily symptom trackers. “We believe it’s important to understand symptoms, but we believe that those approaches are reactive approaches, while for us, we are there to be able to detect things,” she explained in her comprehensive discussion about the company’s approach.
Funding Journey and Future Plans
The company successfully raised a $350,000 pre-seed round, a process Clark described as particularly challenging as a woman of color founder. “We had to be so good that you cannot be ignored,” she stated. Prickly Pear Health launched a free version in May and plans to introduce premium offerings in October, coinciding with both Mental Health Awareness Month and Menopause Awareness Month.
TechCrunch Disrupt 2025 Showcase
Prickly Pear Health will demonstrate its technology at TechCrunch Disrupt 2025, scheduled for October 27-29 in San Francisco, presenting their vision for transforming women’s brain health through innovative technology and early intervention strategies.
