FemTech startup announced as Rewired Pitchfest 2026 winner

FemTech firm Daye has been announced as the winner of the Digital Health Rewired Pitchfest 2026 competition for innovative startups. 

The women’s health biotech aims to close the gender health gap through science-led innovation through its flagship product, the Daye diagnostic tampon — an at-home tool for detecting high-risk HPV, the leading cause of cervical cancer.

Daye was chosen from eight finalists, who pitched in front of the judges and a live audience of NHS leaders, investors and industry peers at the NEC in Birmingham on 25 March.

Addressing the Rewired conference, Valentina Milanova, founder and chief executive of Daye, said: “I promise to do my best to keep spreading the word about cervical cancer.

“Thank you for having faith in our approach, this really means so much.”

Milanova will now receive expert advice from Pitchfest partner CW+ and Chelsea and Westminster Hospital NHS Foundation Trust’s CW innovation team, as well as the potential to run a project in the trust.

Pitchfest judge Chris Chaney, chief executive of CW+ and co-lead of CW Innovation, said: “Congratulations to this year’s Pitchfest winner, Daye. Your solution stood out for its strong potential to make a real impact in healthcare.

“As part of the award, Daye will receive expert support from the CW Innovation team, with the potential to develop and run a project within Chelsea and Westminster Hospital NHS Foundation Trust.

“We would also like to thank all of this year’s finalists for the exceptional quality of ideas presented, and for their commitment to improving patient care through innovation.”

Also on the judging panel for the live final were:

• Jon Hoeksma, chief executive of Future Health Intelligence
• Mindy Simon, co-director of NHS Innovation Accelerator
• Michael Morgan-Curran, chief executive of Asclepius MedTech Limited
• Lloyd Price, partner at Nelson Advisors
• Sara Nelson, programme director at DigitalHealth.London
• Pei-Fen Lin, clinical director of innovation at Moorfields Eye Hospital
• Chris Sawyer, innovation lead – digital health at Innovate UK

The other finalists who competed in the Pitchfest 2026 live final were:

• Astron Health,
• Cogniss,
• Into-Action.Health,
• Jigsaw Medical,
• LightHearted AI,
• Mavis Technologies, and
• Upskill.Health

Pitchfest is supported by Silver Buck, The Hill and DigitalHealth.London.