Iman Clark, CEO of Prickly Pear Health, had an epiphany that led her to TechCrunch’s Startup Battlefield at Disrupt 2025. Nine years ago, she moved from Tunisia to the U.S. for grad school and joined a company that created gamified experiences for people with neurodegenerative conditions.
Clark realized that women are twice as likely to be diagnosed with depression and anxiety, and three times more likely to be diagnosed with migraines. She wanted to create a solution for women’s brain health, particularly during menopause and hormonal changes in their 30s to 50s.
Prickly Pear Health offers a voice-first, AI-powered companion that helps women track cognitive changes by analyzing their language and context. The product also integrates sleep data, heart rate activity, and other metrics from trackers like Apple Health.
Clark aims to address the gap in traditional care for women’s brain health during midlife years. She considers existing menopause apps reactive approaches, while Prickly Pear takes a proactive stance to detect potential issues.
The company raised $350,000 pre-seed funding and is gearing up to launch its premium offering in October. Clark will showcase her product at Disrupt 2025, which runs from October 27-29 in San Francisco.
Source: https://techcrunch.com/2025/10/01/prickly-pear-health-will-showcase-how-its-helping-womens-brain-health-at-techcrunch-disrupt-2025