<p>How do you build the next generation of global gold standards in women’s health, and why is it one of the biggest economic opportunities of our time?</p><p>In this episode, Carmen van Vilsteren — healthcare innovation leader, angel investor, and one of the Netherlands’ most experienced medical device executives — shares her mission to fund and coach seven female founders toward creating seven new gold standards in healthcare.</p><p>Having spent decades at Philips developing cardiovascular imaging systems now used every second of every day in hospitals worldwide, Carmen is done advising from the sidelines. She’s getting her hands dirty — investing, coaching, and building the ecosystem that women’s health has always deserved.</p><p>We dive deep into what it actually takes to create a global gold standard in healthcare, why women’s health represents a $1 trillion untapped economic opportunity, and how Carmen is shifting the conversation from niche issue to societal imperative.</p><p>By listening, you'll learn about:</p><ol><li>The Seven Gold Standards: From microsurgery robotics to advanced breast reconstruction — why these innovations are poised to reshape global healthcare.</li><li>The $1 Trillion Market Failure: Three times more money is spent on solving erection problems than on all women’s health issues combined. Carmen explains why that’s not just a gender issue — it’s an economic one. </li><li>How to Build Credibility with Doctors: The three-level key opinion leader strategy that gets medical innovators from prototype to global adoption.</li><li>Angel Investing as a Multiplier: How strategic early-stage investment helps female founders reach the inflection points that unlock serious venture capital.</li><li>Shifting the Advocacy Language: Why framing women’s health as an economic opportunity — not a fairness issue — is the most effective way to move male-dominated Venture Capital.</li></ol><p><strong>Connect with Carmen van Vilsteren:</strong><br />Connect with Carmen on LinkedIn: <a href="https://www.linkedin.com/in/carmen-van-vilsteren-a069a49/" target="_blank" rel="ugc noopener noreferrer">https://www.linkedin.com/in/carmen-van-vilsteren-a069a49/</a> </p><p><strong>Resources mentioned:</strong></p><p>Fe+Male Tech Heroes: <a href="https://femaletechheroes.com/" target="_blank" rel="ugc noopener noreferrer">https://femaletechheroes.com/</a><br /></p><p>FemTech NL: <a href="https://www.femtechnl.com/" target="_blank" rel="ugc noopener noreferrer">https://www.femtechnl.com/</a><br /></p><p>Borski Fund: <a href="https://borskifund.com" target="_blank" rel="ugc noopener noreferrer">https://borskifund.com</a><br /></p><p>Health Holland: <a href="https://health-holland.com" target="_blank" rel="ugc noopener noreferrer">https://health-holland.com</a></p><p>Carmen's co-authored publication in The Lancet titled ‘Why investing in women's health is a societal imperative’: <a href="https://www.thelancet.com/journals/lancet/article/PIIS0140-6736(26)00404-6/fulltext" target="_blank" rel="ugc noopener noreferrer">⁠https://www.thelancet.com/journals/lancet/article/PIIS0140-6736(26)00404-6/fulltext⁠</a></p><p><strong>Chapters:</strong></p><p>00:00 Introduction and Background in Tech and Healthcare</p><p>03:57 Why Healthcare Became Carmen’s Passion</p><p>07:24 Development of Imaging Systems for Cardiovascular Applications</p><p>09:07 What Goes into Developing a Global Standard</p><p>14:43 Carmen’s Ambition to Fund Seven Global Healthcare Standards</p><p>17:01 Innovations in Preclinical and Clinical Imaging</p><p>19:08 The Role of Acceptance and Credibility in Healthcare</p><p>23:07 The Seven Golden Standards in Healthcare</p><p>32:50 Changing the Healthcare Ecosystem and Gender Balance</p><p>40:39 Women’s Health as a Societal Imperative</p><p>44:21 Engaging Men in Women’s Health Advocacy</p><p>49:24 Impact of Women’s Health on Society and Personal Life</p><p>54:00 Angel Investing and Supporting Female Founders</p><p>58:35 Paying Forward and Building a Support Ecosystem</p><p>01:10:47 Netherlands as a Global Center for Women’s Health</p><p>01:17:08 Vision for the Future of Healthcare and Innovation</p><p>01:21:32 Advice for Female Founders and Investors</p><p>01:22:48 Connecting with Carmen on LinkedIn</p><p><strong>About Women Disrupting Tech: </strong>Hosted by Dirkjan Hupkes, Women Disrupting Tech features female founders, tech leaders, and women in STEM who are building the next generation of technology. We provide the actionable strategies and proven frameworks female entrepreneurs use to succeed.</p><p>👉 Subscribe to Women Disrupting Tech on Spotify and Apple Podcasts for weekly insights from women reshaping the industry.</p>