Philips Foundation: Cardiovascular Health and Women’s Tech

Access to quality healthcare remains a significant challenge for millions of people living in underserved communities around the world. 

To address these disparities, organisations are increasingly investing in innovative and sustainable healthcare models that can be expanded across regions and populations. 

According to its 2025 Annual Report, Philips Foundation made substantial progress toward this goal by enabling access to healthcare for 69 million people and advancing its ambition of reaching 100 million people annually by 2030.

Strengthening healthcare systems 

In 2025, Philips Foundation refined its approach to catalytic philanthropy by focusing resources on healthcare initiatives with proven effectiveness, operational readiness and the ability to integrate into existing health systems. 

The organisation concentrated its efforts on two critical health priorities: cardiovascular disease and maternal and child health. 

Through a continuum-of-capital model, Philips Foundation used grants to test and validate healthcare solutions in underserved settings while leveraging impact investments and co-investment opportunities to help successful programs expand their reach. 

By the end of the year, the foundation supported 44 active grant-based projects, managed 14 impact investments and mobilised €31.2m (US$35.7m) in co-investment funding.

“In order to improve healthcare access in a sustainable way, Philips Foundation is focusing on supporting solutions that will strengthen the chain of care from prevention to treatment, to create more reliable and resilient healthcare systems for underserved communities,” says Marnix van Ginneken, Chief ESG and Legal Officer of Philips and Chair of the Board of the Philips Foundation.

Advancing cardiovascular health 

Cardiovascular disease remains one of the leading causes of death worldwide, making early detection and effective referral systems essential components of healthcare delivery.

Philips Foundation has supported healthcare models that connect prevention, risk assessment, diagnosis and treatment within a coordinated care pathway.

A notable development in 2025 was the expansion of the CARDIO4Cities approach through a partnership with the Novartis Foundation.

Beginning in Amsterdam and potentially expanding into other urban regions, the initiative focuses on data-driven strategies and locally led interventions to improve cardiovascular outcomes and reduce health inequities in city populations.

CARDIO4Cities is the Novartis Foundation's flagship cardiometabolic population health program, designed to help cities strengthen every stage of the patient journey, from risk prediction and early detection to disease management and prevention of heart attacks and strokes.

The model works closely with local health authorities and partners to create tailored intervention roadmaps based on six strategic pillars: quality of care, access, policy reform, data and digital technology, intersectoral collaboration and local ownership.

This whole-of-city approach aims to deliver measurable and sustainable improvements that can be replicated across different healthcare settings.

The programme has already demonstrated promising results in early-adopter cities including São Paulo, Dakar and Ulaanbaatar, where hypertension control rates increased significantly within one to two years of implementation.

These improvements contributed to reductions in stroke and heart attack rates while also proving highly cost-effective.

With cardiometabolic diseases expected to account for more than 25 million deaths annually by 2030, CARDIO4Cities seeks to improve the heart health of 150 million people across 30 major cities by the end of the decade through partnerships with healthcare organisations, technology providers, insurers, foundations and international development agencies.

Maternal and child health

Philips Foundation also continued investing in solutions that strengthen maternal and child healthcare services, particularly by improving reproductive health support.

One example is 28X, a menstrual cycle tracking tool launched in the United Kingdom in 2026.

Supported through the foundation's impact investment subsidiary, the platform helps women better understand their reproductive health, monitor symptoms and identify potential concerns without requiring specialist care.

A key feature of 28X is its privacy-first design. The platform uses on-device artificial intelligence, meaning personal health information remains on the user's smartphone rather than being stored in cloud-based systems.

By eliminating third-party access, tracking and external data sharing, the technology aims to provide a secure and trustworthy experience for users seeking greater control over their health information.

The app is also designed to be accessible across different age groups, cultures and languages, helping to ensure that reproductive health tools are available to women regardless of geography or socioeconomic background.

Beyond its technology, 28X emphasises social impact and accessibility.

The platform is free to use, with no subscriptions, paywalls, or data-sharing requirements. Its developers have focused on creating a discreet, intuitive user experience that addresses barriers often associated with women's health services, including stigma and limited access to reliable information.

Sustainability is another core component of the platform, as its on-device AI model reduces reliance on energy-intensive data centres.

Led by a team with expertise in women's health, digital innovation and clinical engagement, 28X reflects a growing effort to combine technological innovation with equitable access to healthcare.