In most ways that count, all human beings are the same. Of course, in the application of medicine, there are some fundamental differences between men and women.

Although women comprise roughly half the world’s population, women’s health solutions account for only 4% of R&D allocations in the healthcare sector, noted Forbes contributor Reenita Das.

Femtech — a $1 billion space that “involves the use of digital health applications such as software, diagnostics, products, and services to improve women’s health” — is developing as a response to gender disparities in healthcare.

Companies are increasingly seeking to create digitally-integrated care delivery models, population health management tools, and tech solutions that specifically address women’s health.

“At the top level, Femtech offers several advantages such as making healthcare minimally invasive, less intrusive, more practical, and personalized to the needs of the patient,” Das wrote. “It has high potential for improving efficiency of screening and diagnosis powered by cutting-edge technology such as artificial intelligence, big data and analytics.”

Read Das’s entire contribution here, in Forbes.