Kate Ryder

Ryder, who founded Maven in 2014, was early to telemedicine—a space that has recently experienced explosive growth as more consumers seek out virtual care amid the pandemic. Maven has continued to lead the way in the sector, creating a COVID-19 maternity product and partnering with MassHealth to give 1.8 million Massachusetts residents free access to telemedicine. Ryder has been just as devoted to reimagining women’s health, focusing Maven on areas like fertility, pregnancy, and early parenthood. This year the company acquired the app Bright Parenting, which supports parents with young children, and launched Maven Wallet, a tool to help manage the costs of family planning. In February, Ryder closed a $45 million Series C, backed by investors including Icon Ventures, Sequoia, and boldfaced names like Natalie Portman, Reese Witherspoon, and Mindy Kaling—bringing the company’s total funding to $90 million.