BCG: Longevity Market Missing US$350bn Women’s Health Prize

The longevity market is built around a simple proposition: extend people’s healthy years and delay the onset of ill health, allowing people to live longer with better physical and cognitive wellbeing.

In other words, the focus is on extending healthspan, not simply lifespan.

However, a new study from international consultancy Boston Consulting Group (BCG), conducted for the St Moritz Longevity Forum, suggests the longevity market is failing to adequately serve one of its most engaged customer groups: women going through perimenopause and menopause.

Despite being among the most active users of longevity interventions, these women are also among the least satisfied with the solutions available to them. BCG estimates that closing this gap could unlock a US$350bn opportunity.

Trish Stroman, Managing Director and Senior Partner at BCG and co-author of the study, argues that the industry needs to move beyond the current proliferation of wellness interventions towards solutions supported by clinical evidence.

“BCG's latest consumer study shows women in menopause try ~50% more health interventions than men or younger women. Yet they're still not satisfied with the results,” she writes on LinkedIn.

“They're also willing to pay more — a median of $108/month — for solutions that actually work.

“What would earn that spending? Evidence, not hype. Solutions backed by clinical research and recommended by a doctor or health-care provider.”

Most engaged, least satisfied

Perimenopausal and menopausal women adopt longevity interventions at rates 15-22% higher than other women or men, according to BCG.

They have also tried more interventions across categories, averaging 3.3 more than other women and 2.9 more than men. Yet this greater engagement has not translated into greater satisfaction, with satisfaction levels remaining at around 50% across the groups surveyed.

The spending opportunity is equally significant. Women in this life stage spend a median US$84 a month on longevity, compared with US$68 among other women and US$73 among men.

Around one-third say they would spend US$108 a month on a product or service if it could demonstrate results.

Crucially, interest in long-term health begins well before menopause. Hormonal shifts and fertility challenges, which typically occur around ages 36 to 38, increase women’s interest in long-term health by 8% – compared with a 5% increase associated with menopause itself.

“Companies wait for menopause before they start talking to women about long-term health, but the real window opens about a decade earlier,” says Parul Bajaj, Managing Director and Partner at BCG and co-author of the report.

“Treating those hormonal shifts in the mid-30s as short-term symptoms, rather than the turning point they actually are, is one of the biggest blind spots in how the market serves women today.”

As Trish puts it: “The US$350bn question for health, wellness, and longevity companies: are you building with her and for her, or just selling to her?”

The women’s longevity paradox

The opportunity is set against a wider healthspan gap. Although women live around five years longer than men on average, they spend more of their lives in poor health.

BCG finds that the healthspan-lifespan gap is wider for women in most countries, with women spending around 25% more of their lives in poor health. 

The findings also point to a broader problem in women’s healthcare that extends beyond menopause.

Across the 12 countries surveyed, just 63% of women consult a doctor about hormone-related conditions, including endometriosis and polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS), compared with 78% who consult a doctor about cardiovascular issues.

Among women who do seek care for hormonal issues, just 72% say their symptoms are taken seriously, compared with 85% for heart-related symptoms.

The longevity mismatch

The confluence of these factors has created what BCG describes as a “longevity mismatch”: women are highly engaged and willing to spend on solutions, yet the market has not consistently developed products and services that address their needs or provide the evidence they are seeking.

The gap has deep historical roots. Women were excluded from many clinical trials for decades, with the US National Institutes of Health only formally requiring the inclusion of women in federally funded clinical research in 1993. Women today still account for only around 40% of clinical trial participants in the US, according to BCG.

Closing the estimated US$350bn opportunity will therefore require more than developing additional consumer products. 

BCG argues that consumer health, pharmaceutical and technology companies need to strengthen the evidence base behind longevity solutions, while healthcare systems address gaps in women’s care and insurers and employers improve access and affordability.

Mark Abraham, Global Leader of BCG’s Marketing, Sales & Pricing Practice and co-author of the report, says women are “telling the market that they're ready to spend, but they aren't finding what they need”.

“The companies that bridge that gap can set a new standard for how the longevity market serves women – and claim their share of a US$350 billion prize.”

Longevity market - key players

Neko Health

CEO: Hjalmar Nilsonne | HQ: Stockholm, Sweden

Founded by Hjalmar Nilsonne and Spotify co-founder Daniel Ek, Neko Health is taking a preventative approach to longevity through technology-enabled health assessments. Its proprietary body-scanning system combines extensive diagnostics with clinical expertise to identify potential health risks earlier. The company has expanded rapidly across Europe and launched in New York in 2026, positioning prevention and early detection at the heart of its model. 

Altos Labs

CEO: Hal Barron | HQ: Redwood City, California

Backed by significant private investment, Altos Labs is pursuing a more fundamental approach to longevity, aiming to understand and reverse disease at the cellular level. Its research focuses on cellular rejuvenation and restoring cell health, with the ultimate goal of developing medicines capable of reversing disease. Former GSK R&D chief Hal Barron leads the company as CEO, Founder and Board Co-Chair. 

Calico Life Sciences

CEO: Arthur D. Levinson | HQ: South San Francisco, California

Founded by Alphabet, Calico Life Sciences is focused on understanding the biology of ageing and developing interventions for age-related diseases. Rather than treating longevity as a consumer wellness proposition, its model is rooted in fundamental biological research and drug development. Led by founder and CEO Arthur D. Levinson, Calico aims to translate discoveries about ageing into potential therapies that can extend healthspan.