A company that makes women’s health gadgets is opening a research and development centre in Bristol.
Elvie, which makes breast pumps and has developed a device for improving pelvic floor strength, will create 50 engineering and product design jobs in the city.
The office will open at the start of 2020 and the team will work with Elvie’s headquarters in London on products that have a “positive impact” on women’s health issues.
Tania Boler, founder and chief executive, said: “Bristol has produced some fantastic homegrown success stories, especially in tech. We can’t wait to be part of that community.
“We’ve been working hard to make a genuine impact on society for over five years and as a company we’re focused on designing innovative products that can continue to make a difference in the UK and around the world. This expansion helps us to do that.”
In April the company raised $42million in Series B investment, making it the largest femtech funding round ever. Elvie also launched offices in China and the US.
Jon O’Toole, Elvie’s chief product officer, said: “Before choosing Bristol we looked at various options for our second R&D office, but it was the city’s unique blend of culture, tech excellence, and quirky sense of humour that clinched it.”
The company is now inviting engineers, designers and data scientists to get in touch.
Tim Bowles, mayor of the West of England, added: “It’s fantastic news that Elvie is keen to expand its UK base by investing in the West of England.
“It’s a brilliantly innovative brand which is of course a natural fit with our region. This will be a great addition to our thriving medtech and digital health sector.”
Elvie was founded in 2013 and is planning to launch eight new products by 2020 and 16 by 2022.
